Heavenly Puss

As an avid fan of Tom and Jerry, I enjoyed Heavenly Puss. I too couldn't help thinking of Pluto's Judgement Day when I saw this, and while that was very good this in my opinion was better. I loved the concept of the cartoon, the Heavenly Express looked amazing and Hell looked incredibly scary, I couldn't help feeling sorry for Tom as he begged for Jerry to sign for forgiveness. I also loved the artwork, with beautiful backgrounds and interesting character designs, and the music was really clever here ascending scales as Tom went up those stairs up into Heaven and the more dramatic threatening tones for Hell. There isn't anything hilarious here, but what stood out here was the cartoon's uniqueness. And the characters are fine, Jerry isn't given as much to do but he is still his sweet self, and Spike does a great job as the devilish dog figure with a laugh that still frightens me. I also liked the kindly conductor, he had some great dialogue, but as I've said before (sort of) Tom is the star of the show, although he is dastardly to begin with, his pleas for forgiveness are heart breaking and then the ending with him hugging Jerry(more to do with Jerry's confused facial expression) was quite funny. Oh, and those kittens are absolutely adorable. Overall, different but unique. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Fatally crushed by a piano while pursuing Jerry, Tom must be assessed before being permitted to ride the Heavenly Express; rather than being congratulated for his mouse chasing efforts, he is told that he has one hour to seek Jerry's forgiveness or he will forever be condemned to Hell.

After a couple of fun but relatively uninspired capers—The Little Orphan and Hatch Up Your Troubles—it's nice to see the people behind Tom and Jerry at least trying something a little different for a change, even if it isn't a wholly successful idea. The basic premise—that Tom would be punished for all eternity just for following his natural instincts—is admittedly daft, but it's a lot of fun to see Tom begging Jerry to sign his name while the devil (Butch the Bulldog) prepares a bubbling pot of brimstone in Hell.

Of course, it all ends up being a dream, and thus a bit of a cop-out, but it's fun while it lasts. Plus, it has a gag about drowned kittens in a sack—not something you see every day in a cartoon!

In an attempt to catch Jerry, Tom gets killed when his plan goes wrong. His spirit then ascends to the clouds, where he finds the Heavenly Express train preparing to disembark. The problem is, the ticket-seller will not let Tom pass due to his malevolent antics with Jerry, so he is given one hour to get Jerry's signature on a Certificate Of Forgiveness -- or go to Hell!

This cartoon is quite amusing, and the oversensitive ones will be pleased to know that there's little of the violence that the T&J series has often been accused of emphasising. The cartoon also has a twist at the end that I won't spoil.

Tom chases Jerry for no particular reason, and the cartoon seems to be giving us the usual fare until Jerry flattens Tom with a piano, killing him. A quick ride to heaven on an escalator brings him to the pearly gates, where some kind of train conduction is a cat version of Saint Peter. The Heavenly Express leaves in an hour and if Tom can get a signed document of forgiveness from Jerry he's free to enter. If not-HELL!

Now it's Tom's chance to be as nice to Jerry as possible, but he's having none of it and refuses to sign, sealing the cat's fate forever. It's a funny cartoon, with some nice moments. Though I was a little surprised to see the three dead kittens drowned in a bag at the gates of heaven.

'Heavenly Puss (1949)' is a 'Tom & Jerry' short that sees the former crushed by a piano and sent to the pearly gates, where he is told he has an hour to obtain a signature of forgiveness from his mouse mate in order to board the 'heavenly express'. The piece feels somewhat different to most others in its series. It seems, in a way, more character-driven and self-aware. The thing is almost like the creators are saying "don't worry, they're friends really". Still, this more story-focused approach isn't bad. While the affair has less inventive sight-gags than we're used to, it still has its fair share of funny moments. It also has a good heart at its centre. It's an enjoyable short. 7/10