Hyde and Go Tweet

In 1960, Warner Bros. released *Hyde and Go Tweet*, a Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng. Mel Blanc voiced all the characters. The cartoon, which came out on May 14, 1960, features Sylvester and Tweety. It marks Freleng’s third adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella *Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde*, after *Dr. Jerkyl’s Hide* (also with Sylvester) and *Hyde and Hare* (starring Bugs Bunny). The title puns on the game hide-and-seek. The short later appeared in the film *Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters* (1988), where it is presented as a flashback or TV show within the framing sequence; contrary to some claims, no new animation places Sylvester in Daffy Duck’s office.

The plot begins with Sylvester asleep on a building ledge, just outside the lab of Dr. Jekyll. Jekyll drinks his Hyde formula, briefly transforming into a monstrous, laughing alter ego. The noise wakes Sylvester, but he sees only Jekyll leaving and goes back to sleep. Later, Sylvester fails to catch pigeons and chases Tweety along the ledge. Tweety escapes into the lab and jumps into the Hyde formula bottle. When Sylvester demands he come out, Tweety emerges as a giant, crazed bird-monster that chases Sylvester.

For most of the cartoon, Tweety alternates between his innocent self (whom Sylvester chases) and the evil monster (from which Sylvester flees). After several chases—including Sylvester being tricked into an out-of-order elevator chute and jumping out a window to escape the monster—Sylvester catches a normal-sized Tweety. Unaware that Tweety and the monster are the same, Sylvester locks them in a kitchen, throws the key out the window, and starts making a sandwich. While searching for ketchup, Tweety transforms back into the Hyde-like monster and swallows Sylvester whole, complaining about the missing condiment. Sylvester finally realizes the truth, frees himself, and tries to flee.

Then Sylvester wakes up: it was all a nightmare. He sees a normal Tweety struggling to fly to the ledge. Terrified his dream might come true, Sylvester screams and runs through a brick wall. Two cats (similar to those in *Birds Anonymous*) comment on his cowardice, and Tweety agrees, saying, “Yeah, shameful!”

The short is available on the *Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice: Volume 4* Blu-ray.