Garfield's Babes and Bullets (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Directors:

Phil Roman
Bob Nesler (co-director)

Writers:

Jim Davis (written by) and
Ron Tuthill (story)

Release Date:

23 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Mystery

Plot:

Garfield the cat daydreams that he's an old-time private detective. |

Plot Keywords:

Garfield The Cat | Cat | Garfield | Daydream | Private Detective

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Gregg Berger	...	Odie / Burt Fleebish (voice)
Desirée Goyette	...	Tanya (voice)
Thom Huge	...	Jon Arbuckle / Thug (voice)
Lorenzo Music	...	Garfield / Sam Spayed (voice)
Julie Payne	...	Kitty (voice)
Nino Tempo	...	Lt. Washington (voice)
C. Lindsay Workman	...	O'Felix (voice) (as Lindsay Workman)

Runtime:

USA:24 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White (Garfield's dream sequences) | Color

Certification:

South Korea:All | UK:U

Company:

Film Roman Productions

Trivia:

In Spayed's office is a picture of a criminal wanted "Dead or Alive". It's the picture of Jon Arbuckle, Garfield's owner.

Quotes:

Garfield: [voiceover] My first stop was the city morgue. As I walked up the stairs I saw my old adversary at the top of the steps. It was Lt. Washington.
Lt. Washington: Shpayed, what brings you down here? Trying to find a client?
Garfield: Sure, lieutenant. He's the one your blue-boys shot out back for jaywalking.
Lt. Washington: Watch it, Shpayed. I've still got your license under investigation.
Garfield: Oh, really? Then I know its safe for a while.
Lt. Washington: Shpayed, don't push me!
Garfield: Wouldn't dream of it, lieutenant. Have a nishe day.

Movie Connections:

References Casablanca (1942)

Absolutely brilliant

Garfield is bored out of his mind. With nothing do to he rummages in the closet and unearths an old raincoat and fedora hat. All of a sudden he has the desire to fantasise himself as a jaded dime-novel private detective called Sam Spayed.

At this point the show turns to black and white, a bold move considering most studios only want to give kids garish loud colors. Sam Spayed is the typical 1940's private dick. He narrates with the usual cynicism and attention to obscure detail. Women and dames or broads and every scam or crime is the 'oldest trick in the book'.

A beautiful broad called Tanya enters his office asking for help. Her husband drove his car off a cliff and the police are only too eager to assume he fell asleep at the wheel. Smelling foul play she hires Spayed to find the truth. And through a series of odd clues Sam finally deduces the whos, whys and whens.

A radically different turn for Garfield sure, but still very funny, with some great dialogue and one-liners. Phil Roman directs as if he's doing a black and white dime novel story and not the usual Garfield stuff (as great as the usual is). As thin as the story may sound it actually comes across as quite clever and it is surely one of the best Garfield TV specials. And they are all great so that's pretty much saying a lot.