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What’s the Story?

Reviewed byMichael Scheinfeld
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 adopts an orphaned fox cub named Tod, who soon befriends Copper, a hound puppy who lives next door with Amos, a mean hunter. They become inseparable friends, but Amos keeps trying to catch Tod. Amos takes Copper and his other hunting dog, Chief, away for the winter, and Copper turns into a full-fledged hunting dog. When they return, Copper warns Tod that Amos will try to kill him, and when Chief is injured chasing Tod, Copper ends his friendship with the fox. As Amos is about to kill Tod, a giant bear attacks Amos and Copper. Tod fights off the bear and saves Copper, and when Amos tries to shoot Tod, Copper returns the favor and stands between his master and his friend.

Is It Any Good?

4
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.

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