The Bodyguard

"Thanks, chum. I'm your pal for life!"

So says big Spike, the bulldog, after Jerry unhitches the rear of the Dog Catcher truck and lets him out. Jerry had been in the area when he heard Spike's plea for help. Now he has a handy friend "Anytime you ever needs me," says the tough and grammatically-incorrect dog, "just whistle."

Well, it doesn't long for Jerry take the dog up on the offer. Later, while he's in the middle of two slices of bread and a couple of olives, Jerry gives his first whistle!

This is a very funny cartoon. Yes, Jerry blows the whistle a few times, but in each case what happens to Tom is different with the sight gags and they're good. In this case, Tom deserves his punishment. He just doesn't seem to learn. Spike, with a bit of an Irish brogue, is hilarious.

The jokes were so good they didn't need the usual long chase scenes. What's also different in this one is that Tom actually comes up with a plan that works! The artwork was good, too, with some great expressions and reactions on Tom's face. Finally, this animated short also has an unusual, and very good, finish.

Overall, one of the top-echelon Tom and Jerry cartoons.

'The Bodyguard (1944)' keenly disrupts the classic cat-and-mouse formula by introducing a bulldog into the fray. This gives the short a sharp focus: Tom has to stop Jerry from calling his newfound friend, lest he incur a clobbering. This welcome change in pace is one of the earlier attempts at 'spicing things up' and it's highly successful, giving the picture a clear identity and, even, plot in the process. Of course, the narrative isn't exactly 'deep', per se; it just plays around with its core concept in some pleasing, and funny, ways. Obviously, a lot of the entertainment factor comes from the visuals. The animation is on-point for the era, with Tom's scraggly fur and (the then unnamed) Spike's crinkly skin being rendered incredibly pleasingly. Plus, the splendid sight-gags inventively play to the premise wherever possible. Overall, this is a very enjoyable experience. 8/10

After Jerry the mouse rescues Spike the dog from being caught by the dog pound, he offers to be a bodyguard for the mouse. All he has to do is whistle whenever he's getting attacked by Tom the cat, and spike will be right their to pummel Tom. At first it works superbly but after Tom gives Jerry a jawbreaker covered in glue Jerry finds that he can no longer whistle. This short has some great sight gags. And while Spike might seem a bit thick-headed and dense I enjoyed it immensely.This cartoon can be found on disc one of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry"

My Grade: A

The Bodyguard sees the return of Spike the bulldog, and a return to form for Tom and Jerry (after the disappointing episodes, The Zoot Cat and Baby Puss).

After rescuing Spike from the dogcatcher's van, Jerry is told by the grateful dog that if he ever needs help, all he has to do is whistle. Which spells trouble for Tom—until the wily cat tricks the mouse into chewing some specially prepared bubble gum, which makes him unable to call for his protective canine pal.

I liked Spike's first appearance in Dog Trouble, and even though he's less ferocious in this one, and even talks, The Bodyguard proves to be another very funny episode. Tom gets clobbered by Spike in a variety of amusing ways, and there are plenty of laughs to be had at the expense of the poor cat—at least until the very end, which sees Spike recaptured, and Jerry running for his life.

The Bodyguard (1944) **** (out of 4) Without question one of the best films in the long-running series, this one has Jerry helping a bulldog out of a dogcatcher's van and the dog offers to help him whenever he needs it. All Jerry has to do is whistle and the dog will be there to protect him, which of course means Tom gets beat up countless ways. THE BODYGUARD was the first truly great film in the series and it really doesn't matter how many times I've seen it, I laugh as hard each and every time. What makes this one so much fun is just how brutal it is in regards to the cartoon violence. Tom is constantly getting punched and thrown around, which leads to fast action and a lot of fun. The animation, music score and sound effects are all wonderful as well. Certainly one of the best Tom and Jerry ever did.