May 13, 1970

A Mouse Divided (1953) ****

When a drunken stork mistakenly delivers a baby mouse to Sylvester's residence, the cat's initial impulses are more culinary than paternal, ("I've become a father of a breakfast", he complains). But when a bunch of alley cats try to snatch his new son, he courageously defends him. When the stork returns to deliver the baby to its proper destination, Sylvester takes his son's place and becomes a toddler of Mr and Mrs Mouse ("Nothing like this ever happened on my side of the family", she complains). An immensely entertaining cartoon, moving from cute to cynical to hilarious, while remaining constantly inventive and surprising.