The Lonesome Mouse 1943

Comedy

Animation

Runtime

8 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Joseph Barbera

Made by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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The Lonesome Mouse Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Lonesome Mouse (1943). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

In a cozy, domestic setting, the day begins with Tom dozing by the fireplace as the idle mischief of Jerry unfolds. A playful but disruptive moment—Jerry drops a vase onto Tom’s head—lands the cat in hot water with Mammy Two Shoes; she orders Tom out of the house. From the outside, Jerry taunts his rival and spends the entire day pilfering Tom’s belongings, relishing the small freedoms that come with being the cleaner, quicker mouse. Yet as the sun sets, Jerry grows lonely without his feline counterpart. Watching Tom from the window, Jerry’s conscience flares up, convincing him that he could bring Tom back inside if he really wanted to. In a hushed whisper, he negotiates a deal to bring Tom back in, signaling a fragile truce that hinges on mutual mischief rather than raw aggression.

In the kitchen, Mammy Two Shoes is hard at work preparing dinner when Jerry slips in, snaps Mammy’s sock, and unsettles her with a scare from a stool. In a chaotic twist, Jerry tears the leg off the stool, sending Mammy crashing down and crying out for Tom to come to her aid. Tom and Jerry then stage a lighthearted, behind-the-curtain skirmish, mimicking a fight as if nothing serious were at stake. Jerry even turns on the cooker, with Mammy cowering nearby, as Tom helps himself to a drumstick torn from a cooked chicken and shares it with his pint-sized rival—an act that hints at their complicated companionship.

The action shifts to a cupboard, where Jerry pretends to choke Tom, and the duo turn pots and pans into a makeshift drum kit, turning noise into a shared joke. Emerging from their improvised stage, they up the ante with a pretend knife-and-fork confrontation that playfully pokes at Mammy. Tom then wields a meat cleaver and goes to town on a few props, chopping a table leg, a curtain, and even slicing an apple perched on Jerry’s head in half. The moment lands with a grin from Jerry as he quips that the last cut was a “close shave,” a line that underscores the cartoonish danger they’re always flirting with. The chase resumes, and Tom pursues Jerry around Mammy, who clumsily swats at the pair with a broom, snapping it in half in the process.

Jerry makes a dash for the carpet, slipping under it as Mammy gives chase, while Tom strategically plants a tomato in Jerry’s place. Mammy’s blow lands on the tomato, and Tom feigns mourning, laying down flowers as if a funeral were taking place for their latest caper. The mood shifts toward a reward when Tom is celebrated for “taking care of Jerry”—a lemon meringue pie presented as a prize. Jerry noses toward the pie, hoping to sample the dessert, but Tom refuses to share, leading to a final burst of mischief. In retaliation, Jerry kicks Tom’s face into the pie, a slapstick reversal that signals the collapse of any pretence of harmony.

The end caps the dynamic with a parting bit of grit and humor. Jerry, disappointed by the apparent betrayal, mutters a sharp-worded line about the double-cross that punctuates the cartoon’s playful sting: > Why that dirty double crossin’, good for nothin’, two-timin’… And with that, the adventure closes on a note that blends affection with rivalry, reminding viewers that Tom and Jerry’s feud is as much about companionship as it is about competition.

The Lonesome Mouse Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Lonesome Mouse (1943) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Tom is framed and expelled

Jerry drops a vase on Tom's head, framing him for the accident. Mammy Two Shoes, convinced Tom is the troublemaker, throws him out of the house. Tom is forced to retreat outside while Jerry watches from inside, setting the stage for a day of mischief.

Living room

Jerry's day of mischief

For the rest of the day, Jerry roams Tom's belongings and turns the house into his playground, playing with Tom's things and toys. He enjoys the freedom but soon feels lonely without the cat's antics. The seeds of reconciliation begin to grow as he wonders if he could convince Tom to return.

Inside the house

Conscience and reconciliation plan

Jerry's conscience convinces him that he could have Tom back in the house. He slips outside and whispers a deal to Tom to get him back in, promising better behavior if Tom returns. Tom hesitates but agrees to rethink their arrangement.

Outside the house

Kitchen chaos begins

In the kitchen, Mammy is cooking dinner when Jerry sneaks in and snaps Mammy's sock, then shoves the terrified cook on a stool. The moment escalates as Jerry wiggles the stool and creates a chaotic ruckus. Mammy calls for Tom to help, setting the stage for more chaos.

Kitchen

Stool leg cut and rescue call

Jerry cuts a leg off the stool, causing Mammy to topple with a loud crash. She cries out for Tom to come to her aid as Jerry cackles at the mayhem. The kitchen becomes a scene of slapstick danger.

Kitchen

Patty-cake and mischief behind curtain

Tom and Jerry stage a playful patty-cake behind a curtain, mimicking a fierce fight but keeping things light. They exchange taunts and chase around the curtain while staying just safe enough to avoid real harm. The performance foreshadows their ongoing rivalry.

Behind Curtain

Cooker danger and chaos

Jerry switches on the stove, and Mammy ends up on the cooker, adding danger to the kitchen chaos. The two mice improvise around the hot surface, turning danger into humor. The tension in the kitchen intensifies but remains cartoonish.

Kitchen

Feast and divide

Tom rips a drumstick from a cooked chicken and shares it with Jerry as they hide behind a wall. Their cornered snack underscores their uneasy truce during a day of mayhem. The moment shows Tom's reluctance to fully harm Jerry.

Kitchen

Cupboard drums and choking gag

The duo retreat to a cupboard, where Jerry pretends to choke Tom while they drum on pots and pans. The cupboard becomes a stage for escalating mischief as they chase and improvise. The sounds echo through the room as the chase continues.

Cupboard

Knife and fork fight and Mammy's interference

Exiting the cupboard, they reenact a pretend knife-and-fork fight, playfully poking Mammy as she fumbles. Tom and Jerry bounce around, using their props to heighten the slapstick chaos. Mammy clumsily tries to intervene, adding to the humor.

Dining/Kitchen area

Destructive feint: table, curtain, apple

Tom escalates the chaos by wielding a meat cleaver to cut a table leg, a curtain, and a table in half, turning the room into a wreck. He even halves an apple perched on Jerry's head, prompting a startled reaction. Jerry jokes that they are still 'kidding' as Tom pursues him.

Dining room

Broom chaos and pursuit

Jerry notes the 'close shave' and taunts Tom as he runs. Mammy clumsily bats at them with a broom, then Tom snaps the broom in half. The chase continues through the house with fast gags.

House interior

Tom's tomato trap and faux mourning

Jerry runs under the carpet as Mammy pursues, and Tom places a tomato in his path. Mammy swats the tomato, and Tom feigns mourning by laying down flowers. The scene blends comic tragedy with the ongoing chase.

Living room

Pie reward and conflict

Tom receives a lemon meringue pie as a reward for taking care of Jerry. Jerry attempts to eat it, but Tom refuses to share, sparking a petty confrontation. Jerry kicks Tom's face into the pie, ending the moment on a sour note.

Dining room

Finale taunt and unresolved feud

Jerry mutters the taunt 'Why that dirty double crossin', good for nothin', two-timin'...' as the scene ends. The cartoon closes with their rivalry intact, a blend of humor and lingering resentment. The dynamic remains playful yet unresolved, typical of their cat-and-mouse world.

House interior

The Lonesome Mouse Characters

Explore all characters from The Lonesome Mouse (1943). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Tom the Cat

A determined, sometimes vain house cat who relentlessly chases Jerry yet is quick to become the butt of the mouse’s schemes. He starts the day framed and ousted, but his prowess and stubborn resolve propel the chase through the home’s rooms. Tom’s bravado often meets chaotic consequences, revealing a blend of loyalty to Mammy and a grudging respect for his rival.

😺 Cat 🧭 Chase 🧰 Physical Comedy

Jerry

A clever, mischievous mouse who enjoys taunting Tom and exploiting the household for a laugh. He experiences loneliness when Tom is absent and eventually flirts with reuniting their rivalry for companionship. Jerry’s quick wits and willingness to switch sides at moments show a more complex character than simple mischief. His final preference for keeping control while mending bonds highlights his dual nature.

🐭 Mouse 🧠 Clever 🎯 Prankster

Mammy Two Shoes

The house's authoritative owner, rooted in the domestic routine and quick to react to Tom’s mischief. She is a warm, cooking-centric presence who also becomes a target of Jerry and Tom’s antics, often swinging a broom in pursuit. Her presence anchors the home’s chaos in a familiar, everyday setting and provides the reason Tom remains protective of the household.

👩‍🦰 Woman 🏠 Household 🧹 Broom

The Lonesome Mouse Settings

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Location

Mammy Two Shoes' House

The narrative unfolds inside Mammy Two Shoes' house, a cozy but lively single-family home that becomes a playground for Tom and Jerry's antics. The living room, kitchen, and adjacent spaces host chase sequences, improvised battles with kitchenware, and the occasional household hazard. The setting emphasizes a familiar domestic backdrop where even small rooms can turn into battlegrounds of slapstick.

🏠 Domestic Setting 🐭 Animal Characters 🎬 Animated Comedy

The Lonesome Mouse Themes

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🤝

Friendship

Loneliness drives Jerry to reconsider their rivalry and seek Tom's return. The moment of conscience shows Jerry weighing mischief against a bond that has endured through countless chases. Their uneasy pact to re-enter the house signals forgiveness and the resilience of their companionship. The dynamic shifts from constant conflict to a fragile teamwork that underpins their future capers.

🎭

Mischief

The short is built on rapid-fire pranks, slapstick chases, and exaggerated household disasters. Tom and Jerry manipulate kitchen tools, furniture, and props to outwit each other, turning the home into a living stage for pratfalls. The humor arises from escalating schemes and the physical comedy of pursuit and escape. Each prank tightens the rhythm of their rivalry while hinting at a deeper bond beneath the antics.

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The Lonesome Mouse Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Lonesome Mouse (1943). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In a snug, mid‑century home where the hum of everyday life blends with the occasional clatter of kitchenware, the long‑standing rivalry between a crafty mouse and a clumsy cat is given a fresh twist. When Jerry sends a vase crashing onto Tom’s head, the household’s stern matriarch, Mammy Two Shoes, reacts with swift discipline, sending the startled cat out onto the street. The house, usually a battleground of pranks, suddenly feels empty of its feline foil.

For the first time, the tiny intruder basks in an unexpected sense of liberty. The familiar chase is gone, and the room’s corners seem to open up like new territory. Yet the novelty of a peaceful evening proves fleeting; without the rhythmic cat‑and‑mouse game, the silence begins to echo, and Jerry finds the quiet unsettling. The dynamic that has defined his days—constant scheming, quick escapes, and the thrill of outwitting his larger counterpart—has been stripped away, leaving a lingering sense of incompleteness.

Amid the quiet, a reluctant curiosity grows. The mouse, ever the opportunist, recognizes that his world is built on the tension with his pursuer. He reaches across the invisible line that has kept them apart, proposing a tentative partnership that could reshape their endless dance. This tentative truce hints at a collaboration where mischief is shared rather than fought over, setting the stage for a new chapter of playful scheming.

The film’s tone balances classic slapstick exuberance with the warmth of a familiar domestic backdrop. Its animation style leans into exaggerated gestures and vibrant sound effects, capturing the timeless charm of the cat‑and‑mouse duo while inviting audiences to wonder how their rivalry might evolve when cooperation replaces conflict.