During his first few years as director, Chuck Jones actually veered more away from the zany comedy that had come to characterize Warner Bros. animation (although he did direct a few wacky cartoons, it seems like his work only turned to the totally crazy once he started directing Bugs Bunny). Two of his cartoons from this era - both stripped of their opening credits in the Blue Ribbon reissue - were so bereft of zaniness that it's a surprise that they even came from Termite Terrace: "Old Glory" and "Tom Thumb in Trouble".The latter portrays a woodsman and his minuscule son Tom (would so tiny a boy actually use the mature form instead of the diminutive Tommy?) living alone in a log cabin. When the dad goes out and Tom nearly drowns, a bird flies in and saves the tyke. And then the dad arrives home and assumes that the bird attacked little Tom! Has the world run completely amok?! Here's what I mean by calling this cartoon a combination of Wagner's music and Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds". In the scene where Tom walks through the snow-laden forest in search of the bird, we hear "Ride of the Valkyries" (which Chuck Jones later used in "What's Opera, Doc?" when Elmer sings "Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit!"). The Hitchcock connection arises in the scene where the dad finds the bird with Tom. It's clear that the bird crashed through the window - you may recall the scene where Jessica Tandy's character finds the man with his eye pecked out - and it looks as though the avian has turned violent.OK, so I'm probably the only person who interpreted this cartoon like that. It's just that with the more saccharine cartoons, I like to maintain full sanity by coming up with weird interpretations. Overall, this one's okay in a pinch.

Well, if you are looking for a comedy with a lot of laughs, skip this one. However, if you want a heartwarming story and one that is beautifully drawn, check this "oldie" out: it's magnificent. The restored version of it on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 5 really does this wonderful animated short justice - it looks fabulous. This was drawn over 75 years ago but you'll be impressed at the visuals.The story is extremely simple and is touching one of a father's love for his son: in this case, a big burly lumberjack-type and little Tom, who is no bigger than the man's thumb.This is a wonderful, sentimental cartoon that - cliché aside - you don't see many anymore and probably haven't in 50 years. It's a treasure.

i am not one for cartoons but this one is exceptional it is so true to life i was scared for the bird and felt so sorry for the bird and how tom went out in the blowing snow to find the bird then the father was sorry and he too went out searching for tom i felt very deep for this show i cried and i loved it i would like to purchase this movie that i seen so many years ago it has been etched into my heart for ever.can this movie be purchased please email me i have looked for a life time to find it and to be so close to having it and possibly loose it all at once i would like my granddaughter to see it it says so much about feelings and wrong doing with out giving a chance to explainthank you for making this movie for ever a believer lynn fraser

Directed by Chuck Jones, this is a beautiful cartoon of a tiny little boy. Who stays home alone washing the dishes as his father works. Fate has it that he falls down to the water and begins to drown. However, a his little bird friend saves him but the father thinks the bird attacked him. And that's where the conflict begins.This cartoon is kind of Disney-ish but it works and it's a great short!4(****)out of 4(****)stars