A mostly middling effort for Disney. Redeemed by terrific work from its voice cast and some jazzy tunes.
The Aristocats
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Jazz and hijinks make this Disney cat tale meow.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 4 and Up
What to watch out for
-
Violence & scariness:
-
Sexy stuff:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Aristocats was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
Parents need to know that younger and sensitive kids may be upset by the drugging and abandonment of a mom cat and her three kittens. For a brief moment the kittens can't find their mom. In some slapstick chase scenes it looks like animals or people could be injured, especially when Edgar the butler wields a pitch fork. Plus played for laughs are shots of Edgar the butler's underwear and a drunk goose weaving down the street.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about Edgar the butler. He doesn't seem really mean like Cruella De Vil, but he's still not nice to Madame's cats. How come? Why does he go back to the country for his hat and umbrella? Where's Timbuktu?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on The Aristocats
What’s the Story?
Disney's animated story takes an elegant cat named Dutchess (voiced by Eva Gabor) and her three kittens out of their high-brow element when a cantankerous butler dumps them in the country after he hears the cats are to inherit his employer's fortune before him. On their way home the cats encounter O'Malley the Alley Cat who gets them out of a number of scrapes and introduces the brood to his jazz-playing "hep cat" friends. And just like Lady and the Tramp, Dutchess can't resist the charms of the scrappy O'Malley.
Is It Any Good?
The 2008 DVD re-release calls this a "Jazzy Classic," and sure enough the highlight is the toe-tapping song "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat." There's little plot (cats journey home) and the characters are less memorable than other animated animal capers like Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmations. Phil Harris, who plays Baloo from the original Disney Jungle Book, is fun as O'Malley, but lacks some of the rapscallion antics that would make him stand out.
Kids will love the silly chase scenes with Edgar the butler and the country hounds, Napoleon and Lafayette, especially the one around the windmill. They're choreographed for lots of giggles -- complete with failing-suspenders gags. But once the big jazzy number and madcap running about are over the movie falls flat. In a DVD extra one of the composers reveals a lullaby-like song that was left on the cutting room floor about the owner's love for her cats. That's the kind of sweetness that could have made this movie the cat's pajamas.
Movie Details
Studio: Disney, Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Run time: 79 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/24/1970, DVD release: 02/05/2008
MPAA Rating: G
Run time: 79 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/24/1970, DVD release: 02/05/2008
MPAA Rating: G
Our Members Say
See all 18 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
-
I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
-
I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
As far as Disney movies go, this one is pretty mild. The negative elements of the movie are too complicated for a toddler - which involve the drugging of kittens so they will go "night night" and can be relocated to the country-side because the man who does this wants to become first inline to inherit his employer's fortune since the kittens precede him in the employer's will. Once this story line is established at the outset of the movie, the majority of the movie is about the cats' funny and quirky adventures in trying to get back home. When they eventually do return home, a physical fight ensues between the animals and the butler and a pitch fork gets thrown at a cat, but besides that there isn't much violence. The evil character is a goofy butler, who is not that scary compared to other Disney antagonists. For small children, this is a cute, relatively harmless movie.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
-
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Very good.
Haven't watched it in a while, but satiafactory.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
My review
This movie was very cute, and colorful but parents should know that there is a bit of cartoonish violance that may be upsetting for sensitive, and younger kids. The butler tried to stab cats with a pitchfork, he drugs the mother cat Duchess and her kittens by putting sleeping pills in there milk. Then he kidnaps them and throws them into a swamp.
-
I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Amazing!!!
Watched it twice in row! I especially love the song, "Everyone Wants To Be A Cat" and Napoleon the dog's "I'm the Leader" speeches! When I watched this as a four-year-old though, I was terrified at the evil Edgar. Now though, I realize (obviously) the humor in his personality and his bad mathematics! Especially loved the ending!!!
-
I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
An old favorite
I loved this movie when I was a kis, and was anxious to show it to my little girl when she was old enough. She was a little over 2 when she first saw it, and she loves it. Unfortunately, as usual with Disney, in their effort to appeal to broad age ranges, there is the standard conflict in this Disney movie that scares some little ones. Almost every Disney movie has it, which we are frustrated by. My daughter is almost 3 and loves to watch the movie, but we have to fast forward past the abduction, abandonment, and the brief moment when the kittens can't find their mother. Except for thos moments, it's great for the little ones.
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
i miss this soooooo much
i liked this when i was little, now im a bit too old for it
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Nothing to scare sensitive toddlers
My daughter is pretty easily frightened by concepts of loss and malice, like Bambi's mother getting shot or the wicked stepmother trying to poison Snow White. She loves this movie and nothing about it upsets her.
-
I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Cute, fun, mostly mild
My 3 year old loves this movie. I like it too. It's Disney back before the bad guys were really scary. Only 3 things make it not perfect entertainment for young ones: 1. The butler puts something in the cats milk, saying nitey- night. (over my 3's head-she can't read "sleeping pills" on bottle). Butler takes cats away from home so he can inherit their mistresses fortune. (Way over my 3's head).
2. Brief appearance by Uncle Waldo, a top-hatted goose missing his tail feathers (you only know he's destined for dinner if you can read)and he's weaving & hiccuping (stereotypical drunk, but not explained.)
3. Physical comedy/violence: Butler (trying to get rid of cats) is kicked in the air by horse, throws pitchfork at cat (pins, but doesn't hurt him) and tries to mail cats to timbuktu in a trunk. Oh, no, it has no educational value. Just lots of endearing appeal. Plot summary: Butler hears he's to inherit after cats (mom & 3 kits), so whisks them away to country so he'll get the fortune. Cats meet a charming alley cat who shows them back to Paris, with adventures along the way. Happy reunion in end. (But butler mailed to Timbuktu.)Animated.
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
-
I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
-
I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Have you seen it?
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
