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The Cat Concerto

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The Cat Concerto is a 1947 Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.

Plot[]

A concert is about to be displayed on a stage set in an auditorium. Just then, Tom, a pianist, comes out from one side of the curtains and the audience applauds. He bows, sits down, adjusts his seat, wipes his hands on a cloth and starts playing a piece by Liszt (Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2). Part way into the song, he wipes his hands again, adjusts his tie and puts his clothing back up, then starts playing again. While he plays, Jerry is sleeping on the piano, who wakes up when Tom repeats a key. Jerry jumps and falls on a string. Tom continues to play. Jerry notices Tom and takes interest, waving the key patterns.

A disgruntled Tom flicks him back into the piano. Jerry then appears under a key, but Tom plays it. When he stops, Jerry runs under the keys. Tom plays the keys he was under and moves on. Tom proceeds to play 2 keys. It should have stopped, but Jerry repeats them from the inside of the piano. Tom bonks Jerry and moves on, but Jerry forces the key door to force shut, flattening Tom's hands. Jerry then tries to cut his fingers off with the scissors, but Tom is quick but Jerry is too tired. He then replaces 2 keys with a mouse trap. Tom falls for it and his finger turn red and blown up.

Jerry then plays, but Tom plays his own tune to get him off. After making sure Jerry would not strike back he started playing again, but Jerry starts playing his own tune. Tom shoves some keys and puts him under his seat, then he starts playing yet again. Jerry peeps out and raises the chair, then lowers it, causing him to fall. Tom grabs Jerry and sticks him between the keys inside the piano, then plays a tune to beat Jerry up. Jerry gets mad, snaps 2 keys and plays his own tune. Tom plays another tune as well, then Jerry stops. Tom had to complete the song but Jerry picks back up with his tune. Tom repeats his tune, and attempts to get it as Jerry starts playing the tune yet again. Tom finally ends the tune and gets dog-tired collapsing near the piano, while the audience applauses for Jerry who has just dressed himself in a dinner jacket only.

Music Cues[]

  • Prelude, No. 24 - Frédéric Chopin (opening credits)
  • Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - Franz Liszt (played by Tom on the piano)
  • On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe - Harry Warren (Jerry dancing on the keys)

Availability[]

Plagiarism Allegations[]

The same year that MGM produced The Cat Concerto, Warner Bros. released a very similar Bugs Bunny cartoon called Rhapsody Rabbit, directed by Friz Freleng, with Bugs up against an unnamed mouse. Both shorts used near-identical gags, and they even used the same piece by Franz Liszt. Even the ending is similar, as Bugs is also upstaged by a mouse. Both MGM and Warner Bros. accused each other of plagiarism, after both films were shown during the 1946 Academy Awards ceremony. Technicolor was accused of sending a print of either cartoon to the competing studio, who then allegedly plagiarized their rival's work. It is often suggested by animation historians that The Cat Concerto was rushed to its release - meaning it was released before the shorts produced during the same time to qualify for the Academy Award. Its production number is #165, while the other shorts released during the same year have production numbers around #155. The subject would be covered in an episode of Cartoon Network's ToonHeads. Serendipitously, Warner Bros. would ultimately own The Cat Concerto themselves after decades of ownership shuffling affecting both cartoons.

Notes[]

Gallery[]


References[]

  1. ↑ https://archive.org/details/boxofficeoctdec180boxo/page/n101/mode/1up
  2. ↑ http://www.whataboutthad.com/mgm-cartoon-filmography-by-production-number/
  3. ↑ https://archive.org/details/catalogofcopyrig3281213li/page/89/mode/1up
  4. ↑ https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1947
  5. ↑ https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-175/
Tom and Jerry Cartoons
1940 Puss Gets the Boot
1941 The Midnight Snack • The Night Before Christmas
1942 Fraidy Cat • Dog Trouble • Puss n' Toots • The Bowling Alley-Cat • Fine Feathered Friend
1943 Sufferin' Cats! • The Lonesome Mouse • The Yankee Doodle Mouse • Baby Puss
1944 The Zoot Cat • The Million Dollar Cat • The Bodyguard • Puttin' on the Dog • Mouse Trouble
1945 The Mouse Comes to Dinner • Mouse in Manhattan • Tee for Two • Flirty Birdy • Quiet Please!
1946 Springtime for Thomas • The Milky Waif • Trap Happy • Solid Serenade
1947 Cat Fishin' • Part Time Pal • The Cat Concerto • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse • Salt Water Tabby • A Mouse in the House • The Invisible Mouse
1948 Kitty Foiled • The Truce Hurts • Old Rockin' Chair Tom • Professor Tom • Mouse Cleaning
1949 Polka-Dot Puss • The Little Orphan • Hatch Up Your Troubles • Heavenly Puss • The Cat and the Mermouse • Love That Pup • Jerry's Diary • Tennis Chumps
1950 Little Quacker • Saturday Evening Puss • Texas Tom • Jerry and the Lion • Safety Second • Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl • The Framed Cat • Cue Ball Cat
1951 Casanova Cat • Jerry and the Goldfish • Jerry's Cousin • Sleepy-Time Tom • His Mouse Friday • Slicked-up Pup • Nit-Witty Kitty • Cat Napping
1952 The Flying Cat • The Duck Doctor • The Two Mouseketeers • Smitten Kitten • Triplet Trouble • Little Runaway • Fit to Be Tied • Push-Button Kitty • Cruise Cat • The Dog House
1953 The Missing Mouse • Jerry and Jumbo • Johann Mouse • That's My Pup! • Just Ducky • Two Little Indians • Life with Tom
1954 Puppy Tale • Posse Cat • Hic-cup Pup • Little School Mouse • Baby Butch • Mice Follies • Neapolitan Mouse • Downhearted Duckling • Pet Peeve • Touché, Pussy Cat!
1955 Southbound Duckling • Pup on a Picnic • Mouse for Sale • Designs on Jerry • Tom and Chérie • Smarty Cat • Pecos Pest • That's My Mommy
1956 The Flying Sorceress • The Egg and Jerry • Busy Buddies • Muscle Beach Tom • Down Beat Bear • Blue Cat Blues • Barbecue Brawl
1957 Tops with Pops • Timid Tabby • Feedin' the Kiddie • Mucho Mouse • Tom's Photo Finish
1958 Happy Go Ducky • Royal Cat Nap • The Vanishing Duck • Robin Hoodwinked • Tot Watchers
1961 Switchin' Kitten • Down and Outing • It's Greek to Me-ow!
1962 High Steaks • Mouse into Space • Landing Stripling • Calypso Cat • Dicky Moe • The Tom and Jerry Cartoon Kit • Tall in the Trap • Sorry Safari • Buddies Thicker Than Water • Carmen Get It!
1963 Pent-House Mouse
1964 The Cat Above and the Mouse Below • Is There a Doctor in the Mouse? • Much Ado About Mousing • Snowbody Loves Me • The Unshrinkable Jerry Mouse
1965 Ah, Sweet Mouse-Story of Life • Tom-ic Energy • Bad Day at Cat Rock • The Brothers Carry-Mouse-Off • Haunted Mouse • I'm Just Wild About Jerry • Of Feline Bondage • The Year of the Mouse • The Cat's Me-Ouch
1966 Duel Personality • Jerry, Jerry, Quite Contrary • Jerry-Go-Round • Love Me, Love My Mouse • Puss 'n' Boats • Filet Meow • Matinee Mouse • The A-Tom-Inable Snowman • Catty-Cornered
1967 Cat and Dupli-cat • O-Solar-Meow • Guided Mouse-ille • Rock 'n' Rodent • Cannery Rodent • The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R. • Surf-Bored Cat • Shutter Bugged Cat • Advance and Be Mechanized • Purr-Chance to Dream
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