The Cat Concerto
Tom enters from stage left in white tie and tails, sits at the piano, gets his focus as the orchestra in the pit beneath him warms up, and begins to play Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody". Unbeknownst to Tom and the audience, Jerry is asleep across several of the high-note keys inside the instrument, so Tom's playing eventually wakes him. Jerry is pummeled by hammers, bounced by wires, and squeezed by Tom as the cat tries to play the concerto while dispensing with Jerry. Jerry's defensive antics add to the brio of the program and answer Tom with Jerry's own skillful musical attack. By the concerto's end, the duet leaves only one animal standing for the audience's applause.
CinemaSerf@Geronimo1967
Messrs. Chopin and Liszt make quite a contribution to this most enjoyable of "Tom and Jerry" cartoon as the former, attired in his best bib and tucker, takes centre stage to impress us all with his skills. Thing is though, his tiny nemesis is having a kip within the innards of his piano and irked by his rude awakening sets about making his presence felt. With "Tom" at the keyboard and "Jerry" on the internal strings, what now ensues in an entertaining duel in which defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory by both - but who will prevail. Well I don't suppose that's ever in jeopardy, but the ebbing and flowing of their contest is expertly drawn and presented making a really good fun eight minutes that might just be my favourite from my favourite cartoon characters. The audience certainly got their money's worth in the auditorium - and so do we. Great stuff.