Feline Follies (1919)

Felix the Cat DVD

Pat Sullivan Cartoons
Directed by:
 Otto Messmer

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: In Pussyville, Master Tom and Miss Kitty White start up an affair in which they meet at various places around town.  While they are out on the town, the mice in Master Tom’s home go on a spree.

Cartoon Cat: This is considered to be the first screen appearance of Felix the Cat, although the character has not yet been dubbed with that iconic name.  There appears to be some question as to whether Felix was created by animation studio head Pat Sullivan or his lead animator Otto Messmer.

Feline Follies - Master Tom hears Miss Kitty White's call

Despite the various claims of creation, Felix did originate from Sullivan’s Studios and was born in this silent short.  Here he is named Master Tom and meets up with Miss Kitty White for a romantic interlude.

Feline Follies - Master Tom and Miss Kitty White

Master Tom is shown preening while the mice watch on in surprise.  After Master Tom leaves the house, the mice come out to play.

Feline Follies - the mice watch Master Tom preen

Master Tom first meets Miss Kitty White on a back fence and disturbs the neighborhood with his caterwauling.  Their next tryst is by an ash can where Tom plays the banjo and Kitty dances.

Feline Follies - Master Tom plays banjo for Miss Kitty White

Tom goes home to sleep and the lady of the house finds the disaster the mice have created and throws Tom out by the tail.

Feline Follies - woman finds Master Tom sleeping and home wrecked by mice

Homeless, Master Tom goes to Miss Kitty, only to find he has a number of offspring to his name.

Feline Follies - the unexpected offspring of Master Tom

The ending of the short is shocking by modern standards, since Master Tom sticks a gas hose in his mouth to end it all.  But what looks to be the end is actually only the beginning for this cartoon cat!

Final Mewsings: Felix would go on to have many more lives after this!


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