The Aristocats - A Movie Review

Everybody wants to be a cat. Because a cat’s the only cat who knows where it’s at.

The Aristocats is a 1970 Animated Disney film about a cat named Duchess and her three kittens. The butler of a wealthy aristocrat steals the kittens as an attempt to inherit the fortune. Now the kittens must rely on the trust of an ally tomcat to get back home safely.

As a child, I adored The Aristocats. Coming back to the film as an adult it is a sweet story about a family of cats who learn survival skills. This was the first Disney picture released after the death of Walt Disney. The Aristocats is a classic film for all ages about how wonderful it is to be a cat.

Duchess is a wonderful mother to her kittens. That is her best quality. She has not experienced life in the outside world being spoiled at the hands of her loving owner. Putting her survival instincts to the test, Duchess does not let perpetual helplessness get in the way of protecting her children.

Berlioz, Marie, and Toulouse make the whole film with their beloved antics. The young kittens spend most of the film arguing, getting themselves into trouble, or just being plain adorable. Marie is my favorite because she is snarky and likes to start fights. My favorite scene is when the kittens practice their scales on the piano. It is an adorable sequence.

When I was a kid, I thought that O’Malley was a tiger rather than an alley cat. He still does, in my opinion. Agreeing to help Duchess get home, he ends up learning a remarkable lesson about family. He is always there for the kittens and even opens Duchess up to the world.

One moment that had a big impact on me was when the kittens lamented about not having a father. As I have mentioned, while Duchess is a great mother I feel like she expected a little too much of her children. Duchess and O’Malley talk about the difference between their worlds. It felt like a genuine scene.

Madame Adelaide is a kind woman who cherishes her cats. Who could forget Edgar, the bungling villain of the story who goes through many escapades? And Frou-Frou and Roquefort are the best companions ever. I forgot about most of the secondary characters upon my most recent watch of the film.

The dogs who hilariously chase Edgar on his motorcycle is an incredible animation sequence. However, it felt more like filler. Arguably it does not add much to the film.

Voice talents include Eva Gabor, Phill Harris, Roddy Maud-Roxby, Sterling Holloway, Dean Clark, Liz English, Gary Dubin, Pat Buttram, George Lindsay, Charles Lane, Hermione Baddely, and many more. The musical ensemble for the singing cats was terrific. I am curious as to how recording went for the young child actors.

The animation is different compared to other Disney films. I paused the screen to examine Madame Adelaide’s design. Every scene in the film is very detailed and catches every close-up and angle with excellent coloring.

Wolfgang Reitherman created a visually superb, humorous, and entertaining film for all audiences to enjoy. ‘Everybody Wants to be a Cat’ is the best number. The moral of The Aristocats is that you have to live life. Get out and see the world. It doesn’t matter what your background is, you should always give different friendships a chance. You can learn so much.

For anyone who is a cat lover, you are sure to enjoy The Aristocats. It is a sweet story from beginning to end.