Warning - spoilers.
Spoilers are necessary to best analyze the strengths of this, one of Chuck Jones' directorial tours-de-force; indeed, as is so often the case, reviews of Chuck Jones' work cannot do it justice without provision of some details in certain key scenes.
Two large blue eyes stare out of the darkness - of a small tin can from which emerges a gorgeous little kitten (not named in the film but referred to as Pussyfoot in subsequent reviews). Seeing the seemingly helpless feline, bulldog Marc Anthony charges forth, roaring and barking with savage aplomb - and to no avail as Pussyfoot calmly coos at him. Jones scores his first bullseye with Marc Anthony's hilarious reaction to Pussyfoot's calmness, then cuts back to savage growling. Pussyfoot, however, calmly walks onto Marc Anthony's back, makes himself at home (Jones delights in the hilarious shots of Pussyfoot digging into the fur on Marc Anthony's back and the dog's pained expressions before the feline goes to comforting sleep), and Marc Anthony is immediately smitten, especially when Pussyfoot gives him a loving link.
But Marc Anthony's guardian is displeased with the tattered objects her dog frequently brings home, and warns him not to bring any additional objects within. Thus is Marc Anthony compelled to hide Pussyfoot from his guardian, but the engaging kitten has a mind of his own and the result is several incidents - funniest of all is the cereal bowl mistaken for a mouse that turns up a real mouse while Pussyfoot calmly eats out of Marc Anthony's bowl; when the dog realizes what's happening, the expressions by the mouse and the dog are hilarious.
But then the cartoon becomes more dramatic when Pussyfoot is hidden in a container of flour - that Marc Anthony's guardian is mixing for cookies. When the dog tries to stop her she throws him out for the afternoon and finishes making cookies. Marc Anthony watches in horror as the dough is mixed and chopped into cookies - unaware that Pussyfoot has calmly escaped and is cleaning himself in safety; that we are witnesses to the kitten's safe escape does nothing to reassure the audience as Marc Anthony breaks down in very real tears, leaving the audience genuinely shaken as if the kitten really was destroyed - especially cutting is the scene when the guardian gives Marc Anthony a cookie in the shape of a kitten, which only reminds the be-grieved dog of what he's lost all the more painfully.
Thus do Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese engage the audience on far more than two levels to make these cartoons compelling viewing. Just when you think this will be another comedic effort, you find it is a genuinely emotional act of storytelling.
Spoilers are necessary to best analyze the strengths of this, one of Chuck Jones' directorial tours-de-force; indeed, as is so often the case, reviews of Chuck Jones' work cannot do it justice without provision of some details in certain key scenes.
Two large blue eyes stare out of the darkness - of a small tin can from which emerges a gorgeous little kitten (not named in the film but referred to as Pussyfoot in subsequent reviews). Seeing the seemingly helpless feline, bulldog Marc Anthony charges forth, roaring and barking with savage aplomb - and to no avail as Pussyfoot calmly coos at him. Jones scores his first bullseye with Marc Anthony's hilarious reaction to Pussyfoot's calmness, then cuts back to savage growling. Pussyfoot, however, calmly walks onto Marc Anthony's back, makes himself at home (Jones delights in the hilarious shots of Pussyfoot digging into the fur on Marc Anthony's back and the dog's pained expressions before the feline goes to comforting sleep), and Marc Anthony is immediately smitten, especially when Pussyfoot gives him a loving link.
But Marc Anthony's guardian is displeased with the tattered objects her dog frequently brings home, and warns him not to bring any additional objects within. Thus is Marc Anthony compelled to hide Pussyfoot from his guardian, but the engaging kitten has a mind of his own and the result is several incidents - funniest of all is the cereal bowl mistaken for a mouse that turns up a real mouse while Pussyfoot calmly eats out of Marc Anthony's bowl; when the dog realizes what's happening, the expressions by the mouse and the dog are hilarious.
But then the cartoon becomes more dramatic when Pussyfoot is hidden in a container of flour - that Marc Anthony's guardian is mixing for cookies. When the dog tries to stop her she throws him out for the afternoon and finishes making cookies. Marc Anthony watches in horror as the dough is mixed and chopped into cookies - unaware that Pussyfoot has calmly escaped and is cleaning himself in safety; that we are witnesses to the kitten's safe escape does nothing to reassure the audience as Marc Anthony breaks down in very real tears, leaving the audience genuinely shaken as if the kitten really was destroyed - especially cutting is the scene when the guardian gives Marc Anthony a cookie in the shape of a kitten, which only reminds the be-grieved dog of what he's lost all the more painfully.
Thus do Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese engage the audience on far more than two levels to make these cartoons compelling viewing. Just when you think this will be another comedic effort, you find it is a genuinely emotional act of storytelling.
