Cat-Tails for Two
{{short description|1953 film by Robert McKimson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Cat-Tails for Two
| image = TC Cattails2.png
| director = Robert McKimson
| producer = Edward Selzer
| story = Tedd Pierce
| animator = Herman Cohen
Phil DeLara
Charles McKimson
Rod Scribner
Keith Darling
Harry Love
| starring = Mel Blanc
Stan Freberg{{Cite book |title=Cartoon Voices from the Golden Age, 1930-70 |last=Scott |first=Keith |publisher=BearManor Media |year=2022 |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages=85}}
| layout_artist = Robert Givens
| background_artist = Richard H. Thomas
| music = Carl Stalling
| distributor = Warner Bros. Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1953|8|29}}
| color_process = Technicolor
| runtime = 6:40
| language = English
}}
Cat-Tails for Two is a 1953 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Robert McKimson and written by Tedd Pierce.{{cite book |last1=Beck |first1=Jerry |last2=Friedwald |first2=Will |title=Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons |date=1989 |publisher=Henry Holt and Co |isbn=0-8050-0894-2 |page=252}} The short was released on August 29, 1953.{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |accessdate=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/104/mode/2up |pages=104–106}} It was the first appearance of Speedy Gonzales, in a prototype form.{{cite book|last1=Behnken|first1=Brian D.|author2-link=Gregory D. Smithers|last2=Smithers|first2=Gregory D.|title=Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=euT1BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA112|date=24 March 2015|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-4408-2977-2|page=112}} Because this cartoon's rendition of Speedy Gonzales looked rather coarse, they redesigned him for future cartoon releases.
Plot
George and Junior two dim-witted cats, are searching for food on a pier when they discover a Mexican ship. Hoping for Mexican mice, they board the ship and encounter Speedy Gonzales, who declares himself "The Fastest Mouse in All Mexico."
George and Junior go through numerous attempts to capture Speedy, who always outwits them. Speedy comes to think of them as private entertainment, at one point declaring "I like those fellows. All the time having fon (fun)!" The cats' failures include setting a crate of anvils as a trap, trying to use dynamite-laced cheese without a match, and using a pipe and mallet setup.
In their final attempt, the cats try to channel dynamite through a pipe into Speedy's hiding place, but Speedy bends the pipe back toward them. George's lit dynamite results in an explosion that sends both cats flying into the harbor. As they fall, George admits he has lost his appetite for Mexican food, while Speedy remarks on their silliness.
Voice cast
- Mel Blanc as Speedy Gonzales / George / Junior (screaming)
- Stan Freberg as Junior
Reception
The cartoon has been criticized for its stereotypical and insensitive depictions of Mexicans.{{cite book |last1=Behnken |first1=Brian D. |last2=Smithers |first2=Gregory D. |title=Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito |date=2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781440829772 |pages=112–113 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=euT1BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 |accessdate=13 June 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0045610}}
{{Speedy Gonzales in animation}}
{{Robert McKimson}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cat-Tails For Two}}
Category:1950s Warner Bros. animated short films
Category:Merrie Melodies short films
Category:Films directed by Robert McKimson
Category:1950s American animated films
Category:Films scored by Carl Stalling
Category:Animated films about cats
Category:1950s English-language films
Category:Speedy Gonzales films
Category:Animated films set on ships