The Feudin' Hillbillies

Am not the biggest of fans of Mighty Mouse, just to get that out of the way. Pleasant enough if limited and not always used very well. His cartoons, 80 between 1942 and 1961 (though he was first named Super Mouse for the first seven, until 'The Lion and the Mouse'), were quite mixed and followed a formula that tended to be on the repetitive side. Some were pretty good, others were very weak. Most of them were in between of those, mostly of the watchable but average distinction.

1948 was yet another big year for Mighty Mouse, alternating with the generally superior Heckle and Jeckle series, and another uneven one. Not as badly though as most previous and succeeding years, as unlike previous years none of the 1948 Mighty Mouse cartoons were below average. And it was actually a pretty decent year on the whole for Terrytoons thanks to the Heckle and Jeckle series still going strong at this point. 'The Feudin Hillbillies' is neither one of the best or worst Mighty Mouse cartoons or one of the best or worst of that year for the studio, put it firmly in the middle on both counts.

It was interesting seeing the age old Hattfield and McCoy feud story with a Mighty Mouse story. Not a unique concept but it is always intriguing whenever it's ever adapted or parodied, on this front though it has been done both better and worse elsewhere. While enjoyable enough 'The Feudin Hillbillies' is fairly ordinary stuff, meaning with the odd embellishment here and there, it was just another typical Mighty Mouse versus cats battle.

Mighty Mouse himself is likeable and resourceful enough, but this is another case of being in two minds as to whether he served a point to this story when the cats versus cats battle was not too badly executed without him there. When he does turn up, it became a different cartoon so it did feel a little like two cartoons in one. An entertaining and more energetic different cartoon no doubt but there was a bit of a disjointed feel.

'The Feudin Hillbillies' music however is the usual lush and characterful self for the studio's output. Also excelling in enhancing everything going on between the cats and mice and especially in the final third. The animation is equally great in quality, especially the backgrounds and landscapes where the atmosphere evoked is to be admired greatly.

Gags are not too low in number, if more in the second half than the first, and they are amusing. There is also a genuine sense of threat, without being too dark or too sinister. The story may be slight and predictable, but it engages and charms at least with a nice energy. While the mice are appealing enough, the most interesting characters by far are the cats, both entertaining and menacing. The final third is exciting and the sight gags while not original are fun.

Overall, decent. 6/10.