10/10
One of Tex Avery's attempts at developing a continuing character.
17 November 2002
Tex Avery preferred doing one-shot cartoons as opposed to using a regular character or characters. He was more interested in the gags than anything else. Studios, of course, want something recognizable to the audience, to developing continuing interest and thus sell more tickets. So Avery, because MGM wanted him to come up with a character to rival the Tom and Jerry shorts done by the other principle unit at the studio (Hanna and Barbera) came up with Screwball Squirrel.

While Screwy was a decent enough character, the trouble was that he was too limited, too much a one-note character. He was a walking sight gag. There were five cartoons done with Screwy before the series ended, in typical Avery style, with Lonesome Lenny. The Screwy cartoons are funny, but also too predictable. The first one, here, opens wonderfully with a lighthearted (or maybe not) shot at cutesy little animal cartoons that were staples at "other studios" for years and takes off from there. This is probably the best of the series. Well worth watching. Most highly recommended.
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