Sh-h-h-h-h-h is a 1955 animated short produced by the Walter Lantz cartoon studio and distributed by Universal. It was the last of Tex Avery's theatrical shorts, before his emotional breakdown due to his dealing with depression.
The short deals with a man called Mr. Twiddle, who because of his work as a drum beater in a music band, has been suffering a severe case of "Trombonosis". His doctor recommends him absolute rest and avoid noise at all costs, otherwise his nerves will shatter and he'll just blow up; so Mr. Twiddle takes a vacation to a remote lodge in the Swiss Alps hoping to get the rest he needs. But unfortunately on his first night, his rest is interrupted by some very noisy room neighbors who loudly play a trombone while laughing uncontrollably. Mr. Twiddle then desperately tries to quiet them before his nerves shatter.
Sh-h-h-h-h-h provides examples of:
- Amusing Injuries: A Tex Avery's staple, as Mr. Twiddle tries to quiet his neighbors he gets: Whacked in the head with a club, a cannon fired in his butt, a bomb exploded on him, and a safe dropped on his head.
- Annoying Laugh: The man and woman's laugh coming from the room next to Mr. Twiddle's; For the record: it's "The Okeh Laughing Record".
- Exact Words: When the doctor tells Mr. Twiddle that he'll blow up, he wasn't being metaphorical.
- I Think You Broke Him: After his last attempt to quiet his neighbors backfires on him again, Mr. Twiddle has a nervous breakdown signaled by him playing with his lips; Also, the ending counts.
- Just Eat Gilligan: More than half of the plot could have been avoided if Mr. Twiddle had complained to the hotel's management and/or requested a room change from the beginning.
- Mountaintop Healthcare: Parodied with the Hush Hush Lodge, an exclusive health retreat perched atop a remote crag in the Swiss Alps, where its guests can enjoy unbroken silence. In theory.
- Public Domain Soundtrack:
- Retroactively, "The Okeh Laughing Record" had to be licensed when this short was produced, and it only became public domain long after.
- Chopin's Nocturne op. 15 no. 2 is used in the opening credits.
- The Reveal: Turns out that Mr. Twiddle's noisy neighbors were the doctor with his nurse all along.
- Selective Enforcement: The hotel management is oppressively strict about quietness when Mr. Twiddle checks in, but then allows the doctor to bring in a trombone and make a huge amount of noise without stopping him.
- Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Upon realizing that the noisy neighbors were the doctor and his nurse, Mr. Twiddle swells with anger and blows up. The doctor (although he was unaware Mr. Twiddle wasn't there until that moment and even tried to calm him) then shrugs and says "People just don't listen to their doctor's advice." and continues playing.
- Stock Sound Effects: "The Okeh Laughing Record" is used extensively. It can be heard here
. - Written Sound Effect: At first the hotel takes quietness so seriously that almost everything produces a written sound effect sign: The desk bell extends a "Ding" sign, the clock displays "Tick tock" and the bed lamp switch shows "Click".
