Release Date:

November 4, 1939

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

Porky Pig, the Pied Piper, has rid Hamelin of all the rats except one wise guy rat, who refuses to be caught. Porky enlists the aid of a cat named Slapsy Catsy to do the rat in.

That’s Not All, Folks:

Porky would be the Pied Piper again in “Paying the Piper” (1949).

The rat speaks like Rochester from the Jack Benny Show.

The opening newspaper features a headline about “ACME Suspenders”.

What I Like About This One:

The opening title card: “All rats in this picture are fictitious- and any resemblance to any one you know is purely co-incidental.” (accompanied by a rendition of Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E Minor”)

The newspaper mentioning, “Piper’s Feat Gives Mayor a Big Kick!” (along with the triumphant music playing).

When the Rochester rat (well, that’s what I’m going to call him) is discovered, he makes his getaway by gnawing a hole in the wall.

Porky attempting to lure the Rochester rat out by placing a trap outside the hole he made and playing “Umbrella Man” on his instrument.

The Rochester rat seemingly being under Porky’s spell but just before his foot touches the trap, he suddenly tells the audience, “If you think I’m going in there, you’re crazy!”

The Rochester rat snapping Porky’s instrument in half after telling him, “This thing’s no good, boss! Full of holes!”

Porky taking out a box labeled “Old Fashioned Mouse Trap” and pulling out Slapsy Catsy.

Slapsy Catsy acting like a woman scared of a mouse when he first sees the Rochester rat!

When Slapsy Catsy comes to his senses in realizing the ridiculousness of a cat being scared of a mouse, he chases the Rochester rat and corners him against a wall, where his attempt to scratch him results in him instead creating a Tic-Tac-Toe board. Unsurprisingly, the Rochester rat wins the game.

After Slapsy Catsy gets knocked out after hitting a wall, his nine lives start to leave his body until Porky pushes the ninth one back in and pours “Kat-Nip” down Slapsy Catsy’s throat to the point where he becomes a super-macho cat, prompting the ninth life to call the other eight back in with a bugle. But the Rochester rat still wins, and comes out with Slapsy Catsy’s fur as “genuine ermine”.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕