runar-4 There's a lot of good that can be said for this cartoon; the backgrounds are rich, lushly colored and full of nicely done art deco details. The animation is up to the usual studio standards of the time, which are unquestionably higher than those of the present day. However, I find it tedious for a number of reasons.The Music: It's definitely not up to Scott Bradley's usual standards. Although it's probably supposed to be evocative of a "Great Gatsby" setting, it ends up being dreary, sleepy, repetitious AND monotonous (repetitious and monotonous are not the same, as Beethoven's 5th Symphony attests). Since most people (including me) tend to close their eyes when they yawn, there's a lot of the visual part of the cartoon that will be missed by the average viewer.The Storyline: I'm not giving away any secrets that aren't already in the plot summary - country good, city bad. This is a common theme in films, both animated and live, from this era. It's a misplaced nostalgia for a nonexistent rural idyll, which, in the present day, is reflected in a similar nostalgia for "values" that never were.

SnorrSm1989 I loved Tom & Jerry as a child--even more so, I think, than the short films of Disney and Warner Brothers. Like pretty much any kid who grew up with TV, I'd gladly embrace almost any kind of animation show to entertain me, but there was something special about this cat and mouse; particularly the original Hannah-Barbara shorts from the 40s. Though I do watch these things much less often than during childhood, I enjoy them perhaps even a bit more now; not only do I still find them funny, but they downright impress me. To create and establish two personalities so fully-rounded and endearing, while essentially neglecting the availability of spoken dialogue, is incredible. The "dialogue" of Tom & Jerry is the wide variety of facial expressions, body language and, not to forget, wonderful music. Coyote & Road Runner adapt a similar formula but aim for rather one-dimensional slapstick in comparison; their personalities are nowhere as nuanced (even complex) as Tom & Jerry. Don't get me wrong, I liked Road Runner a lot too while growing up, but one doesn't truly need to see more than one short to get the picture. Tom & Jerry, on the other hand, provided many different and unexpected twists in their stories (in the first decade or so, anyway).One example of such an "uncharacteristic" Tom & Jerry-short is MOUSE IN MANHATTAN. Tom is barely involved in the story at all, as Jerry has decided to leave their farm for a life in the big city. We follow his struggles in this new way of life, as he is almost run down by many a car and later on mistakes a little doll for being a real lady. In Tom's absence, the humor turns out less cruel than usual; we may not laugh at Jerry's naive mishaps in the same way we do when Tom screams out loud in pain, but it's still very funny in a more tender manner. The soundtrack is particularly wonderful; much like in the films of Charlie Chaplin (who composed music to his own films), the melodies in Tom & Jerry do not necessarily strive to match the action in the films by being "funny," but often evoke a somewhat romantic touch. I'm not sure if the smaller kids would enjoy MOUSE IN MANHATTAN as much as some more fast-driven Tom & Jerry-shorts, but to me it's certainly a favorite. Very charming and even beautiful. (This review has since been somewhat revised and updated, Jan. 2013)

b_cozen This is a beautiful cartoon. Instead of following the usual chases of Tom and Jerry, "Mouse in Manhattan" follows Jerry Mouse as he gets tired of the country and opts for big city life. The animation and music recalls the Fantasia 2000 feature of "Rhapsody in Blue" (especially when Jerry is dancing with the dolls). Both are absolutely stunning. I was smiling throughout the whole cartoon; my favorite "Tom and Jerry," just above "Heavenly Puss." A triumph.

Antzy88 Jerry, bored with life in the country house where he and Tom are staying, leaves a note under Tom's paw while he is sleeping, saying that he is leaving to check out the city life... This cartoon is more charming than funny, although there's enough of the latter to please loyal fans. Scott Bradley's music is among the best he has done in the series, and some bits are quite sweet. Check it out!