Sniffles Bells the Cat (1941)

Jul 19, 2021

Directed by: Chuck Jones

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

Synopsis: Sniffles the mouse (voiced by Margaret Hill-Talbot) is recruited by his fellow rodents to place a bell on a cat’s neck.

Cartoon Cat: The unnamed blue and white cat is chasing Sniffles and his friends (relatives?) through a house.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat chasing mouse Sniffles into mouse hole

The mice duck into their hole and slam the door shut, causing the cat to crash. The cat then stalks off angrily.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat lying in heap outside mouse hole

After Sniffles suggests the idea to bell the cat he is coerced into fulfulling this plan. Shoved out of the mousehole with the bell, he tries to figure out a way to convince the cat to put it on, not realizing the cat is right behind him.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat listening to mouse Sniffles talking

Sniffles leaps up and runs, much to the cat’s surprise.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat shocked when mouse Sniffles jumps up

The cat doesn’t take chase and is still sitting in the same place when Sniffles runs in a circle and right over the cat’s back.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat being run over by mouse Sniffles

It takes Sniffles a moment to realize he is sitting on the cat’s nose.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat with mouse Sniffles on his nose

Hiding in the kitchen, the cat guesses that Sniffles is probably hiding beneath one of three teacups.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat eyeing teacups

The cat takes his time before lifting the first cup to find no mouse.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat trying to decide which teacup to lift

Certain he has the right cup, the cat lifts it only to be disappointed. He doesn’t realize Sniffles is hanging on inside the cup for dear life.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat lifting teacup in which mouse Sniffles is hiding

The cat figures out the trick and takes chase again. During the course of this, Sniffles hits the bell which flies up in the air and conveniently lands on around the cat’s neck.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat running with bell around neck

Once again hitting the mouse hole door, the cat lies on the floor with two black eyes and rings the bell.

Sniffles Bell the Cat - blue and white cartoon cat lying on floor with black eyes and playing with bell on neck

Final Mewsings: Doesn’t anyone but cartoon cats notice a mousehole with a door on it in the house??

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