The Midnight Snack

If I'm not mistaken this is the third Tom and Jerry short and there is something about animated shorts that the very early appearances of the characters are usually not like their familiar presence. In a way early shorts are like the first draft of a script! While Jerry here is still the same Jerry we all know and love Tom however, is not the devilish cat we know. Instead here he is a playful cat just joking around with Jerry. In a way Jerry is the bad guy of this short because he didn't have a sense of humor!

3(***)out of 4(****)stars

The Midnight Snack (1941)

*** (out of 4)

THE MIDNIGHT SNACK would be the second Tom and Jerry cartoon but the first to use those names. The story has Jerry sneaking into the icebox for some cheese but when Tom catches him he decides to add some "weight" to make Jerry struggle. From here it's an all out war as Tom once again tortures the poor mouse until the maid comes to see what's going on. THE MIDNIGHT SNACK isn't the best film in the series but if you're a fan then there are enough clever moments to make it worth viewing. The highlight is some early creativity, which includes some bread being used as steps as Jerry is forced to work for his meal. There's a lot of fun action throughout as glasses are broken and various other bits of damage done.

Not only the best Tom and Jerry film, but the best animated short I've ever seen. The timing, the animation, the character expressions, the sound effects... Not one false note. This one leaves me in stitches every time.

The characters went through several different design changes from the early 1940s through to the 1960s, most often as a result of different directors. The most dramatic changes were made between the original design in the first cartoons and the characters' form that most would instantly think of as Tom and Jerry. This short is one of the earliest ones and things were still in flux.

This also has an appearance by Mammy Two Shoes and has Tom and Jerry going at it furiously, each trying to come out ahead, though Jerry is probably also trying to get some peace and some breathing room as well. Good fun and amusement all around. Well worth looking for. Recommended.

The Midnight Snack is definitely an improvement over Puss Gets the Boot. The character designs have improved over Puss Gets the Boot, with Tom being bluer, and a bit softer, while Jerry looks a little less ratty. The episode is also funnier, with some moments including Tom getting hit by the trash can and Jerry getting objects stacked on top of his cheese. This episode is unfortunately one of the longer ones, and for a minute, it really drags along slowly. The downside to this cartoon is definitely it's runtime. It could be shortened to 7-8 minutes long. Otherwise, this cartoon is pretty fun, but the length definitely ruins some of it.