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{{Short description|1956 film directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera}}
{{unreferenced|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox film
{{No footnotes|date=June 2015}}
| image = Blue Cat Blues ending.png

| caption = The ending of the short featuring [[Tom Cat|Tom]] and [[Jerry Mouse|Jerry]] both depressed and heartbroken on a railroad track waiting for an oncoming train to come and run them over
{{Infobox Hollywood cartoon
⚫
| director = [[William Hanna]]<br />[[Joseph Barbera]]
|cartoon_name=Blue Cat Blues
⚫
| producer = William Hanna<br />Joseph Barbera
|series=[[Tom and Jerry]]
⚫
| story = William Hanna<br />Joseph Barbera
|image=Blue_Cat_Blues_title.JPG
| starring = William Hanna<br />[[Paul Frees]]
|caption=Title Card
| narrator = Paul Frees
⚫
|director=[[William Hanna]]<br>[[Joseph Barbera]]
| music = [[Scott Bradley (composer)|Scott Bradley]]
⚫
|story_artist=William Hanna<br>Joseph Barbera
| animator = {{Plainlist|
|animator=[[Ed Barge]]<br>[[Irven Spence]]<br>[[Lewis Marshall]]<br>[[Kenneth Muse]]
*[[Kenneth Muse]]
⚫
|layout_artist=[[Richard Bickenbach]]
*[[Ed Barge]]
⚫
|background_artist=[[Robert Gentle]]
*[[Irven Spence]]
|voice_actor=[[Paul Frees]] (thinking, uncredited)
*Lewis Marshall}}
|musician=[[Scott Bradley]]
⚫
| layout_artist = [[Richard Bickenbach]]
⚫
|producer=William Hanna<br>Joseph Barbera
⚫
| background_artist = Robert Gentle
⚫
|distributor=[[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
⚫
| color_process = [[Technicolor]]
⚫
|release_date={{Film date|1956|11|16}}
| studio = [[MGM cartoon studio]]
⚫
|color_process=[[Technicolor]]<br>[[CinemaScope]]
⚫
| distributor = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
|runtime=6:50
⚫
| released = {{Film date|1956|11|16}}
|preceded_by=[[Down Beat Bear]]
| runtime = 7 minutes
|followed_by=[[Barbecue Brawl]]
| country = United States
|movie_language=[[English language|English]]
| language = English
}}
}}


'''''Blue Cat Blues''''' is a 1956 one [[reel]] [[animated cartoon|animated]] ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' [[cartoon]] directed and produced by [[William Hanna]] and [[Joseph Barbera]] with music by Scott Bradley. Released on November 16, 1956 by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]], the cartoon was animated by Ed Barge, Irven Spence, Lewis Marshall and Kenneth Muse, with layouts by Richard Bickenbach and backgrounds by Robert Gentle.
'''''Blue Cat Blues''''' is a 1956 one-[[reel]] [[Animated cartoon|animated]] ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' cartoon and was written, directed and produced by co-creators [[William Hanna]] and [[Joseph Barbera]]. The short was released by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] on November 16, 1956 in [[CinemaScope]]. It is the series' 103rd entry.


Unusual for a ''Tom and Jerry'' cartoon, [[Jerry Mouse|Jerry]] "speaks," through an inner monologue, voiced by [[Paul Frees]].
Unusual for a ''Tom and Jerry'' short, Jerry "speaks", narrating the story in voiceover via [[Paul Frees]]. Since Jerry narrates through inner monologue, the short does not break the "cardinal rule" of not having Tom or Jerry physically speaking on screen. Also, unusually for a Tom and Jerry cartoon, while all the others have comical storylines, this one has a tragic one. Because of this — and Tom and Jerry's implied suicide at the end — this cartoon has rarely been seen on American television, although it has aired once on [[TNT (TV channel)|TNT]] in the early 1990s and made its rounds on local affiliate channels. However, the short aired for only once on [[Cartoon Network Southeast Asia]] in November 2010. As of March 2014, very few airings are known but it has been shown briefly on Cartoon Network in the USA.


==Plot==
==Plot==
A depressed Tom sits on the railroad tracks, bent on [[suicide]]. Watching from a bridge above the tracks overhead, Jerry laments his old friend's state. Jerry knows that, when he gets home, his own friends will ask him why he didn't even try to stop Tom. Jerry believes that "it's better this way, and for the first time since he met her, he will be happy". Jerry recalls the events leading up to Tom's depression:
[[Tom Cat|Tom]] is seen sitting on train tracks, heavily depressed and waiting for an oncoming train to come and run him over, while Jerry laments at his friend's state and recalls how he ended up there. Jerry narrates that he and Tom were best friends before Tom falls for a beautiful white cat who, at first, seems to return his feelings (though she is actually manipulating him to her whims) before leaving him for [[Butch (Tom and Jerry)|Butch]] (who, unlike in other cartoons, is extremely rich), revealing she is a [[gold digger]], confirming Jerry's earlier suspicions.


Despite Jerry's protests, Tom desperately tries to buy back her love but is continually outdone by Butch. When Tom tries to present her with a flower, he finds she has already received a beautiful horseshoe garland of roses from Butch. He then presents her with a small bottle of perfume, but then Butch arrives with a large tanker truck full of perfume. Tom squanders all of his life savings to buy a diamond ring for her (with a diamond so small she needs a magnifying glass to see it), only to learn that Butch has already gifted her a ring with a large diamond so shiny that she and Tom need [[welding helmet]]s to see it. He even takes out a [[Predatory lender|predatory]] 26-year, 112% [[Annual percentage rate|APR]] loan from a used car lot to buy her an old, rickety automobile, only for Butch to arrive in his long and fancy convertible, crushing Tom and his car.
Tom and Jerry are inseparable friends, until a beautiful white female cat catches Tom's eye. The white cat initially reciprocates Tom's affections, but that soon changes for the worst: the much-wealthier [[List of Tom and Jerry characters#Butch|Mr. Butch]] lives next door to the white cat and he also becomes smitten by her. He rudely interrupts her relationship with Tom to make his move and ignores Tom's attempts to stop him. Attracted by Butch's wealth, the white cat proves herself to be an opportunist as Jerry always suspected her to be and leaves Tom.


Tom starts drinking (milk) uncontrollably, ignoring Jerry's pleas, and eventually nearly goes down the literal gutter but is saved just in time by Jerry. Tom becomes even more depressed when Butch and the white cat drive by in Butch's car with a "JUST MARRIED" sign on the back. As the flashback ends, Jerry kisses a picture of his girlfriend before she drives past, having married a rich mouse. Heartbroken, Jerry joins Tom on the tracks. The whistle of an approaching train grows louder as the cartoon fades out.
Having seen the white cat for what she is, and how she has made a fool of his best friend, Jerry urges Tom to give up and let Butch have her. Ignoring Jerry's warnings, Tom pushes himself and his finances to the limit and beyond, in futile attempts at winning back the white cat's affections. He brings her such presents as flowers, [[perfume]], a diamond ring (with the diamond so small it has to be looked at with a magnifying glass), and a car (an utter jalopy, for which Tom literally sold himself into slavery - 20 years of it - so that he could cover 26 years' worth of payments at the annual interest rate of 112%). However, because Butch's presents are much bigger, to the point of outrageous extravagance (a large floral wreath, a tanker truck full of perfume, a ring with a diamond so large and shiny that it could not be looked at without eye protection, and an extremely long luxurious car), the white cat rejects the desperate Tom. After this incident (the refusal of his jalopy), Tom gives up all hopes of gaining the white cat and falls into a depression.


==Availability==
Broken-hearted, penniless and hopelessly in debt, Tom drowns his sorrows in milk - despite Jerry's pleas for him to stop. Tom almost lets himself go down the gutter (literally), but Jerry rescues him. As Jerry resuscitates Tom, they both see the white cat riding by in Butch's coupe, laden with luggage and a "Just Married" sign on the back.
* [[LaserDisc]]: ''The Art of Tom & Jerry'' Vol. 2, Disc Four<ref>{{Cite web|title=Art of Tom & Jerry, The: Volume II [ML103913]|url=https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/04760/ML103913/Art-of-Tom-amp;-Jerry-The:-Volume-II|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=LaserDisc Database}}</ref>
* [[VHS]]: ''Tom and Jerry: Festival of Fun''<ref group="lower-alpha">Also available on [[iTunes]].</ref>
* [[DVD]]:
**''Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases'' Vol. 3<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 1, 2009|title=Tom and Jerry Greatest Chases Volume 3 Clips|url=https://www.kidzworld.com/article/20574-tom-and-jerry-greatest-chases-volume-3-clips|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=Kidzworld}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Paul|first=Mavis|date=October 13, 2009|title=Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases, Vol. 3|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/39062/tom-and-jerrys-greatest-chases-vol-3/|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=DVD Talk}}</ref>
** ''[[Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection]]'' Vol. 1, Disc Two<ref>{{Cite web|last=Miller III|first=Randy|date=October 19, 2004|title=Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/12842/tom-and-jerry-spotlight-collection/|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=DVD Talk}}</ref>
** ''[[Tom and Jerry: The Classic Collection]]'' Vol. 4, Disc Two (Vol. 8 in Europe and Australia) (Europe 1995 Turner dubbed version and pan-and-scan edition)
** ''Tom and Jerry: No Mice Allowed!''
*[[iTunes]]:
**''Tom & Jerry and Friends'' Vol. 1<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tom & Jerry and Friends, Vol. 1|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/tom-jerry-and-friends-vol-1/id930692455|access-date=June 13, 2020|website=iTunes}}</ref>
**''Tom and Jerry'' Vol. 1<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tom and Jerry, Vol. 1|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/tom-and-jerry-vol-1/id417551536|access-date=June 13, 2020|website=iTunes}}</ref>
**''Tom and Jerry: Wild Cats and Traps''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tom and Jerry: Wild Cats and Traps|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/tom-and-jerry-wild-cats-and-traps/id720938419|access-date=June 13, 2020|website=iTunes}}</ref>


Additionally, the soundtrack was officially released on the album ''[[Tom and Jerry & Tex Avery Too!]]''.
Jerry breaks from the sad story to think about his own girlfriend, "Toots". He is happy that, unlike Tom's ex-girlfriend, she has been faithful. Suddenly, Jerry's love world is shattered when Toots rides by with another mouse (who looks like an adult Tuffy), a "Just Married" sign on the back of their car. Jerry, now dejected, joins Tom on the railroad tracks. They sit and wait for an oncoming train, which draws near to run over them. The oncoming train's whistle sounds louder as the cartoon fades out.


==Availability==
==Reception==
===Critical response===
DVD
In ''Cartoon Carnival: A Critical Guide to Best Cartoons'', writer Michael Samerdyke said "''Blue Cat Blues'' is deeply indebted to [[Tex Avery]] for its gags."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Samerdyke|first=Michael|title=Cartoon Carnival: A Critical Guide to the Best Cartoons|date=August 28, 2014|isbn=9781312470071}}</ref> ''Video Movie Guide: 1995'' called the short (in a review for the aforementioned ''Festival of Fun'' VHS) said "among the worst ''Tom & Jerry'' outings".<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Martin|first1=Mick|title=Video Movie Guide: 1995|last2=Bang|first2=Derrick|last3=Porter|first3=Marsha|date=December 1, 1994|isbn=9780345390271|pages=212|publisher=Random House Publishing }}</ref>
*Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases, Vol. 3

*[[Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection]] Vol. 1, Disc Two
===Legacy===
ITunes
The short is often considered the darkest ''Tom and Jerry'' cartoon due to its subject matter and unusually bleak ending.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Robberson|first=Joe|title="Blue Cat Blues" - The Most Violent TV Episodes of All Time|url=https://www.zimbio.com/The+Most+Violent+TV+Episodes+of+All+Time/articles/aZ9WCyynv9j/Blue+Cat+Blues|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=Zimbio}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=February 11, 2020|title=Tom y Jerry: el capítulo más trágico del clásico animado|url=https://larepublica.pe/cine-series/2020/02/11/tom-y-jerry-se-suicidan-en-capitulo-blue-cat-blues-hanna-barbera-mgm-video/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212133708/https://larepublica.pe/cine-series/2020/02/11/tom-y-jerry-se-suicidan-en-capitulo-blue-cat-blues-hanna-barbera-mgm-video/|archive-date=2020-02-12|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=La República}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 27, 2015|title=The Creepiest Moments In Kids' TV Show History|url=https://www.mtv.co.uk/news/r0ibzl/the-creepiest-moments-in-kids-tv-show-history|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=MTV UK|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130012002/http://www.mtv.co.uk/tv/news/the-creepiest-moments-in-kids-tv-show-history|archive-date=November 30, 2015}}</ref>
Tom and Jerry Vol.1

Tom and Jerry and Friends Vol.1
Additionally, it is often confused to be the final short of the series due to its ending implying the deaths of Tom and Jerry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gupta|first=Abir|date=July 2, 2016|title=Do You Know What Happens To Your Favorite Tom and Jerry In The End?|url=https://www.storypick.com/tom-and-jerry/|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Storypick}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Pall|first1=Vincent|last2=Koski|first2=Dustin|last3=Ciscell|first3=Jim|date=August 16, 2012|title=5 Old Children's Cartoons Way Darker Than Most Horror Movies|url=https://www.cracked.com/article_19979_5-old-childrens-cartoons-way-darker-than-most-horror-movies.html|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Cracked}}</ref> The final short produced at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was ''[[Tot Watchers]]'' in 1958, and the final short overall was ''[[Purr-Chance to Dream]]'', produced by [[Chuck Jones]] at [[MGM Animation/Visual Arts]] in 1967.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Boone|first=Brian|date=March 25, 2020|title=The untold truth or Tom and Jerry|url=https://www.looper.com/196800/the-untold-truth-of-tom-and-jerry/|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Looper}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Evon|first=Dan|date=December 2, 2016|title=Did Tom and Jerry 'Commit Suicide'?|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tom-and-jerry-committed-suicide/|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Snopes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 28, 2018|title=False: Tom and Jerry did not commit suicide in the final episode of the cartoon series|url=https://pesacheck.org/false-tom-and-jerry-didnt-commit-suicide-in-alleged-final-episode-of-cartoon-series-c54978d97f82|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=Pesa Check}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{bcdb title|3200}}
*{{IMDb title|0049020}}
*{{IMDb title|0049020}}


{{The Hanna–Barbera Tom and Jerry shorts}}
{{The Hanna-Barbera Tom and Jerry shorts}}


[[Category:1956 animated films]]
[[Category:1950s American animated films]]
⚫
[[Category:CinemaScope films]]
⚫
[[Category:Films scored by Scott Bradley]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated short films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer short films]]
[[Category:Short films directed by Joseph Barbera]]
[[Category:Short films directed by William Hanna]]
[[Category:Tom and Jerry short films]]
[[Category:Tom and Jerry short films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio short films]]
[[Category:Films about suicide]]
[[Category:Films about suicide]]
[[Category:American comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American animated short films]]
[[Category:American black comedy films]]
[[Category:Animated films about cats]]
[[Category:Tragedies (dramas)]]
[[Category:Animated films about mice]]
[[Category:Films directed by Joseph Barbera]]
[[Category:American drama short films]]
[[Category:Films directed by William Hanna]]
[[Category:American comedy-drama short films]]
[[Category:1950s American animated films]]
[[Category:English-language comedy short films]]
[[Category:1950s comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language action comedy films]]
[[Category:1950s drama films]]
[[Category:1956 animated short films]]
⚫
[[Category:1950s comedy-drama films]]
⚫
[[Category:Film scores by Scott Bradley]]

Latest revision as of 00:44, 3 December 2024

Blue Cat Blues
The ending of the short featuring Tom and Jerry both depressed and heartbroken on a railroad track waiting for an oncoming train to come and run them over
Directed byWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Story byWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Produced byWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
StarringWilliam Hanna
Paul Frees
Narrated byPaul Frees
Music byScott Bradley
Animation by
Layouts byRichard Bickenbach
Backgrounds byRobert Gentle
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • November 16, 1956 (1956-11-16)
Running time
7 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Blue Cat Blues is a 1956 one-reel animated Tom and Jerry cartoon and was written, directed and produced by co-creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The short was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on November 16, 1956 in CinemaScope. It is the series' 103rd entry.

Unusual for a Tom and Jerry cartoon, Jerry "speaks," through an inner monologue, voiced by Paul Frees.

Plot

[edit]

Tom is seen sitting on train tracks, heavily depressed and waiting for an oncoming train to come and run him over, while Jerry laments at his friend's state and recalls how he ended up there. Jerry narrates that he and Tom were best friends before Tom falls for a beautiful white cat who, at first, seems to return his feelings (though she is actually manipulating him to her whims) before leaving him for Butch (who, unlike in other cartoons, is extremely rich), revealing she is a gold digger, confirming Jerry's earlier suspicions.

Despite Jerry's protests, Tom desperately tries to buy back her love but is continually outdone by Butch. When Tom tries to present her with a flower, he finds she has already received a beautiful horseshoe garland of roses from Butch. He then presents her with a small bottle of perfume, but then Butch arrives with a large tanker truck full of perfume. Tom squanders all of his life savings to buy a diamond ring for her (with a diamond so small she needs a magnifying glass to see it), only to learn that Butch has already gifted her a ring with a large diamond so shiny that she and Tom need welding helmets to see it. He even takes out a predatory 26-year, 112% APR loan from a used car lot to buy her an old, rickety automobile, only for Butch to arrive in his long and fancy convertible, crushing Tom and his car.

Tom starts drinking (milk) uncontrollably, ignoring Jerry's pleas, and eventually nearly goes down the literal gutter but is saved just in time by Jerry. Tom becomes even more depressed when Butch and the white cat drive by in Butch's car with a "JUST MARRIED" sign on the back. As the flashback ends, Jerry kisses a picture of his girlfriend before she drives past, having married a rich mouse. Heartbroken, Jerry joins Tom on the tracks. The whistle of an approaching train grows louder as the cartoon fades out.

Availability

[edit]

Additionally, the soundtrack was officially released on the album Tom and Jerry & Tex Avery Too!.

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

In Cartoon Carnival: A Critical Guide to Best Cartoons, writer Michael Samerdyke said "Blue Cat Blues is deeply indebted to Tex Avery for its gags."[8] Video Movie Guide: 1995 called the short (in a review for the aforementioned Festival of Fun VHS) said "among the worst Tom & Jerry outings".[9]

Legacy

[edit]

The short is often considered the darkest Tom and Jerry cartoon due to its subject matter and unusually bleak ending.[10][11][12]

Additionally, it is often confused to be the final short of the series due to its ending implying the deaths of Tom and Jerry.[13][14] The final short produced at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was Tot Watchers in 1958, and the final short overall was Purr-Chance to Dream, produced by Chuck Jones at MGM Animation/Visual Arts in 1967.[15][16][17]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Also available on iTunes.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Art of Tom & Jerry, The: Volume II [ML103913]". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  2. ^ "Tom and Jerry Greatest Chases Volume 3 Clips". Kidzworld. October 1, 2009. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Paul, Mavis (October 13, 2009). "Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases, Vol. 3". DVD Talk. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  4. ^ Miller III, Randy (October 19, 2004). "Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection". DVD Talk. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  5. ^ "Tom & Jerry and Friends, Vol. 1". iTunes. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  6. ^ "Tom and Jerry, Vol. 1". iTunes. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  7. ^ "Tom and Jerry: Wild Cats and Traps". iTunes. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Samerdyke, Michael (August 28, 2014). Cartoon Carnival: A Critical Guide to the Best Cartoons. ISBN 9781312470071.
  9. ^ Martin, Mick; Bang, Derrick; Porter, Marsha (December 1, 1994). Video Movie Guide: 1995. Random House Publishing. p. 212. ISBN 9780345390271.
  10. ^ Robberson, Joe. ""Blue Cat Blues" - The Most Violent TV Episodes of All Time". Zimbio. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  11. ^ "Tom y Jerry: el capítulo más trágico del clásico animado". La República. February 11, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Creepiest Moments In Kids' TV Show History". MTV UK. November 27, 2015. Archived from the original on November 30, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  13. ^ Gupta, Abir (July 2, 2016). "Do You Know What Happens To Your Favorite Tom and Jerry In The End?". Storypick. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  14. ^ Pall, Vincent; Koski, Dustin; Ciscell, Jim (August 16, 2012). "5 Old Children's Cartoons Way Darker Than Most Horror Movies". Cracked. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  15. ^ Boone, Brian (March 25, 2020). "The untold truth or Tom and Jerry". Looper. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  16. ^ Evon, Dan (December 2, 2016). "Did Tom and Jerry 'Commit Suicide'?". Snopes. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  17. ^ "False: Tom and Jerry did not commit suicide in the final episode of the cartoon series". Pesa Check. November 28, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
[edit]
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