The Aristocats

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For the 2005 documentary film, see The Aristocrats (film).
The Aristocats
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman
Produced by Winston Hibler
Wolfgang Reitherman
Written by Ken Anderson
Larry Clemmons
Eric Cleworth
Vance Garry
Tom McGowan
Tom Rowe
Julius Svendsen
Frank Thomas
Ralph Wright
Starring Phil Harris
Eva Gabor
Liz English
Gary Dubin
Dean Clark
Scatman Crothers
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures
Release date(s) December 11, 1970 (premiere)
December 24, 1970 (regular)
Running time 78 minutes
Country Flag of United States United States
Language English, French
Budget $4,000,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

The Aristocats is a 1970 animated feature produced and released by Walt Disney Productions. The twentieth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the story revolves around a family of aristocratic cats, and how an alley cat acquaintance helps prevent a butler from kidnapping them to gain his mistress' fortune. This film is noted for being the last film to be approved by Walt Disney himself; he died in 1966, while the film was still in early production. It was originally released to theaters by Buena Vista Distribution on December 11, 1970. The title is a pun on the word aristocrats.

The film's basic idea - an animated romantic musical comedy about talking cats in France - had previously been used in the UPA animated feature Gay Purr-ee.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Set in Paris, France in the year 1910, this is the true story about a mother cat named Duchess and her three kittens: her daughter Marie, and her two sons Berlioz and Toulouse. They live in the Mansion of retired opera singer Adelaide Bonfamille, along with Edgar Mietzelfeld (her butler), Frou Frou the horse, and Roquefort the mouse, who is a good friend of the cats.

Adelaide, who is nearing the end of her life, wants to settle her will with her lawyer Georges Hautecourt (a comical old man who denies his old age and refuses to accept Edgar's offer of taking the lift instead of the long staircase). Adelaide tells Georges that she wishes to leave her entire fortune to her butler, but only after her cats reach "the end of their lifespans." Edgar overhears this plan through a speaking tube and is dismayed, as he worries that he will die before he is able to collect the inheritance (incorrectly assuming that the cats will each have nine full lifespans of twelve years, totaling 108 years).

In the same evening, Edgar drops some sleeping pills in the cats' milk, putting them to sleep. After night falls, Edgar takes the sleeping cats in their travelling basket far away from home, hoping to drop them on the banks of a river near a farm. However, two farm dogs, Napoleon and Lafayette, hear Edgar approach. Believing him to be an intruder, the dogs attack him, biting him on the rear end and taking his shoes and socks off and biting his feet and leg. This causes him to drop the basket on the river bank. Edgar manages to escape, but is forced to leave his motorbike's sidecar, his prized hat, and an umbrella.

Back at the mansion, Madame Bonfamille has a nightmare about the cats going missing. On going to their sleeping basket, she finds this fear confirmed. Roquefort, hearing the terrible news, goes out to look for them.

Meanwhile, Duchess and the kittens awake to find themselves in unfamiliar settings. Worried, they decide to sleep in their basket and wait for morning. When the sun rises, Duchess meets a friendly, self-absorbed, worldly stray cat named Abraham DeLacey Giuseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley, who befriends the cats and helps them get home. From the first, Thomas is smitten with the beautiful Duchess, and she with him. He takes on an indulgent, paternal role toward the kittens, who are quite awed with this handsome, seemingly knowledgeable newcomer.

Roquefort returns to the mansion, and miserably tells the downhearted Frou Frou that he couldn't find the cats anywhere, even after searching all night. Edgar, the only happy person in the mansion, dances into the stable and tells Frou Frou (believing that she can't understand him) that it was he who kidnapped the cats. It is then that Edgar remembers that the only evidence left to convict him is the stuff he left at the farm the previous night, and that he must get it back before the police find it.

Thomas, Duchess and the kittens continue the journey home, and befriend three geese named Abigail, Amelia and Waldo on the way. Abigail and Amelia (possibly modeled after the sisters Gwendolyn and Cicely in the earlier movie "The Odd Couple") are bombastic English geese, who misinterpret Thomas' every move; Waldo is their uncle, a frivolous drunk with an obvious sense of humor. Even the very proper Duchess is amused by him. Later on, the cats find an old house to stay in with Thomas' musical alley cat friends led by Scat Cat.

Meanwhile, Edgar sets off to the farm to find his things, and sees that Napoleon and Lafayette have made beds out of them. Edgar lures the two dogs away from his things. After another fight, he manages to escape again, this time with everything. Napoleon and Lafayette stare at the triumphant butler in horror.

The next morning, the cats arrive at their home. Duchess says goodbye to Thomas. Edgar opens the door for them, letting them in. Before Roquefort can warn them, Edgar slams a sack over them, tying them up and hiding them in the oven. Horrified, Roquefort runs to get Thomas, who tells Roquefort to call his alley cat friends while he holds Edgar off. Thomas sneaks into the barn, where he sees Edgar lock Duchess and the kittens in a trunk, hoping to send them to Timbuktu.

Meanwhile, Roquefort goes to the alley, nearly getting killed after misremembering Thomas's name as O'Toole, O'Brien, and O'Grady, but avoids getting impaled on Scat Cat's claw by shouting at the last second, "Why did I ever listen to that O'Malley cat?!"

Thomas stops Edgar and closes the barn door. Edgar and Thomas fight over the trunk, but Edgar, being human, overpowers the stray cat and pins him to a wall with a pitchfork. To his surprise, Thomas finds himself not impaled and dead, but caught between two prongs. At that moment, Roquefort and the alley cats arrive and stall Edgar while Roquefort unlocks the padlock on the trunk.

After a fierce battle, Frou Frou kicks Edgar into the trunk, just as the delivery men arrive. They ship him to Timbuktu.

That night, Adelaide accepts Thomas into the family, and erases Edgar from her will. She also gives the cats a surprise: her new cat foundation, which makes her house a home for all the alley cats of Paris. Adelaide urges Georges to make provision in the will "for their future little ones"; presumably the offspring of Duchess by Thomas.

A party is thrown in the foundation room, involving nearly everyone from the movie: Scat Cat and his band, Frou Frou, Roquefort, Napoleon, Lafayette, Amelia, Abigail and Waldo. Napoleon and Lafayette get the last word in, breaking the fourth wall to humorous effect:

  • Lafayette: Hey, Napoleon, that sounds like the end.
  • Napoleon: Wait a minute, I'm the leader. I'll say when it's the end. [the words "The End" fly in and hit him on the side of the head] It's the end.

Note: This particular exchange is the third (and final) instance of a gag seen in the movie where Lafayette makes a suggestion, and Napoleon says that, as he's the leader, he is the one to decide the circumstance, and its demands, only to pause for a few seconds and go with Lafayette's suggestion.

[edit] Releases

[edit] International release dates

[edit] Quotes

Abigail: Snip, snip, shall we goo? O'Malley: Don't do that! I want to sing a song that my Granny Bird taught me. And you can sing it, too. O.K? All right, Bob, it's called "Cheer Up." Ameila: You're doing us splendidly! O'Malley: Cheer Up? Sully's going to accompany me. Abigail: Don't 5, not 4, it'll cover later. O'Malley: Little Miss Count Along! Abigail: Oh, he does like a fish, doesn't he? Both: Very siesting! *kicks* Ameila: This is not time for fun & games.

Georges: Stock and bonds? This? This mansions? Your country chateau? Our art treasures, jewels, and .. Madame: Oh, no, no, Georges. To my cats. Georges: Adelaide, all cats? Edgar: Stats? Madame: Yes, Georges..... Then at the end of their life span, here's the one and only their rebirth, fiddle 2-step, Edgar.

Edgar: Of course, Madame. How could anyone forget him? (Cut to street. An old-half broken car sputters & backfiires, and comes closer, and stops at Madame's door.) Georges: [singing] Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay. Da da da dee dee dee dee dee dee ... Oh! (he gets out of the car) Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay. Ta-ra-boom-de .... (The cane makes a soft thud!) Whoops! (laughs) Not as spry as I was, when I was 88. (stops at Madame's door) Sha-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay .... Do do do.. Edgar: Ah, good day, sir! Madame is expecting you, sir. Georges: Evening, evening, Edgar. (the cane makes the hat a shape) *foot makes a soft sound* (the hat flies off to Edgar's head) Ta-raa-raa-boom.-de-ay, Ta-ra-ra-boom-de.. Edgar: Oh, another ringer, sir. You never miss. Georges: Come on, Edgar. Last one up the stairs is a nincompoop. Edgar: Could we take the elevator this time, sir? Georges: That bird cage! Poppycock. Elewators are for old people. Whoops! (falls off the stairs, and carries on to Edgar's foot, or hand) Edgar: May I give you a hand, sir? Georges: Haven't get an extra foot, have you, Edgar? *laughs* Edgar: That always makes me laugh, sir. Please. Any time. Whoo-hoo! Georges: Oh! Let go of my cain! Edgar: Careful, sir! Oh, please! I'm frightfully, sorry, sir! (pulls the cane the pink thing on Edgar's pants) Georges: Don't panic, Edgar! Upward and onward... Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

[edit] Theatrical re-releases and release on VHS

The Aristocats was re-released to theaters in 1980 and 1987. This was released in Europe with the Sorcerer Mickey Classics (1988-94) logo, from the USA, on VHS (Jan. 1, 1990). It was first released on video in the Masterpiece Collection series on April 24, 1996, and on DVD in 2000 in the Gold Classic Collection line. It has been confirmed that a 2-Disc Special Edition will be released sometime in 2007. According to a Variety Magazine (issued Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2007) article by Diane Garrett, "Adult footage appeared on copies of The Aristocats when a duplication house failed to completely erase used tape."

[edit] Characters

The Aristocats uses the funny animals convention of talking animals who are understood by all other species except humans. Species featured include Cat, Dog, Mouse, Frog, Horse, Goose and Rooster. Specific characters are as follows:

  • Abraham de Lacey Giuseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley - an alley cat who befriends Duchess and the kittens and becomes Duchess' mate. Goes by simply "Thomas O'Malley".
  • Duchess - an "aristocat" that lives with Madame Bonfamille.
  • Marie - Duchess' white-furred daughter.
  • Berlioz - Duchess' black-furred son.
  • Toulouse - Duchess' ginger son.
  • Edgar Balthazar - Madame Bonfamille's evil, greedy butler.
  • Roquefort - a mouse who lives with Duchess and her kittens.
  • Scat Cat - a leader of an alley cat band and a friend of O'Malley's.
  • Madame Adelaide Bonfamille - the owner of Duchess and her kittens.
  • Napoleon and Lafayette - Two hound dogs who attack Edgar. Napoleon, Lafayette's leader is a Bloodhound, while Lafayette is a Basset Hound.
  • Frou Frou - Madame Bonfamille's horse.
  • Amelia and Abigail Gabble - Two geese (twin sisters) who save O'Malley from drowning.
  • Uncle Waldo - Amelia and Abigail's Uncle.
  • Georges Hautecourt - Madame Bonfamille's lawyer. Madame tells her lawyer her will (also heard by Edgar). Georges is old. In fact, the engine sputters, and backfiires, and he sings, "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay....." while getting out of his car he says that "he was not as spry as he was when he was 88", indicating that he is older than 88, and probably older than Madame Bonfamille herself.
  • Shun Gon - a Siamese cat, who plays the piano using chopsticks.
  • Hit Cat - an English cat, with wild blonde hair.
  • Peppo - an Italian cat, wearing a look-alike Robin Hood hat and a red scarf.
  • Billy Boss - a Russian cat, who plays the double bass in Scat Cat's band.
  • The Frog - The frog who scares Berlioz in the river.
  • The Milkman - Man who kicked O'Malley and Aristocats out of his milk truck, in which they had been hitchhiking.

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Soundtrack Listing

  1. "The Aristocats" - Maurice Chevalier
  2. "Scales And Arpeggios" - Liz English, Gary Dubin, Dean Clark, Robie Lester
  3. Thomas O'Malley Cat - Phil Harris
  4. Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat - Phil Harris, Scatman Crothers, Thurl Ravenscroft
  5. "She Never Felt Alone" - Robie Lester

[edit] Context

As the last animated feature approved for production by Walt Disney, and the first made after his death on December 15, 1966, The Aristocats has more in common with its immediate predecessors than with later films in the post-Disney era. Unlike the earliest of Disney's full-length animated films (as well as some more recent entries), the story was not based on a classic children's story, a point it shares in common with Lady and the Tramp (1955) and 101 Dalmatians (1961). Many of the same artists who worked on these two features, as well as The Jungle Book (1967), were also available to see The Aristocats through to completion, including a number of Disney's Nine Old Men.

[edit] Similarities and parallels between 101 Dalmatians and The Aristocats

A number of parallels have been noted between The Aristocats and 101 Dalmatians specifically.

  • Each centers on one of the two most popular species of pets (one is about dogs, the other about cats), and features a character of the opposite species.
  • The delivery van in The Aristocats is similar to the moving van in 101 Dalmatians. They both have what looks like a face on the side.
  • Both are about pets being stolen for the petnapper's benefit, with no ransom involved.
  • Horace & Jasper's van, from 101 Dalmatians, is in The Aristocats. It is used as the Milkman's truck, and it is colored blue.
  • In 101 Dalmatians, Pongo bites Jasper on the butt. In The Aristocats, Napoleon the country dog bites Edgar in the same place.
  • Both are set in Europe: one in London, the other Paris.

[edit] Similarities and parallels between The Jungle Book and The Aristocats

Although there are few obvious parallels on screen between The Jungle Book and The Aristocats, there is a significant overlap in credits between the two consecutively-made films. Composer Terry Gilkyson wrote "The Bare Necessities" for The Jungle Book, a song that was sung by Phil Harris as Baloo. For The Aristocats he wrote the song "Thomas O'Malley Cat", also sung by Phil Harris. The Sherman Brothers, who wrote most of the other songs used in The Jungle Book, wrote three songs for The Aristocats: the title song, "Scales and Arpeggios", and "She Never Felt Alone". Sterling Holloway, who played Kaa in The Jungle Book, played Roquefort in The Aristocats. Larry Clemmons, Ralph Wright, Ken Anderson and Vance Gerry shared screenwriting credit on both films, Wolfgang Reitherman directed them, and Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, John Lounsbery, and Frank Thomas were the directing animators.

[edit] The Aristocats II

The Aristocats II was to be a direct-to-video sequel to the 1970 Disney animated film The Aristocats. It was scheduled to be released in 2007, but the production was canceled in early 2006 after Disney acquired Pixar and canceled all projects not related to a consumer product line.

[edit] External links


Disney theatrical animated features
Official canon (Walt Disney Animated Classics)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) • Pinocchio (1940) • Fantasia (1940) • Dumbo (1941) • Bambi (1942) • Saludos Amigos (1942) • The Three Caballeros (1944) • Make Mine Music (1946) • Fun and Fancy Free (1947) • Melody Time (1948) • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) • Cinderella (1950) • Alice in Wonderland (1951) • Peter Pan (1953) • Lady and the Tramp (1955) • Sleeping Beauty (1959) • One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) • The Sword in the Stone (1963) • The Jungle Book (1967) • The Aristocats (1970) • Robin Hood (1973) • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) • The Rescuers (1977) • The Fox and the Hound (1981) • The Black Cauldron (1985) • The Great Mouse Detective (1986) • Oliver & Company (1988) • The Little Mermaid (1989) • The Rescuers Down Under (1990) • Beauty and the Beast (1991) • Aladdin (1992) • The Lion King (1994) • Pocahontas (1995) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) • Hercules (1997) • Mulan (1998) • Tarzan (1999) • Fantasia 2000 (1999) • The Emperor's New Groove (2000) • Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) • Lilo & Stitch (2002) • Treasure Planet (2002) • Brother Bear (2003) • Home on the Range (2004) • Chicken Little (2005) • Meet the Robinsons (2007) 
Upcoming:  American Dog (2008) • Rapunzel (2009) • The Frog Princess (2009)
Live-action films with animation

The Reluctant Dragon (1941) • Victory Through Air Power (1943) • Song of the South (1946) • So Dear to My Heart (1949) • Mary Poppins (1964) • Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) • Pete's Dragon (1977) • Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) • The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) 
Upcoming:  Enchanted (2007)
DisneyToons Studio animated features

DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990) • A Goofy Movie (1995) • Doug's 1st Movie (1999) • The Tigger Movie (2000) • Recess: School's Out (2001) • Return to Never Land (2002) • The Jungle Book 2 (2003) • Piglet's Big Movie (2003) • Teacher's Pet (2004) • Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
Other theatrical animated features

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) • James and the Giant Peach (1996) • Dinosaur (2000) 
See also: Pixar
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