The Cat Came Back (1936 film)

The Cat Came Back is a 1936 Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Friz Freleng. It is the final Warner Bros. cartoon to be produced in two-strip Technicolor (and the only two-strip Technicolor Warner Bros. cartoon made in 1936). The previous Merrie Melodies cartoon, I Wanna Play House, was the second to be produced in three-strip Technicolor, whom Walt Disney had exclusive rights for the three-strip Technicolor process until 1935.

Plot

A curious kitten leaves her family to play with an equally curious little mouse from across the hall, despite both being told by their mothers how bad the other's family is. Mama Mouse warns her kids to stay away from cats, while Mama Cat tells her kids to attack all mice. The kitten and mouse sneak out of their lessons and listen to some records together as an excuse to get in some hot 1930s tunes and dance around. While dancing, they accidentally fall down a drain into the sewer. The little kitten is saved by the little mouse. The two mothers get together to rejoice, but old feuds are not so easily forgotten, and the cat and mice families start to fight again.

Censorship

• When this cartoon aired on syndication for television showings, the mousetrap sequence, as well as the scene with the toilet plunger and the eye poking sequence are cut.

Reissues

This cartoon was reissued twice as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melody. The first reissue occurred on July 15, 1944 during the 1943-44 season (evident from the style opening rings used: blue rings with a red background). The second reissue takes place on June 5, 1954 during the 1953-54 season (evident from the style opening rings used: orange rings with a blue background). It even once had a showing in Norway on April 30, 2004 at the Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival.

Sources

• Internet Movie Database article [1]
• Big Cartoon Database article [2]