The Flying Cat (1952) User Reviews

One Of The Wildest, Action-Packed Tom and Jerry Cartoons

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 11 February 2007]

Whether this was a rip-off of the Tweety-and-Sylvester 'toon called "Kitty Foiled" or not was immaterial to me once I watched this because this was outstanding. (So was "Kitty Foiled.")

The sight-gags, pratfalls, slapstick nonsense, etc., were almost all very clever in this short as Tom tries one thing after another to either get the canary or Jerry. It's mayhem, with one catastrophe after another happening the hapless cat. Is imitation of a flying bat is pretty wild.

Actually, it's almost too much action. After awhile, you want to say: "stop! slow down for a second!"

Overall, however, it entertains nicely and provides a lot of laughs, which is the idea. The artwork in here is pretty good, too.

A flying cat? Could it be?

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 7 March 2010]

Tom and Jerry is one of my all time favourite cartoons. It is funny, original, well animated and just so much fun to watch. The Flying Cat is a lot of fun, while not the best episode of the cartoon I do recommend it. The pace is a little too hectic in places, but what compensates hugely is for starters the beautiful animation; this episode had lovely backgrounds and lavish colouring. The music was lovely, I particularly took a delight in hearing Chopin and Strauss as Tom's flying motif. And overall, it's funny, no dialogue strictly speaking but plenty of sight gags, all of which were really funny. Tom is his usual dastardly self, Jerry is sweet and clever and the little canary bird friend of Jerry's is a nice addition. Overall, worth watching. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Tom takes to the air.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 1 November 2014]

It takes a while for the decent gags to kick in, but when they do The Flying Cat is incredibly funny stuff.

The action starts with Tom eyeing up a pet canary in a cage, who he intends to turn into a snack. On seeing Tom make off with the cage, Jerry decides to lend the little bird a hand, and Tom chases the mouse as a result. Fortunately for Jerry, the canary isn't as helpless as he seems, and teams up with Jerry to turn the tables on Tom. So far, so predictable…

Where the cartoon really gets funny is when Tom becomes entangled in a corset, the material forming a pair of wings with which Tom is able to fly. While this is extremely far-fetched, even for a Tom and Jerry caper, it does lead to some of the funniest moments in the series so far. Tom quickly masters the art of flying and is able to chase both Jerry and the bird, zooming after them at high speed.

Of course, flight isn't without its hazards, and Tom find himself coming a cropper in a variety of painful ways, the most excruciating being when he lands with such great force on a tree (legs apart, the trunk hitting him in the crotch) that the tree is sawn in two. Yeeeoowch!

7.5 out of 10 overall, but everything after Tom learning to fly is easily worth an 8.

High-flying cat.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 8/10 · 8 April 2020]

'The Flying Cat (1952)' is just delightful. Its inventive sight gags are guaranteed to get a laugh and its impressive animation is a treat to behold. The story centres around Jerry making a new friend and going to live with him in his bird hut, all while Tom tries to figure out how to get hold of both of them. It's consistently entertaining right the way through. It also has a wonderful dynamic between its visuals and its audio. It feels like a quintessential 'Tom & Jerry' toon, one that spices up the formula just enough to make it feel fresh without contorting it beyond recognition. It's great. 8/10

Canary returns and Tom takes to the air

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 23 July 2012]

This short sees the return of the canary that first appeared in the 1948 short 'Kitty Foiled'; once again Tom is after both the Canary and Jerry although this time the action takes place outside... it also seemed a lot more violent! After the usual chasing around Jerry and the canary take refuge in the bird's house, which is at the top of a tall pole. Tom has a few ideas about how to get to them but they all fail. Eventually he tries pole vaulting in but the canary puts a roller skate under the pole and he goes crashing into a house... when he emerges the other side he is caught up in a girdle which he finds he can use as a pair of wings; this means he can fly up to the bird house... he doesn't have any more luck catching Jerry and the canary though; he just discovers new ways to hurt himself!

This short is classic Tom and Jerry; very funny and very violent in a way that isn't unsuitable for younger viewers due to the impossible nature of what happens and the fact that Tom instantly recovers even when sliced into several parts. The flying scenes were particularly funny although most male viewers will cringe as Tom lands astride a tall tree with such force that he cuts it in half down the middle... at least they didn't add a squeaky voice effect afterwards! A less violent highlight was the moment Jerry first saw Tom flying and tried to tell the incredulous canary. With gags coming quick and fast it is impossible to mention more than a few highlights suffice to say most of them are hilarious; this is definitely worth watching if you want a good laugh!

When he picked up his morning mail . . .

[pixrox1 · 7/10 · 13 September 2022]

. . . early on March 32, 1828, Salvatore "Corey" C-o-r-s-e-t-t-i, a second generation American, discovered what came to be known as "the corset" when he intercepted a misdirected "French post card" intended for the raunchy art collector living next door to him. Since THE FLYING CAT depends upon Corey's configuration of this soon-to-become-fashionable women's undergarment, it seems appropriate for at least one Home Economics Major to set the record straight about Tom's "wings." It's fairly obvious that the wings above Tom's wind are a C-1257, decked out in periwinkle and ivory, circa 1937. This model proved itself particularly durable, so it constitutes little stretch of the imagination to picture a C-1257 remaining alive and kicking 15--or even 20--years after it first rolled onto the assembly line. If the Wright Brothers had access to the C-1257, it's unlikely that they would have felt the need to resort to a climate-changing fossil fuel engine.

Famishus Vulgaris Domesticus

[ville-5 · 23 May 2006]

Yes, "Kitty Foiled" was somewhat better than this cartoon with its nonstop action and gags, but this cartoon is still above average T&J cartoon, even compared to the ones made earlier than this.

What really caught my attention was how much this cartoon borrows from the "Fast and Furry-ous", the first (and in 1952 the only so far) Road Runner cartoon combined with some elements from Sylvester and Tweety shorts.

This time the canary moves to a bird's nest located on a high pole which should be a familiar element to most who have seen Sylvester chasing Tweety.

The Road Runner references are easier to spot. Although Tom doesn't have ACME tools, he really tries to get to the nest in numerous unlucky ways à la Wile E. Coyote, until he invents wings. He also flashes the trademark grin of the coyote at the camera just before he hits that mail box...

All these non-dissimilar cartoons had of course the same central element (The Chase), but I can't really tell whether I prefer one over the others.

not as good as "Kitty Foiled"

[movieman_kev · 8/10 · 3 June 2005]

Jerry the mouse helps his old friend the canary (from the great "Kitty Foiled") that Tom the cat is trying to capture for dinner. Tom tries in vain to get the bird, even going so far as to make a pair of wings for himself to soar at the birds level. A few funny gags highlight this animated short, but it's just not as good as the previously mentioned "Kitty Foiled". I can't seem to put my finger on just why though. But this film is still funny and very much worth your time. This hilarious classic cartoon can be found on disc two of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry"

My Grade: B