Blue Cat Blues


Blue Cat Blues is a 1956 one-reel animated Tom and Jerry cartoon and was written, directed and produced by co-creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera; the short was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on November 16, 1956, in CinemaScope and is the last one to be produced with the Western Electric Sound System.
Unusually for a Tom and Jerry cartoon, Jerry "speaks" lengthy lines, through an inner monologue.

Plot Synopsis

is seen sitting on the train tracks, waiting for the train to come so he can commit suicide, while Jerry laments at his friend's state and recalls how he ended up there.
Jerry narrates that he and Tom were once best friends, before Tom falls for a beautiful white cat who at first seems to return his feelings, before leaving him for Butch which reveals herself to be a gold digger as Jerry had earlier suspected.
Despite Jerry's protests, Tom tries continually to buy back his love but is continually outdone by Butch, and eventually nearly goes down the literal gutter. He is saved by Jerry, but gets more depressed when Butch and the white cat drive buy with a "JUST MARRIED" sign on the back.
As the flashback ends, Jerry kisses a picture of his girlfriend before she drives past, having married to a rich mouse; heartbroken, Jerry joins Tom on the tracks and a train whistle becomes audible as the cartoon fades out.

Availability

Additionally, the soundtrack was officially released on Tom and Jerry & Tex Avery Too! album as track 04.

Reception

Critical response

In Cartoon Carnival: A Critical Guide to Best Cartoons, writer Michael Samerdyke said "Blue Cat Blues is deeply indebted to Tex Avery for its gags." Video Movie Guide: 1995 called the short said "among the worst Tom & Jerry outings".

Legacy

The short is often considered the darkest Tom and Jerry cartoon due to its subject matter and ending.
Additionally, it is often confused to be the final short of the series; this is untrue, however, the final short produced at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was Tot Watchers and the final short overall was Purr-Chance to Dream.

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