Heckle and Jeckle got off to a very good start with the previous year's 'The Uninvited Pests', to me the best first cartoon for any of Terrytoons' theatrical series, one of the best Terrytoons from 1946 and one of their best overall. In my opinion, their series is generally the best of the studio's regular character theatrical series. It does help too that Heckle and Jeckle themselves are compelling lead characters in the way that some of the studio's other re-curring characters weren't.
1947 got off to an odd start with the Mighty Mouse cartoon 'Crying Wolf'. Thankfully 'McDougal's Rest Farm' is vastly better, it is only Heckle and Jeckle's second cartoon and already the basic tone of the series feels settled, or generally so at least, and Heckle and Jeckle already proving that they were lead characters worthy of their own series. As far as the 1947 Terrytoons cartoons go, 'McDougal's Rest Farm' is towards the better end. It is not one of Heckle and Jeckle's best though and a slight step down from 'The Uninvited Pests', it doesn't quite have the same amount of energy and it is a little tame in comparison.
'McDougal's Rest Farm' agreed takes a little too long to find its groove and lacks momentum at the start. Am also in agreement in that the piglet and his scene are far too cute and is lacking in the humour factor.
Even when it does get going, namely when Heckle and Jeckle appear and it does get a lot more involving, the action somehow isn't as furious or as anarchic. It's never less than entertaining and isn't my definition of dull as such, just that compared to 'The Uninvited Pests' and by the series' general standards it is a touch on the tame side at times.
Have nothing to fault the animation for. Vibrant colours, nice attention to detail, far from static or simplistic backgrounds, the drawing is so much smoother than when the studio first started and the transitions are much more fluid and less choppy, nowhere near as much recycling or cutting corners either. The music never disappointed with Terrytoons, always the best asset of their worst efforts and it is one of the best things here still. Actually would go as far to say that it's even better than the animation. It is so lovely to listen to and there is such an uplifting vibe hearing it because of the snappy character it has.
We are far from gag deprived in 'McDougal's Rest Farm', and they are mostly very well timed with a good deal of energy and range from very amusing to hilarious without getting too corny. While not having the same amount of energy as the previous Heckle and Jeckle cartoon the energy is still there and it increased the more anarchic things got. The ending is interesting and quite atypical in how Heckle and Jeckle behave. The story is not novel, but the character interaction, constant entertainment value and eventful content once things got going helped always make it interesting. Heckle and Jeckle are highly entertaining characters, their movements, the way they talk (in the use of language and the voices themselves) and their expressions make them quite unique characters for Terrytoons. Dimwit is just as amusing and takes the butt of the laughs well.
All in all, not as good as the previous cartoon in the series but worth watching. 7/10