Poster.
The Million Dollar Cat is a 1944 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 14th Tom and Jerry short.
Characters[]
Starring[]
- Tom Cat
- Jerry Mouse (main antagonist)
Featuring[]
- Mailman
Plot[]
While Tom is throwing darts at an apple on Jerry's head à la William Tell, a telegram arrives. Though meant for his owner, Tom reads the telegram himself and discovers that he has been left a million dollars in a will from his owner's eccentric aunt, making him ecstatic. Jerry also reads the letter and gets just as happy as Tom. Tom quickly learns why after Jerry points out on the telegram that the will has a condition that he is likely to lose everything if he ever harms any living animal, especially mice.
The next day, news of Tom's inheritance quickly spreads and he moves into 1 Park Avenue. Although Tom at first enjoys the attention and wealth he is given, Jerry decides to use the telegram's "Even A Mouse" condition against Tom as revenge for tormenting him. He continually follows Tom, despite the cat's best attempts to get rid of him and proceeds to take advantage of his freedom through various means. He encounters Jerry in a limousine, and Jerry lights his pipe. Tom, taking advantage of Jerry, continues to enjoy his ride, but Jerry then shows his true colors when he slaps Tom's dickey in his face. Tom then signals the limo driver to keep the change and exits the vehicle. He slams into a lamppost, knocking himself out.
Tom then speeds back into his penthouse apartment on the highest floor of 1 Park Ave., rides the elevator to his abode, and hides inside. He then spies a luxurious ice-cream sundae on a long dining table. Preparing to take a first bite, Jerry, who might have teleported into the apartment, waves at Tom on the other side of the table and used the white tablecloth to steal Tom's sundae. Jerry then devours the ice cream like a machine, leaving nothing but the strawberry. As Tom tries to eat the berry, Jerry used a fork to pry it out of his mouth, propelling it in his mouth. Tom then locks Jerry in a plate and bars the dining room door with furniture. That night, Tom is sleeping in a bed that is perfectly fit for any king or wealthy man, but Jerry then grabs Tom's tail. Tom retracts it back, but Jerry snatches Tom's designer blanket. Jerry then pushes Tom out of bed, and when Tom readies a Louisville slugger to knock Jerry out, Jerry shows the telegram, and Tom hits himself with the baseball bat, surrendering to sleep on the floor.
The next morning, after Jerry steals Tom's bathroom towel, he decides to get rid of Jerry. After thinking about killing Jerry via various means, Tom eventually decides on hanging a fire exit sign on the window. He strikes a match to start a fire in front of the bathroom door, imitating cries for help and fire alarm sounds, and Jerry promptly jumps out of the window. The cat cheers before sitting down to enjoy his breakfast, but when he grabs his napkin, however, he uncovers Jerry, a confirmed portaling-mouse that can teleport wherever he wants, as he must have teleported from falling to the street into Tom's napkin, who posts the telegram on the table and eats Tom's breakfast. As a final insult, he attacks Tom yet again with the rest of the breakfast material and once again slaps Tom's dickey in his face. This proves to be the final straw: Tom loses control of his rage, and the shocked Jerry realizes that he has pushed the cat too far. Tom furiously grabs the telegram and tears it into pieces in a fit of rage. Jerry, in a vain attempt to remind him of the consequences, shows him the "Even A Mouse" proviso, but Tom, too enraged to even care, shoves it into Jerry's mouth, literally making and forcing him to eat his words. Jerry swallows it in horror at what is about to happen, as Tom releases all his rage by screaming and attacks Jerry by smashing the crockery and breakfast tray on him. After a few seconds, Tom stops and contemplates that he is throwing away his fortune, but decides he is still happy regardless, and then continues attacking Jerry as the short concludes. In conclusion, if Tom were to choose between a million dollars and a life persecuting Jerry ("Gee, I'm throwing away a million dollars... ...But I'm happy!"), this short proves to us he will ultimately choose the latter.
Notes[]
- This is one of the few shorts where Tom seemingly wins, since he is happy at the end as he attacks Jerry, even though he loses his inheritance from doing so. This also gives this cartoon a moral: Money can't buy happiness.
- This was the first cartoon where William Hanna's Tom Scream was used for when Tom gets shocked after he sees Jerry in the car. It was one of the screams (recorded by William Hanna) that first debuted in Tex Avery's What's Buzzin' Buzzard? (1943).
- Although the smoking in Texas Tom has been removed in Boomerang UK airings, the smoking scene in the car in this cartoon is left intact, as it is in the US.
- This cartoon, along with Busy Buddies, was not included on Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection, although they are included on Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection, on Vol. 1 and 3 respectively.
Availability[]
Streaming[]
Gallery[]
- Main article: The Million Dollar Cat/Gallery