Operetta-style melodrama is not a new premise for Terrytoons Studios, or any animation studio at this time and before. It was quite old territory already in the 30s, well before Mighty Mouse appeared on the scene, and was very variable in execution. It was a premise used more than once in the Mighty Mouse theatrical series and varied in success there too, mostly not too bad at all. The 1947 Mighty Mouse cartoons were a quite mixed bag overall.
With above average cartoons such as 'Aladdin's Lamp' (the best of the lot as far as the previous Mighty Mouse cartoons for 1947 go) and 'Mighty Mouse Meets Deadye Dick', but also mediocre ones such as 'A Date for Dinner' and 'Swiss Cheese Family Robinson'. Not only is, despite the old hat premise, 'A Fight to the Finish' a strong contender for the best Mighty Mouse cartoon for that year it is also one of the studio's better 1947 cartoons overall as well. A lot more interesting than the somewhat uninspired title suggests.
'A Fight to the Finish' isn't perfect. There is nothing original about the story, if you have seen any of Terrytoons' operetta-style melodrama-like cartoons there is nothing surprising about what happens and how it all quite too neatly ends, which makes the story feel too over-familiar and recycled. Also thought that in the earlier parts of the cartoon it could have been tighter in the pace, it takes a little too long to set up.
It is a little saccharine to begin with though.
However, once the conflict kicks in 'A Fight to the Finish' becomes a lot more interesting, is lively and is good fun as long as one doesn't expect too much. Mighty Mouse at least serves some sort of point here and his role is less repetitive than usual and not as much of an underused plot device, he actually feels more of a lead here. Really liked his resourcefulness and he was likeable. Did find the supporting characters more memorable though. The love interest is alluring with a lot of charm and not too much sugar and it is not hard to see why anybody would fall for her. Like with a lot of these operetta-style melodrama cartoons though, the best character for me was the villain, who was both amusing and menacing. The conflict did have tension and a sense of fun, although predictable.
The gags, and the cartoon is not short-changed in this respect, are timed well and are funny. The final third is suitably chaotic without being rushed or chaotic, it doesn't feel too much like a different cartoon like too many Mighty Mouse cartoons are. The animation is colourful and neat and it is great that the backgrounds increasingly became more ambitious and more detailed. Other than the wolf, the star though is the music. Like an essential character of its own and so infectious and cleverly constructed, some smile-inducing lyric writing too. It is well sung too.
Summing up, quite good. 7/10.
With above average cartoons such as 'Aladdin's Lamp' (the best of the lot as far as the previous Mighty Mouse cartoons for 1947 go) and 'Mighty Mouse Meets Deadye Dick', but also mediocre ones such as 'A Date for Dinner' and 'Swiss Cheese Family Robinson'. Not only is, despite the old hat premise, 'A Fight to the Finish' a strong contender for the best Mighty Mouse cartoon for that year it is also one of the studio's better 1947 cartoons overall as well. A lot more interesting than the somewhat uninspired title suggests.
'A Fight to the Finish' isn't perfect. There is nothing original about the story, if you have seen any of Terrytoons' operetta-style melodrama-like cartoons there is nothing surprising about what happens and how it all quite too neatly ends, which makes the story feel too over-familiar and recycled. Also thought that in the earlier parts of the cartoon it could have been tighter in the pace, it takes a little too long to set up.
It is a little saccharine to begin with though.
However, once the conflict kicks in 'A Fight to the Finish' becomes a lot more interesting, is lively and is good fun as long as one doesn't expect too much. Mighty Mouse at least serves some sort of point here and his role is less repetitive than usual and not as much of an underused plot device, he actually feels more of a lead here. Really liked his resourcefulness and he was likeable. Did find the supporting characters more memorable though. The love interest is alluring with a lot of charm and not too much sugar and it is not hard to see why anybody would fall for her. Like with a lot of these operetta-style melodrama cartoons though, the best character for me was the villain, who was both amusing and menacing. The conflict did have tension and a sense of fun, although predictable.
The gags, and the cartoon is not short-changed in this respect, are timed well and are funny. The final third is suitably chaotic without being rushed or chaotic, it doesn't feel too much like a different cartoon like too many Mighty Mouse cartoons are. The animation is colourful and neat and it is great that the backgrounds increasingly became more ambitious and more detailed. Other than the wolf, the star though is the music. Like an essential character of its own and so infectious and cleverly constructed, some smile-inducing lyric writing too. It is well sung too.
Summing up, quite good. 7/10.
