Solid Serenade is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 26th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on August 31, 1946 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision by Scott Bradley, and animation by Ed Barge, Michael Lah, and Kenneth Muse, with uncredited animation by Pete Burness and Ray Patterson.
Characters[]
- Tom Cat
- Jerry
- Toodles Galore
- Spike Bulldog (as Killer)
Plot[]
Eager to impress Toodles, Tom smuggles a double bass into the courtyard below for a serenade. Before this, he makes fun of Spike, luring him out so he can be subdued and tied down. Tom does his best rendition of Louis Jordan's "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" for Toodles, using Spike for a musical cameo.
Down in the basement, Jerry is awakened by a thumping bass solo. Jerry makes his way to the kitchen to harass Tom by Cream pie with Iron and Jelly 1 Plate. His mood ruined, Tom chases Jerry around the kitchen, but is tricked into diving into a sink full of plates, and trapped in a window.
Jerry finds Spike and unties him just as Tom catches up. Spike trades his regular teeth for a more dangerous set, and goes after Tom. Tom avoids getting mauled, hides outside the courtyard wall holding a brick to bash Spike with, but as the wall is too short, Spike notices the brick, and peeks down at Tom. Tom looks up at Spike and knocks him out with the brick. Tom chases Jerry again, but loses track long enough for Jerry to find Spike again. Jerry whips Spike awake with a 2×4 and promptly passes it to the now-present Tom. Thinking quickly, Tom uses the 2×4 to play "fetch" with Spike. Spike, following his canine instincts, barks playfully and rushes after the 2x4. He is about to pick it up, only to finally realize Tom had tricked him, turning into a "jackass" for a moment. Furious, Spike returned his attention to Tom.
While Spike continues to chase Tom, Tom sneaks some romantic moments with Toodles. Spike catches on to the side action and takes Toodles' spot. Unaware, Tom makes out with Spike. Tom realizes that Toodles is watching, and that he is holding Spike—he slams him to the ground and runs away.
Tom ditches Spike at a corner, bumping into Jerry again. Jerry is chased into Spike's doghouse, and Tom signals the advantage with an ominous Dracula laugh. Jerry reappears safe at the entry, with Spike in tow. Spike backs into his house, giving the same ominous Dracula laugh and his final whipping to Tom as the whole doghouse thrashes around. Tom tries to flee but Spike grabs him and forcing Tom to write his will.
Toodles is serenaded again, but this time by Spike, who has Tom tied down to the double bass. Jerry gives a fiddling flourish using Tom's whiskers.
Notes[]
- Excerpts from this cartoon are also seen in Jerry's Diary, Smitten Kitten, and Smarty Cat, all three of which are "wrap-around" cartoons as part of the plot. As a result, Solid Serenade is considered as one of the most remembered Tom and Jerry cartoons.
- While distracting Spike with the 2×4, Tom gives one of his few normal-voice speaking lines.
- The gag of Spike extending his arms was reused in Fit To Be Tied.
- This is the first cartoon to use the 1946-1954 Tom and Jerry rings title card.
- This is the first to use the 1946-1952 all-red MGM cartoon intro with an "In Technicolor" byline, although later cartoons would have it changed to "Color By Technicolor" instead.
- The scene where Tom's head is caught by the window (complete with party horn sound effect accompanying it) is also mimicked in the episode Kitty Foiled, except with a bear rug.
- The song "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" was originally sung by Louis Jordan in 1944.
- Tom's dialogue when holding Spike was reused from The Zoot Cat.
- Spike is named Killer in this cartoon.
- When Toodles peeks out the window after hearing Tom whistle for her, her face looks more cat-like before she puts on her make-up.
- The second cartoon where Tom writes his will, following The Bodyguard.
Availability[]
Errors[]
- In the scene that Tom falls in the sink of dishes, Jerry disappears.
- Toodles Galore disappears as Spike stands in front of her.
- This cartoon has an audio glitch when this cartoon is released on the European PAL Tom and Jerry Classic Collection DVD, where during the scene near the end where Spike clobbers Tom in his doghouse there is a repeat of the previous scene's music accidentally playing over it twice up until after Tom escapes from it.[2]
Gallery[]
- Main article: Solid Serenade/Gallery