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in: Tom and Jerry Cartoons, Tom and Jerry, 1941

The Night Before Christmas

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The Night Before Christmas is the third cartoon in the Tom and Jerry series released on December 6, 1941.

Plot[]

In a house on the night before Christmas, nothing was stirring, not even a mouse...or so it was at first. Jerry emerges from his hole avoiding a Christmas-themed mousetrap (already baited with a piece of cheese wrapped in a red ribbon) placed by his hole. Jerry quickly heads for the Christmas presents, jumping merrily around the tree, licking candy canes, and jumping onto a plush toy lion that squeaks. Jerry continues jumping on the soft toy, but bounces too hard and lands on what he thinks is another soft toy. Jerry jumps up and down on the grey fur, not realizing who he is jumping on is in fact, Tom, who has woken up. Tom snarls and just before he can eat Jerry, the quick-thinking mouse grabs a nearby "Do Not Open 'Til Xmas" sticker and instantly places it on Tom's mouth.

Jerry hides among the myriad of toys (even firing a trick cannon's cork at Tom) and hides inside a Christmas fairy light, causing him to glow. Tom, obviously not fooled by this, grabs Jerry and is promptly electrocuted. Jerry hides among some toy soldiers, but Tom spots him, and just as he is about to crush Jerry with his paw, the mouse runs off. Tom chases Jerry, but is stopped by the barrier of a miniature level crossing. A toy train passes by, with many Passenger Cars. Jerry is sitting on top of the caboose, waving cheekily at Tom and pulling faces. However, the train enters a model of a tunnel, and Jerry, sitting on top of the train, hits his head, knocking him onto the track. He quickly runs through the tunnel, pursued by Tom, who knocks the tunnel over. Jerry hides inside a boxing glove and boxes the puzzled cat in the face before running off behind the Christmas tree. Tom, now arming himself with a boxing glove of his own, follows him and spots him jumping into a Jack-in-the-box. Opening up the box, Tom is punched by the boxing glove stuck on Jack's head and is knocked out. Jerry jumps out and holds it up in victory like a boxing referee.

Tom chases Jerry once again, but Jerry holds out a piece of mistletoe in front of him and persuades an embarrassed Tom to kiss him. Tom blushes, and while his back is turned, Jerry kicks him in the rear. The mouse darts through the letterbox slot into the outdoors. As Tom opens the lid of the letterbox to see where Jerry has gone, Jerry hurls a snowball at his face. Tom angrily barricades the slot so that Jerry cannot get back into the house.

While Jerry trudges up and down in the heavy snow in a vain attempt to warm himself, Tom fluffs up his cushion and prepares to sleep. He is unable to settle himself; heavenly choirs sing carols, pricking Tom's conscience with the message of Christmas peace and goodwill. He first props open the slot to allow Jerry back in and, when the mouse does not reappear, ventures anxiously outside to find Jerry, frozen. Fearing for Jerry's life, he brings the frozen mouse indoors and warms him up by the fire. Slowly, Jerry regains consciousness, but is wary of the cat. Tom hands Jerry a candy cane, his Christmas present. A delighted Jerry licks his cane, but then quickly reacts to prevent Tom from drinking from his bowl of milk. He dips his cane into the bowl, and a loud snap is heard. Jerry uses the cane to fish a mousetrap that he had earlier planted in the bowl. Tom appreciates Jerry's warning and the mouse runs back to his hole. He uses his candy cane to hook the cheese off the mousetrap. Instead of snapping like a usual mousetrap does, the spring slowly comes down, ringing the tune of "Jingle Bells" as Jerry smiles in admiration of the "musical mousetrap."

Availability[]

  • DVD - Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection: Volume 2 (Warner Bros.)
  • DVD - Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection (Warner Bros.)
  • DVD, Blu-Ray - Tom and Jerry Golden Collection: Volume 1 (Warner Bros.)
  • DVD - Tom and Jerry: Santa's Little Helpers (Warner Bros.)

Notes[]

  • The working title for this short was Not Even a Mouse.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/mgms-the-night-before-christmas-1941-with-tom-jerry/
  2. ↑ http://www.whataboutthad.com/mgm-cartoon-filmography-by-production-number/
  3. ↑ https://archive.org/details/catalogofc19683221213libr/page/108
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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