The Fox and the Hound (G, 1981)

In Disney's 24th full-length animated movie, THE FOX AND THE HOUND, two best friends don't realize they are supposed to be enemies. A lonely widow (Jeanette Nolan) adopts an orphaned fox cub named Tod (voiced by Keith Coogan), who soon befriends Copper (Corey Feldman), a hound puppy who lives next door with Amos (Jack Albertson), a mean hunter. They become inseparable friends, but Amos keeps trying to catch Tod. Amos takes Copper and his other hunting dog, Chief (Pat Buttram), away for the winter, and Copper returns as a full-fledged hunting dog. Later, Amos' drive to kill Tod so worries the widow that she drives him to the animal preserve where she thinks he'll be safe. But Amos won't be thwarted that easily.

While the movie isn't quite in the same category as some of the studio's vintage classics, it's an entertaining, touching, and vibrantly animated tale that the whole family is sure to enjoy. The animation features a blend of old-fashioned, hand-drawn imagery with dynamic, colorful action. The excellent voice cast includes Kurt Russell as the grown Copper, Mickey Rooney as the grown Tod, Paul Winchell (the longtime voice of Tigger in Winnie the Pooh), Corey Feldman as the young Copper, and Pearl Bailey as a motherly owl.

Although the plot deals with the serious subjects of maturity and loss of innocence, there's also plenty of humor. However, the climactic fight with the bear is pretty realistic, and may be a little too intense for younger kids. The bittersweet finale, where the fox and the hound smile at each other, then go their separate ways, knowing they can never really be friends anymore, is particularly poignant and will bring a tear to the eye of anyone who has grown up and lost a friend.