Disney 53: The Aristocats

As we march bravely on through 2013, THN will take a nostalgic yet critical look at the 53 Walt Disney Animated Classics, from SNOW WHITE to WRECK-IT RALPH, through the obscurity of FUN AND FANCY FREE to the second Golden Age of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. These are the films the Walt Disney company are most proud of, the ones that hold a special place in our hearts, the ones that still cost a fortune to buy on DVD. And this week we’re thinking goose with THE ARISTOCATS.

1970/ 78 minutes
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman

THE ARISTOCATS was the last film to be approved by Walt Disney himself, and was the last to end with “A Walt Disney Production” credit. The torch effectively passed to veteran animator and director Wolfgang Reitherman, who apart from animating characters for umpteen Disney films, had been entrusted with 101 DALMATIANS, THE SWORD IN THE STONE and THE JUNGLE BOOK. “Woolie” Reitherman would go on to direct ROBIN HOOD, THE MANY ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH and THE RESCUERS, and worked as producer on THE FOX AND THE HOUND before his death due to a car accident in 1985. He was 75. 

Reitherman was well known for his penchant for recycling animation, and it’s evident in THE ARISTOCATS if you know where to look. It’s particularly evident in ROBIN HOOD, which recycles a good deal of the cast of THE JUNGLE BOOK, most notably Baloo appearing as Little John.

SYNOPSIS: Paris, 1910. Elderly – and filthy rich – Madame Adelaide Bonfamille dotes upon her beloved cat Duchess and her three kittens, Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz, living in a grand mansion, in a beautiful suburb. Returning home from a ride out in the carriage, drawn by the lovely mare Frou-Frou, Madame meets with her eccentric friend and lawyer Georges, to discuss the matter of her will.

As he goes about his duties, Madame’s “faithful” butler Edgar overhears her plans; everything she owns is to go to him… once the cats have lived out their natural lives under his care. Believing he’ll be dead and buried long before the cats get through each of their nine lives (yeah, I know), Edgar loses the plot before it’s even begun, and plans to get rid of the cats.

Sedating them with an entire bottle of sleeping pills in their food, Edgar rides out into the countryside with the cats in their basket, planning to dispose of them in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately for him, he’s set upon by a pair of guard dogs, and in the ensuing chase, the basket and the cats are thrown out under a bridge. Edgar escapes, but ends up leaving half his motorbike behind, as well as his hat and umbrella. The cats awaken, alone, lost and scared, huddling together in their basket as a storm rages; a storm which wakens Madame, who soon discovers the cats absence. Duchess’ friend, Roquefort (a mouse) also learns of the cats’ disappearance, and sets out into the storm to search.

Next morning, fortune smiles on the Aristocats with the arrival of Thomas O’Malley, a streetwise alley cat who offers to guide the family home. Hitching a ride on a milk cart, they’re soon discovered and thrown off. As they attempt to cross a railway bridge, a train thunders overhead, knocking Marie into the river below. O’Malley dives to rescue her, and gets her to the paws of her mother but is drawn downstream. O’Malley’s attempts to swim to shore are hampered somewhat by the arrival of two well-meaning but dimwitted English geese, who almost drown the poor sod before helping him to the shore. After making some snide comments about O’Malley – having discovered he’s not Duchess’ husband – the geese join the party as they march, goose-stepping (easy now) to Paris, where they meet their Uncle Waldo, an old soak who’s just narrowly avoided being made into a main course.

Roquefort returns home, sodden and defeated, and is comforted by Frou-Frou.

Travelling across the rooftops of Paris, O’Malley promises them a quiet bed for the night. Unfortunately for him, his old buddy Scat Cat has other ideas, as he and his band have set up shop in O’Malley’s digs. The kids have a whale of a time with the street cats and even Duchess gets in on the scene, before the pack departs, singing their way into the night. Tucking the kittens into bed, O’Malley and Duchess sneak up to the rooftop to talk about their growing feelings for each other, unaware the kids are listening in. Whilst they both agree they’ve come to love each other, Duchess can’t bear to leave Madame, and sadly declines O’Malley’s advances.

Meanwhile, Edgar heads out into the countryside again to retrieve his lost property, having realised it could be found as evidence implicating him. More chaos ensues with the guard dogs.

Next morning, the Aristocats reach their home and Duchess and O’Malley share a sombre farewell. Edgar sees them and, despite Roquefort’s efforts to warn them, manages to recapture the cats, hiding them in an oven when Madame rushes downstairs. She’s heard the kittens’ mewling, but is heartbroken to find they’re not really there.

While Edgar makes plans, Roquefort tails O’Malley, calling him back to help Duchess. O’Malley springs into action, but he’ll need help, so sends Roquefort off to find Scat Cat. Naturally, they find him, and Roquefort is eventually able to convince them he’s on the level and has been sent for help by O’Malley.

Scat Cat and his gang reach the mansion in time to stop Edgar bundling the cats into a trunk addressed to Africa, saving the day, with a little help from Frou-Frou. Edgar is eventually knocked silly and falls into the trunk, only for it to be picked up and carted away…

Madame is overjoyed with the safe return of her beloved cats and welcomes O’Malley into the family with open arms. In fact, she’s only gone and written Edgar out of the will and set up a charity foundation providing a home for all the stray cats of Paris.
The film ends with a, frankly, bizarre sequence, with Scat Cat and his crew singing us out, while every other character we’ve encountered (bar Edgar, naturally) joins in.

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. You’re never too old to have a little fun.

2. Knowing the right people (or cats) can get you anywhere in life.

3. Everybody wants to be a cat. Apparently.

THE HEROES

O’Malley, voiced by returning voice artist Phil Harris, is basically Baloo if he were a cat. Hell, even his introduction is the same, sauntering in mid-song and stealing the show. Easy-going, worldly-wise with a dry wit and a noble heart, Abraham deLacey Giuseppe Casey Thomas O’Malley steps up to the plate to help out Duchess and her kittens; though it’s clear from the outset he just wants to get off with her, as he guides them home, his heart opens out to the wayward waifs, and it’s clear that he’s almost heartbroken when he has to say goodbye. He’s also pretty good in a fight.

The other hero here is Roquefort, voiced by veteran Sterling Holloway. He’s that most humble of characters that has almost become a Disney trademark; the little guy going the distance for his friends. Even knowing his limitations as a mouse, Roquefort thinks nothing of rushing into a raging storm in a vain search for the Aristocats, nor stowing aboard a deathtrap of a motorcycle to find them.

THE HEROINE

Duchess, voiced by Eva Gabor – who would go on to voice Bianca in THE RESCUERS – is very much along for the ride. I’m afraid she doesn’t do much other than tend to her children and flirt with other characters. She has her moments, and she has a certain charm and wit, but much like her kittens, she doesn’t take that much of a role in her own story.

THE VILLAIN

Edgar Balthazar, voiced by Roddy Maude-Roxby, is, let’s face it, pathetic. He doesn’t have any real presence, any real character. Where he could have been played as sinister or intelligent, he’s played as a bumbling opportunist who is outwitted by two of the thickest dogs in the Disney canon.

I mean if Edgar had an ounce of sense, he would realise that he would still be in control of all of Madame’s assets, so long as he takes care of the cats. One also wonders how much money he could have made from a family of cats who can – apparently – play the piano and paint. Hell, Stromboli would have made an absolute fortune with them.

Edgar barely registers as a villain. I doubt they’d even let him work on the door of the Disney Villains club.

SIDEKICKS/HENCHMEN

Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz. Unlike some other Disney triplets I can think of, these three kittens actually have their own character and personality, rather than being carbon copies of each other. And unlike 101 DALMATIANS, we’re actually given time to get to know them before they’re overtaken by some of the characters (and I mean that in several senses) they encounter.

Aside from the kittens, it’s a very much a mixed bag here. There are so many characters that are just there. Random creatures that serve no real purpose to the plot and just seem to be there to make up the numbers. Like the geese. God knows what purpose they actually serve, all they do is make things worse for O’Malley and make rather broad generalisations about the English. It’s like they’ve wandered in from another film entirely. Having said that, their old uncle Waldo is a laugh. Which brings us to Madame Adelaide, Duchess’ human, and Georges, the family lawyer. Despite being in their sunset years, both of them have a zest for life I hope I still have in 50 years time, and you can just tell there’s something more than professional in their relationship.

Beyond that, well, let’s see; Scat Cat and his gang of bad racial stereotypes are a laugh, and they get arguably the best song in the picture, before riding to the rescue at the climax and getting in some of the best gags. Frou-Frou, the family’s horse, is a strong support for Roquefort and has a few moments of her own, but there are just as many characters that just feel like padding.

PLOT

Based on an original story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe, THE ARISTOCATS has enough of a plotline to keep it going, but could very easily have been cut down a little to even a short film. Quite how they stretched it out to 78 minutes is a minor wonder in itself. The whole thing is just a bit limp; Edgar’s plot to do away with the cats – even though Madame is still in perfect health – is laughable, and a lot of it is just lazily going from one setpiece to another. It’s got the potential to be so much more, but there just isn’t enough of a plot to fill the film.

LAUGHS

That’s not to say the film isn’t fun, for all the annoying side characters. There are plenty of sight gags, like a man pouring away the last of his wine after seeing a platoon of cats being “chased” by a mouse, and there’s a beautiful “QUIET!!!!!” moment as Roquefort tries to pick the padlock on the luggage trunk amid all the screaming. O’Malley’s wit wins us over time and again, and there are a few laughs at Edgar’s expense; mostly of the incredulous, is-that-the-best-you-can-do? variety.

Some of the “comedy” just falls flat, however. Napoleon and Lafayette just don’t really have it in them to be that funny, and they almost belong in another film, though that may be the accents. Considering they’re in rural France in the early 1900s, having them talk like two Good ‘Old Boys just feels like a mistake. Their two scenes, both of which become overlong chase sequences, are played mostly for laughs, but it’s very traditional stuff.

SCARES

A couple of thrills, mostly of the kitten-falling-into-something-potentially-dangerous category, but this is a Disney movie, so we know they’re going to be fine. There is a little suspense as Edgar conducts his twilight  missions, but any attempt to instil a sense of urgency or hitchcockian drama is quickly neutered by all the slapstick.

MORAL/ EDUCATIONAL VALUE

Much like Baloo before him, O’Malley kinda carries the film in terms of moral centre. By his own admission a rogue, he puts his own priorities aside to help Duchess where another would have left her alone; especially given the prospect of three annoying kittens in tow.

Roquefort shows us there is nothing too small you can do for your friends, and his loyalty is to be commended, whilst Duchess’ little life lessons to her children on how to behave like little ladies and gentlemen might just rub off on some of the kids in the audience.

MUSIC/SONGS

Following in THE JUNGLE BOOK’s wake, THE ARISTOCATS has music at its heart. From the opening number – which brought French singer and entertainer Maurice Chevalier out of retirement for one last song – to the final reprise of Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat, you can tell they had fun writing the score for this one.

Each musical number is a little masterpiece, even if it is being sung by really annoying young vocal talent, and a lot of it stays with you after the credits roll. It may not have the lasting pedigree of other Disney films, but it’s certainly not the worst.

LEGACY

Now, reading all that, you may start to think that I don’t like THE ARISTOCATS. And I’ll be honest, it’s not one of my favourites. It kinda shows everything that went wrong with Disney movies for a while; without the man himself’s input, some of the magic was lost for a while. THE ARISTOCATS is a great film, it’s just that a lot of it doesn’t really work.

Anyway, back to business.

The film did well at the box office and was well received critically, but THE ARISTOCATS is one of those that rather fell by the wayside in later years. It’s what didn’t happen that’s really interesting.

Apparently, plans were made in the early 2000s for an ARISTOCATS sequel, which would then lead on to an animated series, focusing on Marie and her brothers as teenagers. Sadly, the proposed sequel and spin-off never came to be. Maybe it was seen as being too far removed from its origins. In any case, it would have made more sense than Talespin.

FINAL SCORE: 29/53

Sources: Wikipedia, Disney Wiki, IMDb, http://jimhillmedia.com