High Steaks
| High Steaks | |
|---|---|
| Tom and Jerry series | |
|
Title Card | |
| Directed by | Gene Deitch |
| Produced by | William L. Snyder |
| Story by | Larz Bourne |
| Voices by | Allen Swift |
| Music by | Stěpan Koniček |
| Animation by | Václav Bedřich |
| Studio | Rembrandt Films |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | March 23, 1962 |
| Color process | Metrocolor |
| Running time | 6:35 |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | It's Greek to Me-ow! |
| Followed by | Mouse into Space |
High Steaks is a Tom and Jerry animated short film, released on March 23, 1962. It was the fourth cartoon in the series to be directed by Gene Deitch and produced by William L. Snyder in Czechoslovakia. The short's title is a pun on the phrase "High stakes".
Plot
Tom's owner is grilling steaks outside in his backyard. Jerry also gets hungry for some steaks and runs out of the basement to get to them, but Tom manages to stop him by trapping him with a fork. Tom then flings Jerry back into the basement, which makes him angry, and Jerry brings out his own fork to poke Tom with. The two engage in a fencing match with their forks; Tom misses, accidentally stabs his owner in the butt with it, causing him to scream in pain. After Tom nervously salutes him, the owner angrily sears Tom's head with a hot girdle, turning his head into a waffle.
Later, Jerry next hides in a shuttlecock, trying to sneak onto the table, but Tom catches him and hits him with a racket. The shuttlecock bounces against the net and ricochets into the owner's mouth. In retaliation, a furious owner grabs the racket and breaks it apart over Tom's head. Afterward, Jerry shakes up a bottle of Kooky Kola soda and sprays it on one of the owner steaks, ruining it. Tom's owner, thinking that Tom is responsible for the damage, shakes up another bottle of Kooky Kola and force-feeds it to him as Tom gulps it, which turns him into a bottle. Jerry laughs at Tom's predicament, and the cat once again gives chase.
While searching for Jerry, Tom gets enamored with the aroma of the steam and goes up to the grill. Jerry, who his hiding behind the grill, places Tom's tail into the grill, causing Tom to scream and run around wildly with the grill in tow. In the process, he smashes the table where his owner is eating steak, ruining his luncheon and angering him further. Tom lands above the swimming pool with grill to cool off, but when he tries to get out in the water due to the grill's weight. Tom's owner, now had enough of Tom's tomfoolery, furiously rescues him and brutally attacks to Tom, while Jerry hides under the picnic table and covered his eyes with his hat. After a beating scene, The owner then ties Tom very tightly to a lawnchair in order to keep him out of trouble. Jerry then wheels the lawnchair out of the yard and attaches it to a car, which then drives away with horrified Tom on it. The owner returns to his grilling in peace, while Jerry climbs up onto the table to eat one of the owner's cooked steaks.