Will Do Mousework (1956)

movie

(26)

Country: USA
Genres: Animation, Comedy, Short
Release: 1956-06-29
Director: Seymour Kneitel
Writers: Larz Bourne
Language: English
Stars: Jack Mercer , Mae Questel , Sid Raymond , Sid Raymond , Cecil Roy , Arnold Stang , Arnold Stang
Runtime: 6 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: Will Do Mousework , Will Do Mousework (United States of America)
Plot: Despite not being the biggest fan of the Herman and Katnip cartoons, there are some enjoyable ones and even the weaker ones are watchable. Ranking Will Do Mousework personally among their cartoons overall, it'd be one of their weaker ones, watchable but lacking.If there is one thing that is outstanding in Will Do Mousework, it is the music from Winston Sharples. The orchestration is clever and both rich and lush while the rhythmic energy is just infectious and not just matches the cartoon perfectly but it also adds much to it. The main theme tune is catchy as well. While the animation was not that brilliant overall, some of the colours are nice, and while the story as with almost all Herman and Katnip cartoons is unexceptional the 'one last chance' use brought a brief touch of freshness(brief because the cartoon ends exactly as one would expect it to) as it is something rarely done with Herman and Katnip. Katnip has been much more of a threat but he's amusing and the cousin mice are sweet without being too cloying. The voice work from Arnold Stang, Sid Raymond and Jack Mercer is good.There are better animated Herman and Katnip cartoons however than Will Do Mousework. Famous Studios' budgets were getting cheaper at this point and it shows here, the colours generally are flat and lack warmth, backgrounds are sparse and limited and the drawings are rough in alternative to smooth. Will Do Mousework is not very funny either, that it's pretty tame compared to most Herman and Katnip cartoons is not a problem(a blessing actually, some of them got too mean-spirited) but the somewhat slow timing, heavy predictability and repetition are. Will Do Mousework is standard Herman and Katnip and sadly also one of their most predictable cartoons, everything feels familiar and the ending is one that anyone can guess correctly even at the start of the cartoon. The dialogue between Herman and the cousins is so repetitive of other Herman and Katnip cartoons, it can be practically recited while and before the characters say it. Herman has been much funnier and much more likable(he comes across as a jerk, even compared to usual, right at the end), and his material is less than inspired. He and Katnip match well and their chemistry makes sense but because of the weakness of the material their rapport is rather bland.All in all, watchable but one of the weaker Herman and Katnip cartoons. 5/10 Bethany Cox
IMDB:tt0153846