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5.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. You Try Somebody Else remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a coherent story, you probably won't find it here. This short is really just an excuse to hear Ethel Merman belt out a song while a ball bounces over the lyrics. It's short, it's weird, and it feels like something you'd stumble upon at 3 AM on a dusty cable channel.
Should you watch it? If you like animation history or just enjoy feeling a bit confused, sure. If you need a movie to actually, you know, go somewhere, stay far away. It’s a relic.
The whole thing kicks off with Merman, and she’s got that signature voice that just cuts through the static. Then we jump into this animated sequence with a cat burglar who looks like he just walked out of a silent film. He’s obsessed with Betty Boop’s icebox, which is honestly a mood.
The animation is peak Fleischer weirdness. Everything is squishy and rubbery in that way that feels slightly off-putting but also charming. The burglar’s movements are twitchy, kind of like the frantic energy in The Devil's Playground, though obviously in a totally different style.
I found myself staring at the background details more than the actual plot. There’s a kitchen scene that just goes on for a bit too long, and the silence in the animation—despite the singing—starts to feel a little heavy. It’s almost like the animators ran out of jokes but kept the cameras rolling. 🐈⬛
It’s not trying to be a masterpiece. It’s a musical commercial with a cartoon wrapper. It doesn't have the narrative grit of something like Strangling Threads, but it’s got enough personality to be worth a few minutes of your time.
Sometimes the cartoon logic just breaks. The burglar does things that physics would hate, but that’s the point, right? It reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in Blessed Event, even if they aren't really comparable at all.
Just don't overthink it. It's a Bouncing Ball, a cat burglar, and a very loud song. That's the whole show.