"Screwball Squirrel" is an animated short film from 1944, so two more years until this one has its 75th anniversary. Of course, the name "cartoon" is more accurate as it runs for slightly over 7 minutes as they usually did/do and the name of director Tex Avery is inevitably linked to the Golden Age of Cartoons back then. It's a production by MGM and looking at the production companies Hanna Barbera were also involved. I believe this is the very first of several cartoons starring Screwy Squirrel and probably also the most famous. Still, even if this cartoons is still relatively well-known today, I believe it is for a reason that Screwy has long been forgotten by almost everybody. I believe that reason is that this simply was not a funny watch by any means. There are many interesting ways in which the animators played with the audience, not just from the visual side, but also from the audible side. What we hear as soundtrack or sound effects is referenced in the film on more than one occasions. I think this is a good watch for aspiring animators because it is as fast as it is witty and creative. But it simply isn't fun really unfortunately compared to many other works by WB or Disney from that times, works that may not have been as intelligent as this one here, but were 5 times more entertaining. The train scene at the very end is the perfect example. It's just nothing remotely memorable at all when they were trying to go for fun for once. It's your choice what you prefer. I myself give this one a cautious thumbs-up. It is probably worth seeing. But just once.
Review of Screwball Squirrel
