User Reviews

Narrated in storybook fashion by Hans Conried, this cartoon tells of a mouse (Jerry, as Johann Mouse) who, living in the same house as Viennese composer Johann Strauss, loves nothing more than to waltz. The problem is that, whenever he emerges to dance, the cat (Tom) tries to catch him (although never succeeding). When Strauss leaves home for a few days, the cat teaches itself how to play the piano (in six easy lessons) to lure the mouse from his mouse-hole. When the curious house servants see the cat and mouse playing and dancing together, news spreads to the palace and the pair are commanded to perform.

An absolutely charming tale, with a wonderful classical soundtrack, Johann Mouse sees Tom once again taking to tinkling the ivories with hilarious results. The scene at the palace is absolutely wonderful, the cat and mouse performing together to a delighted audience providing some really good laughs, making this a well-deserved winner of an Oscar.

Jerry the mouse, here known as Johann Mouse lives in the house of Viennese composer Johann Strauss. Every time Johann plays his music, the mouse can't help but waltz to the tune. So when the master is away the cat learns to play music. But the servants hear Tom playing and soon enough Tom and the mouse are playing for the Emporer. This short won an Oscar for best cartoon short subject in 1953 and it's easy to see why, because while it's not hilarious, it is amusing, charming, and will bring a smile to your face. This amusing animated short can be found on disc 2 of Warner Brother's 2-DVD Spotlight Collection set.

My Grade: B+

I am a rabid fan of animated shorts and I have long marveled at the choices the Academy made in the 1940s and 50s for the Best Animated Short Oscars. Amazingly enough, not very many were earned by Looney Tunes shorts (though they were clearly the best of the era) and often lesser films were given the award. Oddly, while the films tended to be rather repetitive, Tom and Jerry alone won about as many Oscars as all the Looney Tunes shorts combined. Now I do agree that many of the 1940s Tom and Jerry shorts had great animation, but why so many Oscars? Well, one reason is that their shorts that featured classical music cleaned up--with CAT CONCERTO and JOHANN MOUSE taking the prize. It seems that combining classical music with cartoons was a sure recipe for success in this time period. And, wonderful classics such as OPERATION RABBIT (one of the best Looney Tunes shorts ever) and HASTY HARE (with Marvin the Martian) didn't even get nominated for the 1953 Oscar!

So let's get to JOHANN MOUSE. There are a few things going for it. It is a nice departure from the usual locale and plot of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. It also is rather cute. But on the negative side, this animation is of an inferior quality compared to the product of the 1940s--with far simpler backgrounds and character animation. Also, the story lacks the hard edge that many expect from Tom and Jerry. I'd say that even compared to other Tom and Jerry cartoons, it's not among the better films. Just my two cents worth.

'Johann Mouse (1953)' tells the tale of Johann Mouse (aka Jerry), a cute little guy who simply can't resist dancing whenever the man who owns the house he's living in - Johann Strauss - plays the Waltz. Johann (Strauss, that is) has a cat that wants to catch the mouse (aka Tom). The majority of the piece is dedicated to the feline taking up piano in a ploy to capture his dinner, with a few extra twists and turns towards the end. It's enjoyable throughout, with some splendid sight-gags and an overall charming aesthetic. However, its story is sort of strange, particularly in the way that it just sort of resets itself. The piece also isn't as funny as you'd like. Still, it's always enjoyable and has a good dynamic between music and visuals. It's a pleasant watch. 7/10

Spectacular artwork takes center stage instead of the normal humor in this Oscar-winning Tom and Jerry animated short. Also unusual is that these two adversaries actually work together for half or more of this story. Not only is this one of the prettiest cartoons I've ever seen, it's a pleasing story.

This is a "take," so to speak on famous composer Joan Strauss and his waltzes. Jerry plays a little mouse who lives in the home of Strauss. When the master is at the piano, playing one of his waltzes, Jerry comes out and dances. When that happens, house cat Tom seizes upon the opportunity and chases him.

When Strauss leaves one day, Tom has a predicament: how to get the mouse out of his hiding place. Tom quickly studies how to play the piano. He is the fastest learner in history, apparently, as he becomes a virtuoso in no time! Soon, he's playing away and here comes Jerry. The house servants hear and see a fantastically-talented cat playing and a mouse dancing beautifully and they spread the word about this amazing pair. The next thing you know, the two are giving a performance at the palace! (All of this happens in one day? Apparently.)

The rest of the cartoon is the command performance the two give, before returning to their normal cat-and-mouse chasing ways!

This "Tom and Jerry" short from 1953 "Johann Mouse" was a classic and Oscar award winning cartoon. The tale has the little mouse Jerry who's away living the good life in a castle like palace of one composer named Strauss and the waltz is played! However Tom cat has made his way to the house for more of the same old same thing and ways of doing and that is the chase is on! However the cartoon twist when Tom takes up playing the piano and Jerry takes up dancing then they later do this in front of a crowd which enjoys the duo. However the deal is it doesn't last as these two were meant to be rivals as the chase continues the charm and fun is felt which is supported well by the music for this short.

This cartoon quite rightly won an Oscar and is probably one of the top two or three best that they did. With narration by Hans Conreid (one of the best voices for narration work and particularly for animation work), this also features Strauss's music to advantage and is just a delight to watch. Somewat static animation because of a sorybook framing device, but it's still a marvelous idea in conception and execution. Most highly recommended.

The animated Short Subject, "CARTOON",if you please, has been with us for just about the entire run of Film, itself. Each succeeding generation has been treated to their life, color, unchecked outrageous behaviour, humor and their moments of pathos.

Traditionally, the products of the various Studios and Creative Talent have generally all been representative of one particular strong point. E.G., Walt Disney's animated pictures, both shorts and features have a dreamy perfection,an other worldly appearance, along with some more gentle humor with a moral. Disney Studios has the Cadillac, the Top of the Line.

Max & Dave Fleischer were the top Animation Studio when Disney was on the way up. Always great as innovators, using top Jazz Bands of the '30's as the inspiration. They only did 2 Full Length Animated Features, GULLIVER's TRAVELS(1939) and MR. BUG GOES TO TOWN(1941)( aka HOPPITY GOES TO TOWN). Other than Betty Boop and Koko The Clown, their biggest "Stars" were found in the Popeye Shorts and the Superman Adventures, and the Fleischers owned the rights to neither.

It is Warner Brothers, "Termite Terrace" which gave us what was probably America's favourite adult cartoons in LOONEY TOONS and MERRY MELODIES, starring Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, en ad infinitum... It was Warner's Cartoon Unit that provided the best laughs as they surely had their finger on the pulse of America's Funnybone.

MGM and Hanna-Barbera fell somewhere in between, never being considered as much of "Art" as Disney, nor as funny as Warners, nor as innovative as The Fleischers. But Hanna-Barberra/MGM came in close seconds on all those counts.

At the time of its making JOHANN MOUSE, The MGM/Hanna-Barbera* partnership had been together for some time, with Tom & Jerry being an item for about 13 years. They (Hanna-Barberra)were undoubtedly MGM's biggest Cartoon Team. They (Tom & Jerry)were undoubtedly MGM's biggest Cartoon Team.(Ha,ha! Get it?)

This 1952 production & Oscar Winner did deviate slightly off of the proved path. Instead of the setting being contemporary United States middle class, the setting is Late 19th Century, the Locale is Vienna, Austria-Hungary(as the Dual Monarchy was called), and in particular from a particular place, in the Home of Johann Strauss, the Walz King, himself.

The use of any dialog either from people or the furry creatures. Instead, we have the Strauss Music, the irresistible reactions of Jerry Mouse and in turn, Tom's feline reaction to the rodent movement.

A voice-over narration by multi-talented Hans Conried moves the story along and reminds us of the period and setting by using a theatrical affectation of an authentic sounding German accent.** The combination of the cartoony situation, the narration, the Strauss Music makes for a most amusing situational comedy story When the entire film is framed with a beautiful story book-like appearance. It is one that should be an award winner, and by George, Oscar, it was!

Our younger Daughter, Michelle Lee Ryan(D.O.B. 8/14/'75)describes this as her favourite cartoon; an interesting point, being that it was out 23 years before her birth.

NOTE:* Long time Animators & Cartoon Directors/Producers William Hanna(1910-2001) & Joseph Barbera(1911-2006) had been partners dating back to the 1930's. After leaving MGM 1n the mid-fifties, they became TV's Premiere Cartoon Studio with (still existing)HANNA-BARBERA Productions.

NOTE:** Fine Character/Voice Actor Hans Conried(1917-1982)had long been thought of as a European born Stage,Film and Radio/TV player. In reality, he was born in Baltimore and raised between there and New York City. He once explained his unusual accent to Jack Paar on the TONITE SHOW as being "a Theatrical Affectation!"(Honest Injun, heard it myself!)

I love Tom and Jerry, and I especially love shorts like The Cat Concerto, so I was really looking forward to seeing this when I first heard of it six months ago. And I wasn't disappointed at all and it has become a favourite since, it is hilarious, inventive and original. The animation is wonderful, really colourful and vibrant and all the characters are drawn really well. Another outstanding element is the music, in fact the music is one of the main reasons why I love Johann Mouse so much. The chemistry between Tom and Jerry is delightful, and both characters are likable and endearing. The cartoon also moves really quickly, the story is engaging and Hans Conreid(who also voiced Captain Hook in Disney's Peter Pan) is great as the narrator. Overall, delightful for any animation or music fan. 10/10 Bethany Cox