Tom and Jerry: The Movie
 |
| Tom and Jerry: The Movie | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Phil Roman |
| Written by | Dennis Marks, based on characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera |
| Produced by | Phil Roman |
| Starring | Richard Kind Dana Hill Anndi McAfee Charlotte Rae Tony Jay Henry Gibson Sydney Lassick Michael Bell Rip Taylor Howard Morris Ed Gilbert David L. Lander B.J. Ward Don Messick Raymond McLeod Mitchel D. Moore Scott Wojahn Tino Insana Greg Burson |
| Music by | Henry Mancini |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films, Turner Pictures Worldwide, Live Entertainment, Turner Entertainment and WMG |
Release dates | July 30, 1993 |
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | N/A |
Tom and Jerry: The Movie is a 1993 animated feature film, the first feature to star Turner Entertainment's cat-and-mouse duo, Tom and Jerry and the only feature to be theatrically released worldwide, although Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry was theatrically released in select cities of the U.S. by Kidtoon Films.
The film is a departure from the MGM Tom and Jerry shorts. The cat-and-mouse pair have a new look in this picture, giving spoken dialogue they seldom have in the Hanna-Barbera shorts and the flick contains numerous musical numbers akin to the MGM musicals. The movie was received poorly by critics, fans and viewers alike.
Richard Kind and Dana Hill provided the voices of the academy award winning toon duo, Tom and Jerry, respectively. The characters' co-creator and Hanna's partner, Joe Barbera served as creative consultant for the picture. The film was directed by Phil Roman, produced by Film Roman for Turner Entertainment, Turner Pictures Worldwide and WMG, distributed in North America by Miramax Films, and originally released to theaters on July 30, 1993. It proved to be a huge box office failure, grossing only $3.5 million, largely due to the fact that it was released in direct competition with Rising Sun, Robin Hood: Men In Tights and So I Married An Axe Murderer, and poor reviews from film critics alike.
Plot
Tom and Jerry together with their owners are about to move to a new home. The moving van is at their old house waiting, and Tom doses in the back of the car. However when he notices Jerry he puts him on a stick, and Jerry, noticing no escape and knowing that he will fly, he grabs hold of Tom's whiskers so they fly together into the garden. Jerry quickly dashes into his mousehole and locks the door, Tom nailing wooden planks on the door. When Tom tries to get in the moving car, he ends up with a bulldog and ties up his ears so he cannot see. Tom runs into the house for safety and stays there for the night. Next day, Tom and Jerry notice that the house is broken down to make a new apartment as a replacement. They meet a dog named Puggsy and his friend Frankie the Flea that tries to teach Tom and Jerry to be friends. Then they all agree to have a 'feast' at their place and Puggsy makes a 'buffet' by collecting leftovers in the bin. When Puggsy's tray is crammed a dogcatcher captures Puggsy and Frankie and lock them in their car.
Tom and Jerry then meet an eight-year old girl named Robyn Starling, the daughter of Mr. Starling, whose mother died when she was a baby and is left behind with her horrid and evil guardian Aunt Figg when her dad goes away. Robyn runs away after her locket is thrown out the window and that's how she began to run. Jerry said to her if she run, her things won't be with her but Robyn said to them the Aunt Figg may seem sweet but she's real mean.
Cut to Aunt Figg crying in the house, scared of losing Robyn. With the help of her evil lawyer, Lickboot and her overweight dachshund, Ferdinand, make a reward of a million dollars for the return of Robyn, who they wish to sell for a ransom, engulfed by love of money. Robyn is recaptured, but manages to escape yet again, after Tom and Jerry are kidnapped by Dr. Applecheek where animals are abused. At this point, everybody is looking for the million dollar girl, and Aunt Figg and Lickboot manage to get to Robyn's escape destination first. What was planned as another capture quickly goes wrong when an oil lamp is knocked on the floor. As the house goes up in flames, Mr. Starling comes and rescues Robyn. Tom and Jerry are rescued too and taken to a new home where they both promise not to trick each other ever again. But the pair have soon reverted back to their old ways, and the movie finishes with the classic scene of Tom chasing Jerry into the distance...or just in their new home.
Critical reaction
Tom and Jerry: The Movie was considered to be a flop to critics and audience members. It had no connection to the continuity of the original 114 shorts. It is the only adaptation where the amazing two continuously speak, while they didn't in other adaptations (except for Jerry's speaking voice in the duo's appearance in Anchors Aweigh.) Some critics think that the villain Aunt Figg is a shameless knockoff of villainous octopus Ursula from Disney's The Little Mermaid. The film made just $3,560,469 at the box office.
Cast and Crew
- Richard Kind as the voice of Thomas "Tom" Cat
- Dana Hill as the voice of Jerry Mouse
- Ed Gilbert as the voice of Puggsy and Mr. Starling (Daddy)
- David L. Lander as the voice of Frankie DaFlea
- Anndi McAfee as the voice of Robyn Starling
- Charlotte Rae as the voice of Aunt Pristine Figg
- Tony Jay as the voice of Lickboot
- Henry Gibson as the voice of Dr. J. Sweetface Applecheek
- Rip Taylor as the voice of Captain Kiddle
- Howard Morris as the voice of Squawk
- Michael Bell as the voice of Ferdinand and Straycatcher #1
- Sydney Lassick as the voice of Straycatcher #2
- Raymond McLeod as the voice of Alleycat #1
- Michael D. Moore as the voice of Alleycat #2
- Scott Wojahn as the voice of Alleycat #3
- Don Messick as the voice of Droopy
- B.J. Ward as Woman's Voice (Tom & Jerry's owner)
- Greg Burson as Moving Man
- Tino Insana as Patolman
- Produced and Directed by: Phil Roman
- Co-Producer: Bill Schultz
- Written by: Dennis Marks
- Excutive Producers: Roger Mayer, Jack Petrik, Hans Brockmann and Justin Ackerman
- Based on the William Hanna and Joseph Barbera animated characters
- Creative Consultant: Joseph Barbera
- Music by: Henry Mancini
- Lyrics by: Leslie Bricusse
- Music Supervisor: Sharon Boyle
Trivia
- This was the first Tom & Jerry feature film in 53 years and was also the first to feature the pair speak and sing (they sing Friends to the End with Puggsy and Frankie).
- Chuck Jones was set to make a Tom and Jerry film in the 1970s, but eventually pulled out after being unable to find a suitable script.
- This was the only animated film by Miramax to be released on VHS by Family Home Entertainment. It was re-released on VHS in 1999 and released on DVD in 2002 by Warner Home Video.
- Since The Walt Disney Company owned Miramax, this was the first animated film released by Miramax Films through Disney.
