A Spanish Twist (1932)

Tom and Jerry (the human versions, not the cat and mouse) are on a raft in the ocean. After being attacked by an octopus and losing their raft, they wash up on the shores of Spain. After ... See full summary »

Directors:

John Foster, Vernon Stallings (as George Stallings)

Storyline

Tom and Jerry (the human versions, not the cat and mouse) are on a raft in the ocean. After being attacked by an octopus and losing their raft, they wash up on the shores of Spain. After harassing the waitresses at a local sidewalk café, they insult the owner and wind up in a bull ring as punishment. In the midst of fighting dozens of bulls, they receive a telegram that Prohibition has been repealed back in the U.S. They immediately leave Spain headed back to the U.S. for a drink.

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Plot Keywords:

surrealism | human tom and jerry | 

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Genres:

Animation | Family | Short | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1932 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Van Beuren Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

6 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by Piano Tooners (1932)

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Soundtracks

In a Little Spanish Town
(uncredited)
Music by Mabel Wayne
Lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young
Sung by a vocal ensemble during the opening credits

User Reviews

A Quick, But Memorable, Trip To Spain

Where else but a cartoon can see an opening scene with two guys on a raft, and an octopus comes up with a slingshot and hits one of the guys in the butt?

You see a lot of these really far-out scenes in some of the early 1930 cartoons. I love these human "Tom and Jerry" ones or the ones billed as "Dick and Larry." Most of them are filled with insane sight gags, one after the other with a story than makes no sense. It's all sight gags. Some of them are almost an excuse just to highlight some form of music. In this case, it's Spanish music, as the boys are washed ashore and apparently are in Spain. In no time, some sexy women are shaking their hips and doing a flamenco-type numbers. Gags revolve around them and the boys. After an incident at a bar, the boys are forced to become bullfighters.

It's not as loony as some of them, but it's still pretty crazy and totally unpredictable, which is what most of us like from our animated entertainment.

The cartoon ends on a odd note, but maybe not for the citizens living in 1932. The boys get a telegram from back in the states saying the "18th Amendment has been repealed." That was referring to prohibition, of course, so with beer in their dreams they go back on the raft and paddle back to the U.S!

This cartoon can be seen on the DVD called "150 Cartoon Classics."