Pet Peeve (1954 film)

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = Pet Peeve
series = Tom and Jerry


caption = The title card of "Pet Peeve"
director = William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
story_artist = William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
animator = Ed Barge
Irven Spence
Kenneth Muse
background_artist = Robert Gentle
voice_actor = Daws Butler as Man (unc.)
musician = Scott Bradley
producer = Fred Quimby
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
release_date = November 20, 1954
color_process = Technicolor, CinemaScope
runtime = 6 minutes 35 seconds
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0047343
preceded_by = "Downhearted Duckling"
followed_by = "Touché, Pussy Cat!"

"Pet Peeve" is the 88th one reel animated "Tom and Jerry" short, created in 1954 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. This was the first "Tom and Jerry" cartoon to be released in CinemaScope and the second to be produced in that format (the first was Touché, Pussy Cat!, released the second month), which widened the cinema screen into a different aspect ratio, presumably to compete against the growing popularity of television. The CinemaScope process required thicker and more defined ink linkes around the characters, giving them a slightly more 'modern' and less detailed appearance.

The cartoon is also the first to feature an owner of the house that is not Mammy Two Shoes, the African-American maid voiced by Lillian Randolph from the first cartoon "Puss Gets the Boot" (1940) up to and including 1952's "Push-Button Kitty." Instead, Mammy was replaced with a white married couple (which is more politically correct to modern audiences).

The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse Ed Barge and Irven Spence, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle. It was released on November 20, 1954 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Plot

Tom and Spike, living together, happily, scoff through much of the household refrigerator's contents. Tom drops a piece of bread and Jerry tries to steal it. Tom steps on his tail and pops him back into his hole. They overhear an argument taking place between the owners of the house named joan and George. Joan and George decide that the food costs are far too high and that the dog and cat eat too much.

"Well, here we are again. The first of the month, and bills, bills, bills! Something's got to be done to cut down expenses!"

"Yes, dear, but if you look through those bills, you won't find any of mine in there."

"Well, there certainly aren't any of mine in here. Listen to this: Dog food, cat food, dog food, cat food, dog food, cat food, dog food....!"

"Well, you "had" to have a dog."

"And you "had" to have a cat."

"Well, let's get rid of one."

"That's a good idea, let's get rid of one. They eat too much!"

It is resolved that only one of the pets can stay. Both Joan and George state their case for their pets staying: The George's dog (Spike) is man's best friend, while the Joan's cat (Tom) keeps her company and is at least some use around the house.

Suddenly Joan spies Jerry happily eating away at some food, and declares "Well, there's one thing a cat can do that a dog can't do."

"And what can a cat do that a dog can't do?" asks George.

"Catch a mouse."

"Right...I'll make a deal. The one that catches the mouse can stay."

So begins the chase between Tom and Spike to remain in the house.

Tom scoops up Jerry and runs into Spike's fist. Spike gets a door closed on him. Spike then erects a sign that says "DETOUR" and turns Tom into the closet with him. Tom gets walloped with a golf club. Spike is pulled into the floor grate and flattened into the likeness of a nail. Tom presents Jerry to the George's chair, but instead of of the George, Spike leaps out and grabs Jerry.

Tom shakes Spike's hand in a gesture of surrender, packs up his possessions and sets out for the door. Spike follows him to comfort the cat, and Tom slyly gives "his" possessions to "Spike" and ushers him out the door. Spike falls for it until he's about to leave the yard and his head turns into a Jackass.Tom laughs at his victory until Spike busts through the door and flattens him. Spike starts chasing Jerry as Tom frees himself. He is compressed into a cylinder. Spike grabs Jerry and is flipped judo-style by Tom. Tom and Spike then duel with swords, destroying a lot of the house. They see Jerry run across a carpet, and they roll it up and cut it up until Tom slices off the George's slippers.

When they cut his slippers, George says: "That does it, boys. Start packing!" Both cat and dog are thrown out, while the mouse gets to stay. "Why didn't we think of this before? If we must have a pet, let's make it a mouse. They don't eat very much." The camera zooms out to show a large amount of food concealed in Jerry's mousehole.

George asks Tom and Spike, "Are you packed yet? (Tom and Spike nod.) Alright then. Take what belongs to you, and GET OUT."Tom and Spike then promptly run off, out of the house, carrying the refrigerator as George yells at them.