Mousieur Herman (1955)

movie

(19)

Country: USA
Genres: Animation, Comedy, Short
Release: 1955-11-25
Director: Dave Tendlar
Writers: Carl Meyer
Language: English
Stars: Jack Mercer , Jack Mercer , Mae Questel , Mae Questel , Sid Raymond , Sid Raymond , Arnold Stang , Arnold Stang
Runtime: 6 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: Mousieur Herman , Mousieur Herman (United States of America)
Plot: Very much like the previous Herman and Katnip cartoon Mouse Trapeze, Mousieur Herman is somewhere around the solid middle, a cartoon that could have been a little better executed but with a lot of good things to make it worth watching.As with all Herman and Katnip cartoons, the music is the highlight, one of the best scores of a mid-50s Herman and Katnip cartoon, and the one component that's consistently outstanding here. It's very beautifully orchestrated and never loses energy even when the cartoon doesn't have quite as much; it matches the action very well and adds a lot too. That theme tune is also infectious. The animation is also fine, it's very lush and colourful on the whole, a lot of care and detail went into it evidently, there is some inventive animation with Herman using art skills to defeat Katnip(could have done with more) and the characters move naturally. The sight gags are amusing and sometimes very funny, and the timing is noticeably sharper than a lot of 50s Herman and Katnip cartoons.The story is not exceptional, but is never dull and is paced efficiently. The conflict between Herman and Katnip is convincing, the partnership makes sense, Herman nicely carries the cartoon and Katnip is a funny and menacing threat(giving a better reason than other Herman and Katnip for Herman to outwit him, because he's actually a threat here rather than being picked on for the fun of it). The French mice poignant characters are don't fall into stereotype territory too much. The voice acting is solid mostly though everybody only has a couple of lines each, Jack Mercer and Mae Questel as ever are dependable, Arnold Stang is suitably zany and Sid Raymond does a typically fine job as Katnip.Mousieur Herman actually doesn't have an awful lot wrong with it, but its flaws are ones that a vast majority of the Herman and Katnip cartoons share. Mousieur Herman for Herman and Katnip is still very formulaic and the dialogue(or the few lines there is of it) is something heard so often with Herman and Katnip one can practically recite it, while the ending (containing one of Katnip's cruelest fates as well) is one that can be smelt a mile off.Overall, worthwhile and decent but is never going to be a favourite. 7/10 Bethany Cox
IMDB:tt0151648