TheLittleSongbird This is not the best of the Tom and Jerry cartoons, but it is very funny. I thought the animation was very nice for its time, it is one of the better-looking early Tom and Jerry cartoons. I thought the music was outstanding, I know I keep mentioning the music in everything I review but the music is always something I like to talk about. Here it was fun and rousing. I thought the dialogue was hilarious, maybe some of the cool hip language used here is a tad dated but it was funny and worked reasonably well. The female cat's dialogue was enough to have me on the floor doubled up from laughing, it was just so witty and fresh. I thought the story was effective, simple yet effective. I thought the visual gags were a delight, there were enough to delight any Tom and Jerry fan. I thought the characters were well done, Tom sometimes talks a little too much, but he is fine, and Jerry is still his sweet and rascally self. Plus the female cat was a welcome addition. Overall, enjoyable. 9/10 Bethany Cox

theowinthrop The "zoot - suit" era lasted roughly from 1939 to about 1946. It's most permanent affect was to help spread "cool" lingo from extreme jazz lovers into the mainstream of the U.S. culture. But this probably would have happened anyway: the average person would have liked the music and picked up the various slang terms. Instead the zoot suit was to become an object of suspicion for ultra-conservative types (who hated jazz anyway) as being anti-social. And after awhile, it seemed just like a fad that had played out. With it's over-padded shoulders, attempts at streamlined and tight midriff section, and wild patterns (frequently with crazy stripes), covered with a wide brimmed - low crowned hat, the "zoot suit" just struck an unnerving note with conservatives, and a reaffirmation of independence with jazz fans.Here Tom Cat is shown going to the home of a pretty female cat, with a present (a disgusted Jerry Mouse in a blue box with a ribbon on it). Tom tries to make himself presentable, pomading his hair (with lard, symbolically enough), and curlicuing his whiskers. When he gives her the gift, Tom also serenades the cat on his ukulele, and sounds so annoying that when he is accidentally hit in the face with a board from her veranda the audience feels cheered.The female cat tells Tom how square he seems, and shuts the door, after returning his gift (Jerry thinks him square too, and shows it before he runs off). Tom decides to show he can be real cool - he constructs a costume of a zoot suit and hat from a hammock and a lamp shade. Then he returns and briefly captures the girl's affections. But I said briefly: Jerry sees to that.As pointed out this was one of the few Tom and Jerry cartoons that gave the two characters voices (Jerry has the same voice used in ANCHORS AWEIGH). Oddly enough, at one point, when Tom seems about to consummate the relations with the female cat, he stops talking jive, and starts an imitation based on his idea of Charles Boyer (hardly a zoot suit type).It is not a bad little cartoon. I am not usually a fan of Tom and Jerry or of Hanna-Barbera's work, but for it's capturing a moment of 20th Century American culture I think this was a pretty good cartoon.

movieman_kev Tom the cat tries to impress a girl cat by giving her Jerry the mouse and singing her a song. But she rebukes him for being to square. So he makes a makeshift home-made zoot suit and continues to woo her. This is one of the few shorts where Tom and to a little extent Jerry both talk. Whereas most Tom and Jerry cartoons are timeless, this one is dated and not as funny as normally. One of my less favorite shorts, it's still watchable though. This cartoon can be found on disc one of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry" My Grade: C DVD Extras: Commentary by historian Jerry Beck where he talks about the animator, voice actress and the songs amongst other things.

porker_mcsquawker They say "clothes makes the man". Most of us confess to adopting an assumed bravado and swagger when adorned in our smartest and best. As usual, Tom has it in spades. His matchless ability to move from gauche artless country hick to high fashion sophisticate, thanks to his new attire, is hilarious to witness. The piano scene is truly wonderful. Tom's new found suave Gallic charm projects with such supreme confidence, his forehead and bottom lip have never looked nobler, his female love interest is swooning with desire, resistance is useless. This huge emotionally charged growing tension is really fuelled by Tom's speaking. Whereas most of the classic Tom & Jerry films work so well without the clutter of speech, in this instance Tom's vocalisation adds so much to the development of his novel smooth and charmingly predatory character. Alas, for Tom, and thankfully for us, Jerry is at hand to return Tom back to the "real" world. Again, Tom's use of speech really works with his "Bob Hope like" one liner. As usual, the female interest is a bit one dimensional but this prevents any upstaging of the leads, Tom & Jerry.What does it for me is the wonderful artwork, excellently matched music, well crafted plot, cleverly developed characterisation, superb use of speech (not overdone), and all wrapped up in the unique Tom & Jerry magic.And, as you all know, even though you may be romantically dressed to kill, there is always a Jerry around to cramp your style!