Release Date:

April 2, 1955

Main Character(s):

Tweety and Sylvester, Granny

Summary:

Granny and Tweety are at the beach. Sylvester, who’s disgusted at there not being an easier way to get sustenance, spots Tweety and attempts to catch him. When the rock Tweety’s cage has been placed on becomes surrounded by water due to the tide coming in, Sylvester acts like he’s going to save him (saving him for a meal, naturally), with Granny being unaware of his true intentions.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1331 and was released as a Looney Tune.

This is the final cartoon where Granny is voiced by Bea Benaderet. After this, June Foray would take over.

In production order, this is the final Warner cartoon until the DePatie-Freleng era to feature animation by Manuel Perez.

This is the anti-penultimate cartoon to use the 1946-1955 Looney Tunes opening and closing theme.

Other than animating on the cartoon, Arthur Davis co-wrote this one with Warren Foster.

The title is a pun for “Santy Claus”, a nickname for Santa (somewhat ironic in that this is a summer-themed cartoon, even though the title does relate to sand).

The cartoon was nominated for an Academy Award.

Granny appears to not understand then-present day fashion. She tells Tweety at the start of the cartoon that she’s about to go into the locker room to change into her “new bikini bathing suit”. She actually wears an old-fashioned 1890’s-type one, with only her head and hands not covered up. This same swimsuit would also be worn by her in the Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries episodes, “B2 or Not B2”, “Catch as Catch Cannes”, and “The Fountain of Funk”.

The cartoon was originally titled “Sea Tweety”.

“The Happy Farmer” plays near the end with Granny helping Sylvester wearing a diving suit by operating the air for him up to the point where Tweety, tired of waiting for Sylvester to “save” him, rows to safety himself, causing Granny to happily walk up to him, forgetting that she was helping Sylvester.

Favorite Scene:

After Sylvester gets knocked out from bashing into a dock pole face-first from his attempt to use a small surfboard to get to Tweety, Granny splashes a bucket of water over him, just as they both get swept away by a big wave. Thinking Granny revived him with the wave, Sylvester tells her, “Sufferin’ succotash! Ya don’t have to OVER-do it!”

What Happens in This One:

At the beach, Granny is walking while singing Doris Day’s “Love Ya Love Ya Honey” and carrying Tweety’s cage along with a picnic basket. After she has put Tweety’s cage atop a rock, Granny remarks, “Oh, this is an ideal spot. Now, you wait right here, Tweety, until Granny puts on her new bikini bathing suit (giggles)”. She goes to the locker room with the picnic basket and continues singing “Love Ya Love Ya Honey” (animated by Manuel Perez). Tweety then gets out a miniature lounge chair and umbrella, and also dons some green-shaded sunglasses (animated by Arthur Davis).

Meanwhile, Sylvester is seen on the end of the pier fishing with a makeshift pole- a long stick with a string tied to it used as the line. After Sylvester gets out one of the worms he’s using as bait from a tin can, this worm attempts to slither in the direction away from the water, only for Sylvester to point a gun at him as if to tell it he’s not going to take no for an answer (animated by Perez). After the worm goes down onto the hook, it reluctantly lets Sylvester dip the hook into the water (animated by Davis). The second Sylvester does, a shark leaps out and eats him whole. Underwater and offscreen, Sylvester wrestles inside the shark’s mouth to get out and get back onto the pier. Although he is unharmed (animated by Perez), he is very disgusted at how he has to get food, kicking the can away, “There must be an easier way than THIS for a pussycat to get sustenance-s-s!” (animated by Davis)

Sylvester then hears Tweety chirping from his cage on the rock (animated by Davis) and sneaks up on him hungrily. Tweety looks over to his left and sees Sylvester dashing across the sand on all fours very quickly. “I tawt I taw a putty tat!” Sylvester hides under the rock just as Tweety goes out to check and looks down over the rock’s edge, finding Sylvester. After an upside-down green-tinted (from Tweety’s sunglasses) point of view shot of Sylvester, Tweety realizes, “I did! I did taw a putty tat!” (animated by Perez) Sylvester then comes out from under the rock, causing Tweety to lose his sunglasses in fright and run back into his cage. Just as Sylvester is about to grab him (animated by Virgil Ross), he sees (animated by Perez) a giant wave incoming and attempts to outrun it, only for it to come down onto him violently (animated by Davis). Sylvester then pops up from out of the sand coughing and spluttering (animated by Perez).

Sylvester attempts to sneak up on Tweety again (animated by Perez), only for another giant wave to come in. This time, he climbs (animated by Davis) to the top of a high rock for safety, only for the entire rock and Sylvester to soon be submerged before it comes back down (animated by Perez).

The rock Tweety is on is now surrounded by water as he calls out, “Help! Help! I’m suwwounded by the sea! The tide came in! Help! Help! Somebody save me! (animated by Davis) Heeeeeeeelp!” At this moment, Sylvester has set up a fishing pole on some high rocks holding it together by two regular-sized rocks to catch Tweety from there. Tweety misinterprets this, “Aw, the bwave putty tat’s twying to tave me!” With the fishing reel tied to his stomach, Sylvester uses the pole’s handle to reel himself down towards Tweety. He soon runs out of reel (animated by Perez), and falls into the sea. Tweety encourages, “Come on, putty tat. Don’t give up!” (animated by Davis)

Sylvester gets into a motorboat to zoom up to Tweety, but forgets to untie the boat from the dock, causing the boat’s frame to get ripped apart once the boat reaches its limit. With only the boat’s interior, engine, and flag remaining, Sylvester gives a salute as he sinks down with them (animated by Davis).

Wearing skis on his feet and having an outboard motor tied to his back, Sylvester starts up the motor as a way to water-ski towards Tweety. He only ends up slamming face-first into the rock as his skis continue along without him (animated by Davis).

Sylvester blows up two inflatable water wings and puts them on to not sink under. Five sharks immediately enter and start attacking him. After running out with the parts of his fur not having been chewed off making him look like Tarzan, Sylvester begins to do a Tarzan imitation that becomes a groan as he collapses front-first (animated by Perez).

Wearing an old-fashioned Victorian-style swimsuit rather than a bikini, Granny comes out of locker room 5 announcing, “Here I come!”, and then giggling. She then spots Tweety again calling out, “Help! Help! Tave me! Tave me! Help!”, causing Granny to become panicked. “Help! Oh, help! Somebody (animated by Ross) save my bird! Oh, please, please, somebody save my bird! Help! Help!” Wearing a lifeguard outfit, Sylvester grabs a small surfboard leaning against the lifeguard’s chair and goes into action. Granny also misinterprets Sylvester’s intentions, “Oh! Oh, look at that wonderful brave cat trying to save my little bird!” (animated by Perez)

Still running towards the rock, Sylvester leaps into the air with the board in mid-run, only to fly smack face-first into a dock pole, much to Granny’s shock. She takes a bucket of water with her (animated by Ross) and splashes it over him, just as another giant wave comes in and sweeps them both away as Tweety watches. After the wave stops, Sylvester believes that the wave was Granny’s doing and tells her off, “Sufferin’ succotash! Ya didn’t have to OVER-do it!” (animated by Perez)

Operating a machine to supply air to the diving suit worn by Sylvester, Granny asks him, “A-are ya getting enough air?” Sylvester gives her an “okay” gesture before he goes under. Rowing towards the shore in his cage, Tweety sulks, “Oh, I’ll never be taved if I have to wait for that putty tat to tave me!” Granny becomes overjoyed to see him and takes his cage out of the water, “Thank goodness you’re safe, Tweety!” Due to her no longer operating it, the machine comes to a stop as Sylvester comes out blue in the face to show her he needs more air (animated by Perez). Granny makes a realization, “Whoops! (gasps) I forgot all about the pussycat!” Looking at the machine, she wonders, “Now, let’s see. How did I start this thing before?” She pulls a lever that gets the machine working again (animated by Ross), but also causes Sylvester’s suit to inflate and send him floating up into the air. He exits out the “Escape Hatch” flap on the suit’s rear, with his fall being slowed down from his opening of a parachute. Granny wonders while looking around, “I wonder what happened to that heroic pussycat. He certainly deserves a just reward!” Unbeknownst to Granny and Tweety, Sylvester ends up parachuting down into the city dog pound as the unseen dogs begin attacking him offscreen (animated by Davis).

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½