Release Date:

November 28, 1953

Main Character(s):

Sylvester, Hippety Hopper, Sylvester Jr.

Summary:

Sylvester gets a job as mouse-catcher aboard a ship, with Sylvester Jr. “helping” him, when he’s actually doing all the work himself. After Sylvester makes an excuse that he’s a big cat and should catch big mice and that Jr. is a little cat who should catch little mice, Jr. ends up chasing the mouse into Hippety Hopper’s cage bound for Australia, with him and Sylvester mistaking Hippety for a giant mouse.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1271 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The title is a pun for “castaway” and the phrase, “Anchors Aweigh!”

The animator draft for the cartoon can be viewed here.

This is the last Warner cartoon to utilize “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”.

The title card and director credit show Sylvester and Jr. dressed as saluting sailors, but they are never seen with sailor clothes in the actual cartoon.

This is the last cartoon to use the 1953 green rings with the red background in both the opening and closing (in Tuesday’s cartoon, “Punch Trunk”, they are only used as the closing rings).

Near the start of the cartoon, Jr. declares, “Though I’m only three and a half, I’m ever so strong!” While not released three and a half years afterwards, this cartoon was released over three years after Jr.’s debut in “Pop ‘im Pop”.

Favorite Scene:

When Sylvester has Jr. try and catch Hippety, Jr. realizes Hippety is mimicking him and takes advantage of this to get him back into his cage.

What Happens in This One:

At the docks’ wharf, Sylvester and Jr. are walking along as Sylvester decides, “I guess we better mosey down to the wharf and rustle up a couple of fish heads or something. I’m hungry”. Jr. complains, “Oh, Father. I’m SO tired of being an alley cat. Other cats have homes, and don’t have to scrounge for their food”, but Sylvester tells him, “Yeah. But they gotta pay for their security. They gotta meow for their supper, meow to be let out, meow to be let in. Meow for this and meow for that. They got no freedom and independence like us”. They then pass by a large ship, which catches Jr.’s attention. “Father, look!” Sylvester takes a look at a sign Jr. was pointing at, “Wanted: Cat. Must Be a Good Mouser. Apply on Board” (animated by Herman Cohen).

Jr. is delighted at this, “Oh, Father! Our golden opportunity!”, but Sylvester is unsure about the idea, “But, uh, son, catching mice is pretty strenuous work. And I’m not as young as I used to be”. Jr. replies, “But, Father, I can help you a lot. Though I’m only three and a half, I’m ever so strong!” Sylvester thinks to himself, “Hmm. He might be able to help me QUITE a little at that” (animated by Charles McKimson), before agreeing aloud, “Okay! Come on, son! Let’s get to work! But remember, no lyin’ down on the job!” as they go up the gangplank (animated by Phil DeLara).

With the ship out at sea, Sylvester is the one who’s lying down on the job as he’s seen below deck wearing shades and sitting in a lounge chair while reading. Jr. is seen chasing a mouse all around the ship, all the while meowing and screeching furiously. He soon becomes tired out and pants to Sylvester, “Father, I thought you were going to catch mice and I was going to help you (animated by Keith Darling). I’M doing all the helping, and you aren’t doing anything!” Sylvester makes up an excuse as to why, “Oh, uh, mm, well, son, it’s like this. Now, uh, you’re a little cat, so you take care of the little mice. I’m a big cat, so I take care of any big ones. If, uh, any come along. Fair enough? Hmm?” Jr. gives a bewildered look at the audience as Sylvester asks this before answering, “Yes, Father. Uh, I guess so” and then walks away (animated by Charles).

Jr. encounters the same mouse he was chasing earlier and resumes his pursuit of the rodent. The mouse runs into Hippety’s cage with the labels, “Baby Kangaroo” and “Handle with Care”. Irritated at the mouse for taunting him with a ululating noise, Jr. removes the piece of wood holding the cage’s latch before opening the crate’s door and demanding him to come out by banging on the cage with a mallet, intending to hit the mouse with it. Hippety peeks out instead, much to Jr.’s shock, and once Hippety bounces out, Jr. runs back to Sylvester, shouting in excitement, “Father! Father! (animated by Rod Scribner) Father! I found you one! A great big giant mouse!” Sylvester becomes skeptical at this and asks, “A giant mouse, eh? And just how big IS this giant?” Jr. answers, “REAL big! As big as this!” and measures his arms out as long as he can. Sylvester believes Jr.’s exaggerating due to his size, with his hands measuring out a regular-sized mouse compared to Jr.’s, “This big, eh?” before deciding, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to go and take that giant mouse apart!” Jr. cheers Sylvester on as he walks into the other room, “Attaboy, Pop!” before confiding, “There goes a brave pussycat!” (animated by Cohen)

Still with his hands measuring out a normal-sized mouse, Sylvester walks into the other room chuckling, “Big mouse, big deal”, but about two seconds later, comes back out completely white and stammering in fear upon having seen Hippety, and also with his hands measured out higher than himself, “B-b-b-b-big! H-h-h-huge! Monster! B-b-biggest mouse I ever saw!” He then collapses front-first while Hippety hops up to him from behind and Jr. throws a bucket of water on him to revive him. Coming back to his senses, Sylvester starts rapidly throwing punches and wondering, “Where is he? Which way did he go? Where is he at? Where? Where? Who? Who? Where? Where? What? What?”, before Jr. explains while pointing, “He ran out that door, Father”. Sylvester asks, “He did?!”, before assuming, “Hmm? Ran away from me? Chicken, huh?” He marches towards the door and declares, “Well, I’ll just go in and give the lily-livered rodent his just desserts!” Jr. imitates Sylvester’s walk and follows him, only to get the door shut on him (animated by DeLara).

Spotting Hippety, Sylvester decides, “I’ll rush him!” and runs up to him, only to run right into a crate Hippety was in front of, due to the latter jumping up high at the last minute. “STAND STILL!”, Sylvester yells, before attempting to throw punches at him. Hippety pounds Sylvester on the head a few times, and then keeps kicking Sylvester in the face when Sylvester attempts to headlock him. He next kicks Sylvester back and forth against the crate numerous times, and finally, kicking him in the air while spinning him around (animated by Scribner). Having listened at the door, Jr. asks a dazed Sylvester coming out, “Did you give him his just desserts, Father?” Sylvester groggily answers, “Uh, eh, no. He doesn’t like desserts”. Upon coming to, Sylvester changes his mind about his earlier excuse, “Now, look, son. There’s a whole mess of little mice and only one big one. So, it’s only fair for me to round up all the little ones (animated by Charles), and uh, you take care of the big one. Right?” Jr. reluctantly agrees while walking off as Sylvester sneaks away (animated by Scribner).

Jr. walks into the other room and soon sees Hippety behind him. Upon noticing Hippety imitating the way he’s attempting to throw punches (animated by Scribner), Jr. smiles at the audience upon realizing he can catch him this way. He has Hippety do a tap dance and then follow him all the way into the cage by doing a left offstage dance in tune to “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” (animated by Cohen).

Jr. then drags Hippety in his cage over to a shocked Sylvester, “Look, Father! I took care of the big mouse!” Sylvester reacts in surprised delight, “Sufferin’ succotash!” Jr. reminds him, “You said if I take care of the big one, you’d go after the little ones, you promised!” Deciding he must hold up his end of the bargain, Sylvester agrees, “If I gotta, I gotta”. He spots an actual mouse going into the other room, before instructing Jr., “Oh, uh, uh, son. No matter what you hear, don’t open this door! Uh, don’t want any of them to try and sneak out”. Jr. agrees, “Yes, Father” (animated by DeLara).

Sylvester begins chasing the mouse who runs into a crate of “Super Muscle-Building Vitamins”. After the mouse eats these vitamins, he then becomes a super-strong roaring beast, who is able to tie a crowbar into a bow (animated by Scribner). He then starts beating up on Sylvester several times, creating several Sylvester-shaped imprints in the walls and door, as Sylvester frantically begs for Jr. to open the door (animated by Darling). Jr. however is still complying to Sylvester’s exact words from earlier, “Oh, uh, (chuckles), don’t worry, Father. I remember your instructions! Nothing I hear will make me open that door!” (animated by DeLara) After another Sylvester impression is created into the wall (animated by Darling), Jr. confides, “That’s what makes me proud of MY pop! Wherever he goes, he always makes a good impression!” (animated by Charles)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½