Casanova Cat
Encyclopedia
Casanova Cat is a 1951
one-reel animated cartoon
and is the 55th Tom and Jerry
short directed by William Hanna
and Joseph Barbera
and produced by Fred Quimby
. This cartoon marks the final appearance of Toodles Galore during the Golden Age of Hollywood animation.
A newspaper headline announces that Toodles has inherited a million dollars. A top-hatted Tom heads to Toodles' home to woo her (and presumably get his paws on her inheritance) with flowers and newspaper in hand. Jerry, visibly annoyed and tied to a bow, is being dragged along behind Tom.
Toodles' housemaid (presumably Mammy Two Shoes, in a non-speaking role) takes his hat and lets him in. Tom gawks at Toodles and offers Jerry to her as a present. Tom then treats Jerry like a toy, endlessly forcing him into performing one humiliating performance after another:
1) He winds Jerry up like a wind-up doll and makes him stumble to the tune of Three Letters in the Mailbox, followed by a bow.
2) He rolls a ball that Jerry is forced to do cartwheels and handstands on, until Tom connects his arm to the goldfish bowl causing Jerry to land in it.
3) In a scene that is often cut when shown on television, Tom blackens Jerry's face with cigar smoke and forces Jerry to do a tap-dance on a hot metal plate as Old Folks at Home
plays in the background. Just as Tom and Toodles are about to kiss, Jerry lands behind Tom's tail which he feeds to a paper shredder, causing Tom to scream in Toodles' face and embarrass himself.
Jerry escapes to the window ledge and spots Butch lollygagging in a nearby alley. Jerry folds the newspaper article announcing Toodles' windfall into a paper airplane and launches it towards Butch. Butch's interest is piqued, and Jerry shows Butch where Toodles is. Butch catapults himself into Toodles' home and literally comes between Tom and her.
Tom and Butch proceed to battle each other for Toodles' affection, but they soon discover that in the midst of their brawling, Jerry kisses Toodles, which has her take an interest in Jerry. Tom and Butch chase Jerry and even though they soon have him cornered, the wily mouse is able to confuse and distract the two cats and escape. After untangling themselves, Tom and Butch look out the window and see a car leaving; Toodles and Jerry are canoodling in the back seat.
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
one-reel animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
and is the 55th Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
short directed by William Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
and produced by Fred Quimby
Fred Quimby
Frederick C. "Fred" Quimby was an American cartoon producer, best known as a producer of Tom and Jerry cartoons, for which he won seven Academy Awards...
. This cartoon marks the final appearance of Toodles Galore during the Golden Age of Hollywood animation.
Plot
Toodles' housemaid (presumably Mammy Two Shoes, in a non-speaking role) takes his hat and lets him in. Tom gawks at Toodles and offers Jerry to her as a present. Tom then treats Jerry like a toy, endlessly forcing him into performing one humiliating performance after another:
1) He winds Jerry up like a wind-up doll and makes him stumble to the tune of Three Letters in the Mailbox, followed by a bow.
2) He rolls a ball that Jerry is forced to do cartwheels and handstands on, until Tom connects his arm to the goldfish bowl causing Jerry to land in it.
3) In a scene that is often cut when shown on television, Tom blackens Jerry's face with cigar smoke and forces Jerry to do a tap-dance on a hot metal plate as Old Folks at Home
Old Folks at Home
"Old Folks at Home" is a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. It was intended to be performed by the New York blackface troupe Christy's Minstrels. E. P. Christy, the troupe's leader, appears on early printings of the sheet music as the song's creator...
plays in the background. Just as Tom and Toodles are about to kiss, Jerry lands behind Tom's tail which he feeds to a paper shredder, causing Tom to scream in Toodles' face and embarrass himself.
Jerry escapes to the window ledge and spots Butch lollygagging in a nearby alley. Jerry folds the newspaper article announcing Toodles' windfall into a paper airplane and launches it towards Butch. Butch's interest is piqued, and Jerry shows Butch where Toodles is. Butch catapults himself into Toodles' home and literally comes between Tom and her.
Tom and Butch proceed to battle each other for Toodles' affection, but they soon discover that in the midst of their brawling, Jerry kisses Toodles, which has her take an interest in Jerry. Tom and Butch chase Jerry and even though they soon have him cornered, the wily mouse is able to confuse and distract the two cats and escape. After untangling themselves, Tom and Butch look out the window and see a car leaving; Toodles and Jerry are canoodling in the back seat.
Censorship and Bans
- On Cartoon NetworkCartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
, the entire sequence involving Jerry's blackfaceBlackfaceBlackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
tap-dance performance is cut (though this censored scene was reinstated to the short when it aired as an interstitial during Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
in 2008). This sequence is also likely to have been the reason that this short was omitted from the final Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection.
Availability
- Casanova Cat can be found (uncensored and uncut) on the 1992 MGM/UA Home Video released VHS entitled Tom and Jerry's Cartoon Cavalcade, and on the UK DVD set entitled Tom and Jerry - The Complete Classic Collection. Chances are also fairly likely that it will be released on the second Tom and Jerry Golden CollectionTom and Jerry Golden CollectionThe Tom and Jerry Golden Collection is a series of two-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets, currently in production by Warner Home Video. The releases are expected to be uncut and in chronological order...
in the USA.