Following a movie like Peter Pan that felt a bit phoned in, it's nice to see Lady and the Tramp come out with a bit more to make it stand out. I'm not trying to say this is some kind of masterpiece, it does still kind of feel a bit lifeless at this point in Disney's life, but it does a lot more than Peter Pan to make it worth a watch. SO what exactly is Lady and the Tramp?
Taking an old as time story, you have a rich girl who falls for a lovable scamp. The twist Disney puts on it is they make the character's dogs, and this is where the movie kind of wins me over. The idea they are dogs wasn't just a random gimmick tossed on to the story, they had something to say with it. You have Lady, the high-class dog raised in a loving and doting family. However when the family has a baby she starts to feel a bit neglected, and this is where Tramp enters the picture.
In the case of Tramp, you find out the reason he is a wild dog is because of how he was treated after the child was born. Just for doing the things he always did as a dog he ended up being neglected as a pet after a baby was born. It's this sad thing that sometimes happens where people put their pets aside when life starts to change, and it makes you feel bad for the pets that end up in those situations. It's not fair to them and they shouldn't just be pushed aside after you find them inconvenient to have around. The show doesn't portray all people like this though, and it does acknowledge changes have to be made with something like a baby, so the messaging does a great job at coming through loud and clear without having to force it down the throat of the audience. I appreciate Disney's ability to do things like that.
Aside from that though it is a pretty basic movie. Strong themes aside it's just a largely okay story. All of the characters introduced are fun and likable, though there are times people's attitudes change way faster and with less provocation than you would think should be necessary. The two friends of Lady, Jock and Trusty, go from hating Tramp to liking him after an incident that has almost no information about and just kind of assume Tramp was in the right. The same thing happens with the owners of Lady, but that's a bit less of an issue because the actual thoughts and actions of humans in this show are a bit irrelevant. Aside from a couple of hiccups like that though I don't have any huge issues with the movie.
The Romance feels a bit rushed, but at the same time, there are some great moments. Lady getting caught by animal control because of Tramp (She gets to go home because she has a collar and tag), being able to see that certain animals do get put down and the show doesn't' shy away from letting you know that happens, and showcasing the benefits of both the lives of the Lady and the Tramp as well as the downsides, you do walk away with a pretty good movie.
I don't think it's one of the all-time great Disney Classics, but it's a good film to have on your resume. It's fun, it's funny, it has some great messages, and there are more than a few charming moments. While not a priority, defiantly worth a watch if a more romantic comedy kind of show is your thing.
Everyone watched it for the spaghetti scene.
this was made in 1955? Wow, i saw it in the 80's in a theater.
It's crazy to realize how old these movies are and still get watched by children today.