A feline alternative to One Hundred and One Dalmatians, this Disney animated movie is cute, though not perhaps one of the studio’s best. The animation’s a bit scrappy, but kids will enjoy the tale of Duchess (Gabor) and her three kittens, Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz, who are torn from their pampered life in Paris by mean butler Edgar (the cats are to inherit the luxury home of their mistress, but he has other ideas) and dumped in the countryside. With the help of streetwise puss J Thomas O’Malley (Harris), however, they may just find their way home and put a stop to Edgar’s schemes.
It’s all a little similar to the more luscious Lady and the Tramp, but the vocal performances here are fun (Crothers is best as ‘Scat Cat’, the jazz-playing feline), the story is short and sweet, the kittens are utterly adorable, and there is a memorable motorcycle chase to keep everyone amused. Meow.
Is The Aristocats suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Very young children may be upset when Edgar kidnaps the cats and puts them in a sack.
If you like this, why not try: One Hundred And One Dalmatians, The Fox And The Hound, Lady And The Tramp, Garfield, The Princess And The Frog,