Professor Tom (1948) User Reviews

Okay, But More 'Cute' Than Funny

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 16 October 2007]

This cartoon had plenty of "cute" moments but not that many genuinely-funny gags. Females would probably like this Tom and Jerry effort more than males.

On the very first scene, I thought to myself, "I've seen this before." However, I hadn't but I swear they had the same opening and premise with Jerry in the role of a teacher and little gray Nibbles being the student. Here, there is a little gray cat as the student. Anyway, we get the same pose at the blackboard with the teacher wearing the mortarboard hat. (Who wears those outside of Graduation Day?)

Tom is teaching the basics, and I mean basics "Mice live in holes.....cats chase mice," etc. The little one is bored, until Jerry interrupts and starts teaching his ideas. The young cat seems more responsive to him than Tom, which drives the latter crazy. The two little ones act as friends, which is not the way it's supposed to be!

As I said, "cute," but if you are looking for the normal Tom and Jerry laughs, you won't find it in this one.

Cute, but not in a bad way.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 15 August 2012]

This cartoon can be found as a special feature on the DVD for the MGM feature "A Date With Judy". That's because many of the classic MGM and Warner Brothers films come packaged with several shorts--making it like going to the movies in the good 'ol days. In this case, they've included a Tom and Jerry cartoon--and a darn good one.

Tom is teaching a cute little kitten the art of being a cat. He teaches that cats HATE mice and must eat them. Then, he takes the kitten on a mice-catching trip, but the kitten's skills leave a lot to be desired--especially when the kitten LIKES Jerry!

The best thing about this and all the Tom and Jerry cartoons from this era is the animation. MGM's shorts often looked better than Warner Brothers or Disney's during this time--and this one is no exception--with exquisite backgrounds and nice character animation. The story is pretty good, too, and manages to strike a nice balance between begin cute and yet still being fun to watch.

Tom tries to teach a kitten how to catch mice

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 18 October 2012]

This 'Tom and Jerry' short opens with Tom, wearing a mortarboard, standing in front of a blackboard; he is giving a lesson about mice to a disinterested kitten. As he turns his back on the board to chivvy the kitten into paying attention Jerry picks up the chalk and writes 'Mice are nice' on the board. It isn't long before Tom is trying to make the kitten chase after Jerry; it isn't very enthusiastic though; in fact he'd rather be friends with Jerry; something that horrifies Tom! The usual chase ensues but far from helping Tom the kitten ends up siding with Jerry.

This was a fairly cute short; it is certainly far less violent that most Tom and Jerry cartoons. It was a nice, if not totally unexpected, little twist to have the kitten end up joining Jerry to clobber Tom. There are a decent number of gentle laughs to be had but if you want violent humour you'll be disappointed. The animation is of the high standard as one would expect from a Tom and Jerry cartoon of that era. Over all I'd say it is a pretty good cartoon although those hoping for the usual anarchic violence will be disappointed.

Not as good as The Little School Mouse, but very cute and entertaining

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 23 June 2010]

If I had a minor quibble it is that Professor Tom starts off slow, but it is still very cute and entertaining with an interesting story which reads like a reversal of what happened in The Little School Mouse. The animation is very nice and colourful as pretty much always, the music is rousing, the sight gags are clever and inventive, the characters are funny and cute especially the little cat and it ends surprisingly and in a good way.

Overall, Professor Tom is not the best of the Tom and Jerry cartoons, but it is still very entertaining and works excellently on re watches. 9/10 Bethany Cox

PROFESSOR TOM may actually teach a lesson . . .

[pixrox1 · 8/10 · 27 September 2022]

. . . during this eponymous picture, but it is NOT the one most viewers might guess. This film deserves high marks for so well illustrating the crass mercenary nature of Tinsel Town, especially the low morals emanating from the infamous "Poverty Row" studios including Tom and Jerry's House of the Groaning Fat Cat. Obviously raking in lucrative product placement payola from Big Tobacco, PROFESSOR TOM encourages young urchins to experiment with this sordid industry's pernicious product line, including cheap cigars such as the one Tom forcibly puffs midway through his testimonial to the power of Blood Money. Just when you think you've stumbled across the lowest point of this ethically challenged series, a new nefarious nadir of callously crass obeisance to the Vice Lords turns up.

Bad education.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 3 July 2007]

Tom, wearing a mortarboard, is teaching a kitten about the basic duties of the average house-cat, mainly mice and the hunting of them. But the kitty would rather sleep and is easily distracted. When Jerry makes an appearance Tom orders the kitty to kill, but he's completely hopeless and Jerry soon figures out a way to turn them against each other before the kitty ends up siding with him.

Not really much happens in this cartoon and nothing is really THAT imaginative. Tom doesn't even seem to get his usual terrifying injuries and only gets a minor beating in comparison. And why does it end with a cue from The Wizard of Oz?

Two Against One

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 1 July 2021]

"Professor Tom" was originally released back in 1948.

Anyway - As the story goes - Tom tries to tutor a kitten in the fine art of catching mice, but the kitty teams up with Jerry against Tom.

Must try harder!

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 29 June 2008]

Tom is teaching a kitten (yet another new character) the rules of being a house cat; as he tries his best to get his student's attention, Jerry the mouse does his utmost to disturb the lesson, even going so far as to teach the young cat that 'mice and cats should be friends'.

Tom, naturally upset that a mouse is undermining his authority, now tries to teach Jerry the error of his ways with the usual violent results.

It pains me to say this, but this cartoon is pretty much a laugh free zone, going for cuteness (with the mouse and kitten becoming friends) rather than delivering the hilarity fans have come to expect from the series.

And is it my imagination, or is this the second consecutive adventure for the guys that features inexplicable musical cues from The Wizard of Oz? Weird!