Once Upon A Disney #20: The Aristocats

We've made it to two milestones this week – It's the twentieth film in the Disney animated canon, AND we've hit a new decade. If you thought Baggy needed to get with the beat in The Jungle Book, prepare for an even jazzier adventure in...

The Aristocats (1970) 

Despite being more of a dog than a cat person, The Aristocats has always been a firm favourite of mine. From the charming painterly style to the undeniably cute kittens, eclectic soundtrack – and comical geese – it's a story I return to time and time again. 

Having recently watched One Hundred and One Dalmatians as a part of this challenge, you can't ignore how many elements act as a blueprint for The Aristocats. It uses the same concept of the pets having their own society and working together to overthrow evil humans (even though Edgar's plans are less deadly than Cruella's). It borrows a similar deliberately sketchy style to make the cityscapes – London, and in this case, Paris – look their best. It focusses on beloved pets, including pups / kittens, finding their way home on a treacherous journey. 

A metaphorical representation of trying to fit into last year's clothes after putting on those lockdown pounds

However, there are some significant ways that I think The Aristocats outdoes its poochy predecessor. 

Firstly, despite a modest amount of songs, this film is a proper musical. French cabaret singer Maurice Chevalier performs the buoyant opening title song, which sets the tone of Gay Paris at a pleasant trotting pace. Like in Lady and the Tramp, animals can sing in this world – albeit when out of human earshot. The 'Scales and Arpeggios' number showcases Eva Gabor's dulcet tones as Duchess, alongside the endearingly authentic child voice of sassy kitten Marie. 

We stan a queen

Thomas O'Malley's number is classic Phil Harris, oozing swaggering charm and chill. And, of course, 'Everybody Wants To Be A Cat' has been passed down as a Disney classic through the years, with a surprisingly sophisticated structure (and lyrics that are probably inappropriate for kids in many ways). 

Even the instrumental score of The Aristocats carries its light, irreverent tone. While Edgar the butler puts his ill-thought cat-napping plans in place, he monologues aloud while accompanied by hammy spy music. When he leaves his hat and umbrella at the scene of the crime (not the cleverest of villains), the score accompanies a pantomime-style setpiece where the two redneck hounds try to outsmart him. Perhaps most glorious of all, however, is the comical march of the geese, when Duchess, kittens, and O' Malley are forced to waddle behind their new English acquaintances, Abigail and Amelia. 

It's a dog-eat-butler's pants world

The plot of The Aristocats is inarguably strange, and perhaps not the strongest in the Disney canon, but it has a new-found formula that Disney seems to capture in this age – appealing to kids and adults, and making both laugh. While kids are happily carried along with the slapstick humour and music, adults can appreciate the social commentary of the relationships between the upper-class cats and the alley beatniks. The references to catnip and the drunken uncle goose (literally marinated in wine) will fly over kids' heads but land for grown-ups. 

The one thing you don't miss about going to the pub 

Perhaps most ingenious of all is the writing and performances of the child parts. Parents are bound to see their own kids reflected in Marie's business and naive romanticism, Berlioz' mischievousness, and Toulouse's desire to be a tough, alley cat. Casting natural kid voices makes the kittens even more adorable, and lets them carry the heart of the story with ease. 

I'll definitely be revisiting The Aristocats again soon, particularly when I'm missing the charm of Paris and need a uniquely '70s pick-me-up. 

Terrifying

Best Song: 'Thomas O' Malley Cat' – what can I say, those bouncy Phil Harris tunes just get my foot tapping.

Disney Detail: The Aristocats is one of the many Disney films of this era to have animation recycled for later films. When Duchess and Thomas are dancing to 'Everybody Wants to Be A Cat,' elements of the sequence are used again in Robin Hood.

Why it's a Classic: If the timeless popularity of 'Everybody Wants to Be A Cat' and Marie weren't enough, The Aristocats is the crème de la crème of Disney pet-based films. It sounds like I'm damning with faint praise, but there are quite a lot of movies in that category.

P.S. You can actually make Crème de la Crème à la Edgar from this recipe. Don't tell me you didn't think it looked good.