Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

This is an amazingly strong Merrie Melody from this period. While most of Leon Schlesinger's staff hated this series because the cartoon would usually come to a halt during the obligatory song number, the usually boring Earl Duvall showed precisely how to do this sort of cartoon: a good version of the number, a good, basic story -- cats fighting each other over a tabby around the eponymous back yard fence -- and a series of strong and well-timed gags: in other words, do what you're doing in a way that amuses you, without the annoying imitation kiddy voices singing the songs. A couple of nicely done POV shots showing strong composition, good perspective and lots of movement -- I'm thinking of the section where the cats are fighting on the electric lines -- don't hurt either.

Although Termite Terrace would come to do this much better, particularly under the direction of Friz Freleng, this is a fine cartoon in its own right and a harbinger of what was to come.