My Movie Review on Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Merry Christmas, my good friends.
This is your jolly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Today, for the 8th installment of my "Christmas Craze", I'm gonna give you guys my take of Disney's "Lady and the Tramp". The animated version from 1955 to be exact.
Here's the rundown of this tale:
Lady is an American Cocker Spaniel who has lived with the Dear couple since she was a puppy. However, when a baby starts coming into the family, Lady finds that she's no longer the complete sole object of the family's affections and questions whether there's much of a place for her in the household. Especially after a streetwise Schnauzer mix tells her that "when a baby moves in, a dog moves out."
After finding herself in some tense circumstances, Lady escapes out onto the streets and meets up with Tramp again. Together, the two of them venture the neighborhood, and a development that neither of them expected takes place between them.
This movie is another little something that I've been wanting to do a review of for quite a while. I chose to make it part of my "Christmas Craze" because Lady became a member of the Dear family on Christmas and the holiday was celebrated in both the beginning and ending of the movie. And yes, I know that Christmas came and gone just recently, but hey...as long as December's still here, the line's still on.
Admittedly, because of the movie not being part of my personal film collection as a child, I didn't get to be acquainted with it as much as other Disney films. However, there were times where I still actually saw this movie and loved watching it, and eventually my family and I decided to get a DVD copy of the movie.
Having watched the movie recently after so long, I'm proud to say that the film is as wonderful as I remember it being.
For instance, the animation of this movie was astonishing! Why it ever got criticized by film critics upon first release is something I don't know, because I thought the animators did a marvelous job working on this project. I loved how lush and colorful everything was, and the character animation in particular was perhaps one of the most accomplished I've ever seen in a Disney film of its time. Plus, when it came to delving into the comedic aspect of the movie, I could tell that the animators were having quite a field day working on the visual gags. The use of Cinemascope also helped the movie be all-the-more visually pleasurable.
The direction by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, and the story by Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Ralph Wright, Don DaGradi, and Joe Grant were brilliant as well. And, as with much of Disney's films made from the late 1930s to late 1960s, I can tell that Walt Disney himself wasn't afraid of getting creatively-involved.
The humor and comedic-timings throughout the movie were hilariously well-done, and there was even a genuine sense of wit that helped the film by fun without even trying. "Lady and the Tramp" also contained heart and emotion that aided it in having life in more ways than one, a prime example coming from that of the romance between Lady and Tramp.
The vocal performances, characters, and character development were likewise terrific.
Among the many things I've loved about the characters was that the performers and filmmakers were not only able to give them wonderful personality, but they all had an innocence that helped them be instantly compelling. The character development in articulation was great as well, especially the developments of Lady, Tramp, Jock, and Trusty. Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Bill Thompson, and Bill Baucom also did a remarkable job voicing their characters, and the characters of Tony (voiced by George Givot) and Joe (also voiced by Bill Thompson) were quite the scene-stealers.
Finally, the music by Oliver Wallace, and the songs by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke, were magnificent. The songs throughout the movie were easily some of the most fun I've ever listened to, and the melodies contained a great senes of personality and emotion that made them fun to listen to. As the final animated Disney film to be composed by Wallace before he mainly composed for live-action movies afterwards, and before his death over 8 years later, I thought that this movie was a great sendoff for him.
In conclusion, "Lady and the Tramp (1955)" is unmistakably one of Disney's best animated features, and a treasure that I'm proud to have watched.
So, I rate "Lady and the Tramp (1955)" five out of five stars.
(And before anyone asks, yes, I do plan on reviewing the live-action version of the film. It just won't be right away)
