Director: Seymour Kneitel
Release Date: August 29, 1958
Stars: Herman and Katnip
Rating: ★
Review:
‘You Said a Mouseful’ builds on two ideas: Katnip suddenly is an Italian chef, making pizza, while Herman runs a gym for mice, to keep them in shape enough to escape the cat.
Unfortunately, little Chubby hardly cooperates, eating everything in sight, and Herman has to rescue the brat repeatedly. Surprisingly, in the end little Chubby saves Herman by telling Katnip they’re Italian, too, and the cartoon ends with Katnip and the mice dancing around a pizza.
There’s very little to enjoy in ‘You Said a Mouseful’. Chubby is clearly modeled on Nibbles, the hungry orphan mouse Jerry adopts in the Tom & Jerry ‘The Milky Waif’ (1946), and who appeared in ten cartoons in total, up to 1957. Chubby hardly shares Nibbles’ charm, however, and the cartoon is hampered by rather cliche chase routines. Little is done with Katnip’s sudden Italian roots, except for him singing in mock-Italian. The whole cartoon looks like a poor man’s Tom & Jerry short.
The best gag may be when Katnip lures Chubby with help from a very large spaghetti string, the most violent one is when Herman puts Katnip’s hands into a toaster. This makes a painful watch indeed.
Watch ‘You Said a Mouseful’ yourself and tell me what you think:
‘You Said a Mouseful’ is available on the DVD ‘Herman and Katnip – The Complete Series’
Dr. Grob's Animation Review 
5 comments
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November 9, 2019 at 20:54
Hans Christian Brando
“A poor man’s Tom and Jerry” is flattery. With its recycled music score (much of it lifted from “Patriotic Popeye”) and limited animation, “You Said a Mouseful” is poor Herman and Katnip.
November 9, 2019 at 21:53
Gijs Grob
Yeah, I guess you’re right
September 25, 2019 at 17:23
C. D. Anders
You made the remark that it looks like a “poor man’s Tom & Jerry short.” That may be too nice a sentiment. Tom and Jerry, especially earlier on, never underestimated their audience. They animators threw in an array of gags and hardly ever resorted to spelling it out. These seem to be so talk heavy and they talk down to the audience. They’re not the worst things I’ve ever seen but that’s part of the problem too. They don’t stand out in any way.
Anyway, I enjoyed your analysis. Make sure to watch something good in between these reviews to keep your sanity 😀
September 25, 2019 at 17:28
Gijs Grob
Thanks for commenting! I promise I will! (And I guess you’re right – maybe I’m a little too nice towards Herman and Katnip).
September 25, 2019 at 17:08
Jon
“You Said a Mouseful” does have the distinction of being one of the very few Herman and Katnip cartoons that ends that ends harmoniously, without Katnip being subjected to some grotesquely painful slapstick come-uppance.