Pet Peeve

There certainly are a number of changes in this 1954 Tom and Jerry cartoon, that one sees in the first few minutes.

First, it was odd to see a Tom and Jerry cartoon in 2.55:1 widescreen Cinemascope, but that was the rage back in the middle '50s. Droopy and a few other cartoons also were seen in this format.

Then we see Tom the cat and Spike the bulldog as "partner," both living inside the same house and apparently friends.

The cartoon had one basic thing the same: good humor with some funny sight gags and some clever jokes, starting off by showing how Spike and Tom make and eat sandwiches. Then, after we hear their owners discuss that they can't afford to keep both a dog and a cat, we see both of them spring into action to prove their worth. Those scenes are very funny, with both of them going overboard to show their domestic talents and affection for who wants them (cat- to-female and dog-to-male.)

After that, we really go back into familiar territory as their masters say whoever catches the mouse can stay. Jerry changes hands about 10 times as the two pets compete for him and most of the jokes are good, with a surprise ending, too. This is highly recommended for the humor content.