'The Inspector' "Toulouse La Trick" (1966)
Opening thoughts: 'Toulouse La Trick' is somewhere in the high middle ranking the Inspector series, one of by far one of the better DePatie-Freleng Enterprises theatrical series. It is the first The Inspector cartoon to not feature the scene-stealing Sergeant Deux-Deux, he, his beautifully contrasted personalities and chemistry with the Inspector are very much missed. That doesn't spoil 'Toulouse La Trick' because the titular character (Toulouse Le Moose) is one of the series' strangest and most entertaining adversaries and the chemistry between him and the Inspector plays a major part in why the cartoon works as well as it does. It was important for it to work, if it didn't it would have ruined the cartoon single-handedly, the chemistry here has enough energy and tension.
Bad things: In my view, the countryside sequence went on for too long, which seemed to pad out a cartoon with a pretty thin and formulaic story.
Good things: Everything else however is very well done. Have no qualms with the animation. Actually think that it is one of the more visually interesting The Inspector cartoons. The sceneries are beautifully rendered, Fairly simple in terms of drawing but never ugly, while the somewhat abstract backgrounds have nice attention to detail, more so than the Pink Panther cartoons (not a knock at all on the animation of that series), and don't look sparse. But it is the deep and rich colours that stand out in this regard. Like the jazzy slinkiness of the music, it fits and it doesn't sound cheap.
Furthermore, the physical comedy is nicely timed and never comes over as vulgar or tired, through adult eyes all the humour is fresher and understood it more. The verbal humour is suitably ironic with some amusing mumblings and subtle word-play. Classic The Inspector. Pat Harrington Jr does wonderfully in providing the necessary energy in his voice work and do have to agree that a big highlight is the hilarious ending.
Closing thoughts: Altogether, very enjoyable.
8/10.