User Reviews

Gandy Goose and Sour Puss go fishing in their auto-gyro raft. They capture and immense shark -- or does it capture them in this decent Terrytoon.

Although Gandy spoke with an Ed Wynn "Perfect Fool" voice and Sour Puss was voiced like Jimmy Durante, they usually acted more like Laurel and Hardy, with Sour Puss bossy and failing and Gandy Goose foolish but somehow getting the better of the situation. It was a fine comedy act, even when, as with this one, the gags were a bit predictable. This one starts out with the standard series of fish with punny names: the star fish that fade with the dawn, followed by the sunfish that rise from the ocean's bottom with the red glow of the sun on the horizon. It's not one of the series' best efforts, but it has a few smiles in its length.

The Terrytoons cartoons, right back from the first one in 1930 up to the last in 1971, are oddly interesting, mainly for anybody wanting to see (generally) older cartoons made by lesser known and lower-budget studios. They are a mixed bag in quality, with some better than others, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, characterisation and content.

1945's batch of Terrytoons was again a mixed bag, though not too bad generally. The previous 1945 cartoons were mostly watchable but nothing to go wow over. The only exception being 'Raiding the Raiders' in a pretty bad way, yet on the contrary there was also one of the studio's very best 'Post War Inventions'. 'Fisherman's Luck' is one of the in between cartoons and a middling Gandy and Sourpuss effort, although neither one of the army cartoons or the dreams/nightmares-oriented cartoons it is not one of their funniest or most inspired.

'Fisherman's Luck's' best component once again is the music, a consistent strength in the Terrytoons cartoons. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. Don't have an issue with the animation either, there is much more finesse and attention to detail and the colours more vibrant and atmospheric.

It is a charming and likeable cartoon and although the gags are predictable there is hardly a shortage of them and they are entertaining at least. The fishing setting is hardly wasted, when it gets going there is a lively energy present and the conflict has fun and tension. Gandy and Sourpuss work really well together, and although Sourpuss is funnier and more interesting Gandy's personality is appealing and not bland, at this point of the series' and studio's filmographies he had come on leaps and bounds.

While there is a discernible story, which cannot be said for a fair share of Terrytoons cartoons, it is still pretty thin and very predictable due to being familiar territory for Terrytoons and animation in general and with not much new. It does take a little too long to get going too.

There could have been more freshness and wit. To me as well the dialogue/fish puns was painfully corny and more made me groan rather than laugh, know it was the intention to be corny but the cartoon went too far in this aspect.

On the whole, decent enough if unexceptional. There are better Gandy and Sourpuss cartoons, especially 'Post War Inventions'. 6/10