Just perfect...

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Although this cartoon came after "The Two Mousketeers", it takes place before that one. This makes it a prequel, not a sequel. In my opinion, "Touché, Pussy Cat!" is equally very good and solid, but I find the previous one even better. This one has also very stylish artwork, but the first one has more attention to detail.The concept is similar and the cartoon itself is inspired by the triumphant original one, but the stories are different. Here, Jerry and Tuffy (not Nibbles anymore, I wonder why) don't go to a castle. Tuffy is about to learn to be a mouseketeer, but first he has to go to the King's Mouseketeers Headquarters in Paris, where Jerry (the captain of the mouseketeers) will teach him. However, Tuffy is so young and overexcited that Jerry becomes the victim of some accidents with Tuffy's sword. That is so funny and Jerry makes those funny facial expressions of displeasure. Of course, Jerry does not laugh, but for Tuffy this is every bit as hilarious as it is for me. Jerry is a proud, firm, impatient and serious captain.Tuffy, a silent mouse in older cartoons, is actually very talkative in these "Mouseketeer" cartoons. His voice is very cute and his french accent is very charming. I love all his lines in french, including him singing the adorable and famous childish song "Frère Jacques". Tuffy is like a parrot here. He talks very quickly and very much, which is too much for Jerry (who hasn't much patience). To keep Tuffy quiet is a real challenge for Jerry. LOL.Once Tom appears there are some hilarious situations with him and Tuffy (especially the scene when Tuffy paints a simplistic caricature of Tom as if he was mocking of Tom's face, singing "Frère Jacques" and laughing to Tom - who does not laugh); and, of course, the usual fights, chases and some violent gags (Jerry included).At the end, after Jerry suffering another accident with Tuffy's sword caused by Tuffy's hand, the little mouse says "C'est la guerre!" while Jerry spanks him on the rear over and over.

While I am a huge fan of MGM cartoons, in my opinion, there were two things that made them not as successful as the Looney Toons cartoons. First, in a cost-cutting move, MGM took a great quality animation studio and began producing cheaper looking animation starting about 1954. Ultimately, the jaded studio was so cost-conscious that they later fired all their American animators and had the films made in Czechoslovakia--where no one had even seen one of their cartoons! Second, while most people love the violent and over the top antics in the cartoons, MGM also made quite a few cute cartoons that alienated some of the viewers. I definitely dislike the cartoons featuring Jerry's friends, the duck or the little gray mouse, as they are meant to appeal mostly to little kids but adults may find them way too saccharine.This cartoon is another Mouseketeer toon. This time, Jerry is saddled with trying to make the cutesy gray mouse a swordsman in 17th century France. But unfortunately, the little guy stinks...that is until he ultimately (and predictably) proves himself. Ho-hum.

Jerry the Mouse, Tom the cat, and Nibbles the orphan mouse are back in the times of the three musketeers. Nibbles torture Tom unmercifully and also sings. Pretty funny stuff if you ask me. ( of course you didn't ask, but I told you anyway) This short was nominated for an Oscar for best cartoon short subject in 1955, but sadly didn't win. I don't know why, since this short is simply delightful. One of the first Tom and Jerry shorts to be shown in Cinemascope, This hilarious animated short can be found on disc 2 of Warner Brother's 2-DVD Spotlight Collection set.My Grade: A

Tuffy arrives in Paris hoping to join Jerry's band of Mouseketeers. Unfortunately, certain things happen that make Jerry question Tuffy's potential, until Tom, a cardinal's guard, bursts onto the scene... This was the second of four cartoons that featured Tom as a cardinal's guard and Jerry and Tuffy as Mouseketeers, and is very enjoyable -- but isn't it peculiar how this cartoon was made AFTER 'The Two Mouseketeers'? This cartoon was nominated for an Academy Award and was the last of the Tom & Jerry series to achieve such a nomination.