The Aristocats (G, 1970)

common sense media says

Jazz and hijinks make this Disney cat tale meow.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

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.

Positive messages: A Siamese cat called "Chinese cat" is a negative Asian stereotype typical of movies made at the time, complete with buck teeth and stupid grin. The greedy butler Edgar drugs and abandons the cats, then gets his comeuppance.
Positive role models: Duchess learns about a whole jazzy community, falls in love, and remains a lovely kitty cat.
Violence & scariness: Edgar spikes milk for the cats with sleeping pills. Kittens and their mom are kidnapped and abandoned in the country. A few prolonged chase scenes where it looks like animals and people could get harmed, especially when animals are chased with a pitch fork.
Sexy stuff: Lots of girl-cat eye-batting at O'Malley's flattery. More than a few giggly shots of Edgar the butler's underwear.
Language: "Hush your mouth" uttered by a dog.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A goose exits a restaurant falling down drunk after being "marinated" by a chef -- played for many laughs.

More on The Aristocats

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • 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?

What's the story?

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?

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 themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Cast: Eva Gabor, Liz English, Phil Harris
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 79 minutes
Theatrical release: December 24, 1970
DVD release: February 5, 2008
MPAA Rating: G

This review was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
 
 

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What parents & educators say

4

Most useful reviews by all members

slm76
parent of 4 year old
 
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.

Landshark
teen, 16 years old
 
i miss this soooooo much
i liked this when i was little, now im a bit too old for 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.

celinac
parent of 6 and 8 year old
 
A mostly middling effort for Disney. Redeemed by terrific work from its voice cast and some jazzy tunes.

shanno15
teen, 16 years old
 
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.

Divine_Munchie_99
teen, 17 years old
 
Very good.
Haven't watched it in a while, but satiafactory.

arthur16morgana
teen, 16 years old
 
Everybody wants to be a cat
cute movie.i have this movie. i loved the song "Everybody wants to be a cat". i get it stuck in my head a lot. very interesting. kinda funny.

mydaughtersala ...
parent of and 5 , 7 , 13 year old
 

Skylar123
teen, 14 years old
 
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!!!

mar0271
parent of 2 and 5 year old
 
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.

piper0137
parent of 4 and 4 year old
 
Really sweet classic perfect for your preschooler
This is a wonderful movie our family has "rediscovered" since my husband and I were kids. What a cute classic! The animation is wonderful, the cats are very sweet and charming, and the villain is a clumsy butler (not as intimidating as most animated bad guys you'll find in kid flicks). I would say if you are a little concerned about showing your preschooler 101 Dalmatians (Cruella is scary, right?), this could be a good precursor for you.

rpcvmom
adult
 
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.

rebma97
teen, 14 years old
 
Okay from what I remember
I watched this a long time ago, so I don't remember it very well. But I think CSM's right about it doesn't really have a plot. Overall an okay movie.

S00zay
parent of 3 and 5 year old
 
classic
My kids really like this movie, and aren't too scared. They crack up everytime when the dogs chase the butler. Also, I think the music is really good.

tangled
teen, 14 years old
 
Pretty much Lady and the Tramp with cats. Its not memorable nor is the music. I think its fine but I prefer other disney movies.

amyrb
educator and parent of 6 year old
 

bouba
parent of 3 year old
 
Perfect for a 1st DVD at 4 year old!
Love it. The old fashioned version is so cool. Great music, great rythm, you really get that beginning of the century feeling. My daughter's first DVD (aged 3 and a half) LOVED it and still sings the songs a lot. The scene with the 2 dogs are not scary at all, just funny.

marierm
parent of 8 and 10 year old
 

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