What Was That, Mighty Mouse?

How’s this for a “what the...” gag in a Terrytoon?

Mighty Mouse pulls two guns (isn’t that bizarre enough already?) on two cats. Suddenly, a compartment opens up in one gun and a jack-in-the-box head pops out.



Milton Knight, who knows about these sorts of things, points out this is a piece of Carlo Vinci work. The gag is actually pretty funny but director Eddie Donnelly mis-directs it. The drawing with the top of the gun opening is on two frames, the head is on one frame, and then Donnelly cuts to the close-up. It’s too fast to register; the close-up comes out of nowhere and looks like another cartoon has been spliced into the reel.

There’s some fine animation by Vinci earlier in the picture of a dancing seductress mouse that can stack up against anyone’s work. It’s beautifully timed.

Thanks to Milt Knight for posting the cartoon. Oh, if you’re wondering, Mighty Mouse beats up the cats.