"The Sour Puss" is an American 7.5-minute cartoon from 1940, so this one is already over 75 years old and it united the legendary Clampett, Foster and Blanc in another Porky Pig work that is in black-and-white like most of the others starring Warner Bros' and Schlesinger Studios' prime time pork. But sadly, this film is once again evidence that Porky just wasn't up to the challenge of being a main protagonist. He is pretty likable (I guess) and harmless and lacks shades compared to Daffy and Bugs and here he loses his main role quickly to his cat. But the gags were too rare and also not good enough to really make me enjoy this one. Plus half the film was over before we actually see them at the lake. And then they aren't really fishing either. Porky is seen once only during the trip and he stands there warning the cat from a shark. Could you imagine that if Donald went fishing with the nephews? OR Mickey with Pluto? Anyway, back to this one here: The cat keeps the film from being really boring. And so does Mel Blanc whose voice acting is once again top-notch and he is always so reliable to deliver, even in mediocre works like this one. It's not a failure for sure, but very mediocre and forgettable in my opinion. I give it a thumbs-down.

As with most Looney Tunes cartoons, thoroughly entertaining and definitely recommended. One gag does fall flat though, the counting fish gag is not very funny and feels drawn out, and some of the middle can feel rather rushed and manic. The animation is very fluid and detailed though, with all the characters drawn well, the black and white is beautifully shaded. The music is orchestrated beautifully, especially when the fish is introduced, and is very characterful, matching the facial expressions remarkably. The story doesn't try to do too much nor does it feel too thin, and it is paced very nicely. It's also well-structured generally, the beginning gently sets things up while also providing some good laughs, and the ending is so funny it makes the sides split. The dialogue is fresh and sharp, the fish's lines are a riot, and the gags are cleverly timed and most make their mark, Porky imitating a fish is just hilarious, easily one of the funniest things he's ever done. Porky is a good lead, not as bland as he can be at times, and the cat is a gem of a character in facial expressions and such. The flying fish- the anchor character of The Sour Puss-, aside from a slightly grating giddy laugh, is wonderfully wacky and often steals the show. Occasionally though especially in the middle it can mean that Porky and the cat are a little sidelined in terms of humour, so the character rapport and such can be a little imbalanced. The canary's Now I've seen everything moment doesn't disappoint either. Mel Blanc does a fine job with all the characters, if slightly overdoing it with the fish. In conclusion, very good and entertaining. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

"The Sour Puss" is a great black-and-white Porky Pig cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. Porky and his pet cat Pussy are thrilled about the opening of fishing season. The one fish that they try to catch, however, might prompt them to reconsider their excitement; this flying fish is such a screwball that he bears almost the exact disposition of a very early Daffy Duck!My favorite scenes from this cartoon include the following. The musical accompaniment becomes a bright jazzy tempo as Porky gets up from his rocking chair to strap on his fishing gear; when he informs Pussy that fish is on the menu for tomorrow evening's dinner, the cat is absolutely hilarious as he joyfully somersaults all over the house! As Porky amusingly counts sheep while sleeping, he only gives half credit to a tiny sheep. The lunatic flying fish becomes a yo-yo for Porky and plunks away at Pussy's tail like an upright jazz bass."The Sour Puss" is a very good example of the energy that director Bob Clampett brought to the Warner Bros. cartoons. Notice especially the flexibility of both Pussy and the fish in their respective moments of wild animation. Also notable is Porky's elasticity as he imitates a fish. Even Porky's rocking chair in the opening scene has a flexibility all its own!

This is a black and white Porky cartoon where Porky is basically an extra, with the dominant characters being a lazy cat and a demented fish. Because I want to discuss some of the details, this is a spoiler warning: The first couple of minutes of this is great, with Porky deciding to go fishing and then asking his sleepy and lazy cat to guess what they will be having for dinner. The cat then imitates several animals, including a very funny chicken, only to have Porky top him by pantomiming a fish! Imagine, if you will, a cartoon pig pantomiming a fish. To say that the cat greets this news with enthusiasm would be an understatement. He's bouncing around the room and ends up kissing a mouse, who doesn't take it very well (to say the least). Unfortunately, the next bit kind of stops the momentum by having a "counting fish" gag that isn't all that funny.Out fishing the next morning, they meet a fish who is the lunatic prince of all fishdom. He basically dominates most of the rest of the short, giving both Porky and Sour Puss no end of heckling and abuse and periodically looking directly at the screen as if addressing the audience and making some hilarious remark, as the more manic versions of Bugs and Daffy would do, early on in their existence.The ending is very funny and I won't really spoil it except to note that the very end finishes with a parody of Lew Lehr, a comic who would have been very familiar to audiences at the time, but isn't a household name at this point.This short is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume 4 and is well worth watching. Recommended.