Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.Chuck Jones deserved, and still does deserve, his status as one of animation's most legendary, greatest and most important directors/animators. He may have lacked the outrageousness and wild wackiness of Bob Clampett and Tex Avery, but the visual imagination, wit and what he did with some of the best-known and most iconic characters ever were just as special. 'Tom Thumb in Trouble' may not be one of his best cartoons, but it shouldn't be dismissed as it can easily be for being a subdued effort for Jones that is more reliant on heartfelt emotion than it is hearty, witty humour.Pacing may lack the zip that one would expect for Jones, something that early Jones cartoons have been criticised for. But really there is very little to criticise 'Tom Thumb in Trouble' for.All three characters are immensely engaging and have a wonderful rapport with each other, very easy to relate to Tom Thumb. The friendship and love is realised beautifully and with a lot of heart. Shepperd Strudwick does understatement beautifully in his voice work.Story is effective in its simplicity, is high in charm and cuteness and is very touching. It is easy to dismiss 'Tom Thumb in Trouble' as a sentimental cartoon that cloys too much, but actually to me the sentiment wasn't overdone and was well-meaning and poignant.'Tom Thumb in Trouble' is beautifully animated. It's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant and atmospheric in colour and very meticulous in detail. Jones does direct very solidly. Ever the master, Carl Stalling's music is typically superb. It is as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it. The use of pre-existing music is inspired. Overall, excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox

When animation fans talk about the early Chuck Jones cartoons and how Disney-like they were, they usually point to this title as an example.This short was made at a time when the studio had otherwise stopped trying to compete with Disney. Jones' cartoons were largely void of any hearty comedy. He was criticized by his colleagues and Leon Schlesinger. Even animation fans have criticized the early Jones' cartoons for their sluggish pacing. That doesn't make this title (or Jones' other early cartoons) not enjoyable. The lush visuals and McKimson's rich animation make them a feast for the eyes. Tom Thumb's design is almost a dead ringer for Pinocchio, which was released the same year. Sheppard Strudwick (who voiced Uncle Sam in Jone's OLD GLORY from the previous year), does a great gentle performance as the lumberjack. I like how the designs of the realistic lumberjack and detailed Tom Thumb contrast the cartoony design of the bird. I also like how the use of classical music establishes the dramatic mood of the short. Jones' made excellent use of this in his early shorts. One thing I've never understood, if Jones' early Disney-esque cartoons were and have been panned, they must have had a good degree of popularity with audiences to be reissued to theaters well into the 1950's. Considering that wasn't the type of thing audiences would have theoretically expected from a WB cartoon.This is still nonetheless a great Chuck Jones short.

. . . is enough to give Warner Bros. a bad name, should it be anyone's Point of First Contact with the House of Looney Tunes. TOM THUMB IN TROUBLE might as well be titled WARNER BROS. GOES WANTING, as in, a reason to be. Reducing this outrageously saccharin tale to a plot description would be an inane exercise. Suffice it to say that if you were NOT diabetic BEFORE watching TOM THUMB IN TROUBLE, you surely will need an insulin injection AFTER viewing it! Doting dads, cute tots, warbling birdies--every ancient Disney hallmark is tossed into this sweet and sweeter dish--even the kitchen sink! As this sticky story winds down, most watchers will be hoping for some complication to add a touch of drama to the stale plain jello being consumed here. Perhaps an owl will swoop in to snatch Tom or his birdie friend (preferably, both of them)? No such luck. Doubtless a forerunner to Teletubbies and Barney the Purple Dinosaur in the Parent's Just-Shoot-Me Hall of Shame, let's hope TOM THUMB eloped with THUMBELINA before making any other shorts!

"Tom Thumb in Trouble" is an absolutely sweet, cute, innocent cartoon made at Warner Brothers. It was directed by Chuck Jones, and he most likely got in trouble for it. The Warner Bros. cartoon studio was known for its lively, fast-paced, hilarious cavalcade of animation treasures, and Leon Schlesinger, the "big guy" himself, declared that he didn't want any cutesy Disney-type cartoons. Chuck Jones fortunately followed Schlesinger's order, but for now, let us turn our discussion to the beautifully-made "Tom Thumb in Trouble". With its careful attention to detail, this film boasts interesting camera angles; a superlative usage of light & shadow; a fine music score by Carl Stalling; and a wonderful rapport between the adorable Tom Thumb, his kindly lumberjack father, and a sweet little bird.My favorite moments from this cartoon? Tom is hilarious as he struggles to pin down an alarm clock ringer. While performing all his daily chores, Tom sings a cheerful tune. The ink/paint department did a fantastic job on the facial shadows of Tom's father as he opens his window and calls out to Tom during a violent snowstorm. When the father enters his home and glares menacingly downward at the bird, the effect is absolutely terrifying! As you began reading my commentary for "Tom Thumb in Trouble", you might have predicted that the tone of my writing was going to be negative, but no, this is a cartoon that I highly admire, even if it does not have the wacky, looney spirit of the Warner Bros. animation department. As children, I'm certain we can all relate to Tom trying to explain something to his dad, who refuses to listen. Everything works out fine in the end, though.