A Mouse Divided

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A Mouse Divided

Directed By: I. Freleng Produced By: Eddie Selzer (uncredited) Released: January 31, 1953 Series: Merrie Melodies Story: Warren Foster Animation: Arthur Davis Manuel Perez Ken Champin Virgil Ross Layouts: Hawley Pratt Backgrounds: Irv Wyner Film Editor: Treg Brown (uncredited) Voiced By: Mel Blanc Bea Benaderet Music: Carl Stalling Starring: Sylvester Mrs. Cat The Drunk Stork Preceded By: Snow Business Succeeded By: Forward March Hare A Mouse Divided (1953)

A Mouse Divided is a 1953 Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng.

Plot

The Drunk Stork is delivering a baby to the nearest available home. Sylvester's wife, wanting a baby despite his objections, graciously receives the package. Sylvester is nonetheless excited- until he learns the baby is a mouse, at which point he tries to eat it. His wife quickly stops him, and when she goes out (and is not seen again afterwards), he tries again, only to stop after the mouse calls him "Daddy".

Sylvester's attitude changes entirely, and he takes him for a walk. Unfortunately, the neighborhood cats are not so enamored of the mouse, and he is forced to bring him back into the house. Several cats try to steal the mouse, using babysitter, salesman, and Santa disguises, cutting holes in the floor, and using a battering ram, only to be foiled by Sylvester. The stork returns, still drunk, to retrieve the mouse and deliver it to its proper home. Sylvester, believing the intruder to be another cat, is pulled up instead. The still-drunk stork mistakes Sylvester for the baby, "Boy! (hiccup) Did that mouse grow!" and then delivers Sylvester to the mouse couple.

Later, the two mice walk Sylvester, dressed as a baby, with the wife telling her husband, "Nothing like this ever happened on my side of the family!" and he stares in bewilderment.

Availability

• (1983) Beta - Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island
• (1983) VHS - Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island
• (1985) Beta - A Salute to Friz Freleng
• (1985) VHS - A Salute to Friz Freleng
• (1994) VHS - The Looney Tunes Video Show - Volume 9 (UK)
• (1994) VHS - Special Bumper Collection (Vol. 1) (UK)
• (1999) LaserDisc - Sylvester and Tweety's Bad Ol' Putty Tat Blues
• (1999) VHS - Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition, Vol. 9: A Looney Life
• (2003) VHS - Tweety and Sylvester (2003) (UK)
• (2014) DVD - Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island

Censorship

• An ABC version cuts all the scenes featuring the drunken stork delivering the mouse to Sylvester's house (and the part where Sylvester's wife suggests that they have a baby, then weeps and wishes she were dead, with Sylvester mocking her), creating a plot hole as to how the baby mouse ended up at their house.

Notes

• While this cartoon was used in Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island, it starts at Sylvester's House and the ending is changed and reanimated so that Sylvester was delivered to Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island, where a wedded mouse duo wished for a baby.
• This short can be seen on episode 24 of The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show that aired on February 28, 1987.
• This short was also aired in black and white on October 11 1960 as part of the first episode of The Bugs Bunny Show.
• This short, along with the Daffy Duck cartoon "Duck Amuck", was in the running to be nominated for an Academy Award in 1952.
• The Boomerang SVOD print uses the unrestored VHS print for this short instead of the 1998 "THIS VERSION" restored print.

Gallery

An animation cel

Baby makes three cel

Sylvester is relaxing on the floor

TV Title Cards

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show (Final Season)

The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show