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Parents' Guide to

Lady and the Tramp

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Classic Disney dogs paw their way into hearts of all ages.

Movie G 1955 76 minutes
Lady and the Tramp Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 15 parent reviews

aa67777
aa67777 Parent of 6 and 6-year-old
February 11, 2023
age 7+

For a better take on the same theme, watch the Aristocats

This film has excessive violence (my kid had to cover her eyes for the dog fight part), scary death implications at the pound, and also racism with the siamese cats. This may be an unpopular opinion, but my child (6) and I watched this back-to-back with the Aristocats and found that to be a MUCH better take on the same theme with an uplifting story, better role models and far less violence and prejudice.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
Carmen.Chung
Carmen.Chung Adult
October 19, 2021
age 3+

Rascism

I showed this to my 3-year-old and was watching it with her when a scene where two Siamese cats sing a racist song, they contain all the Asian stereotypes, slanted eyes, broken English, and they are evil. Well, I shut it off immediately, I would not recommend anyone watch this. I would not want my child watching racist and outdated shows like this EVER.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In LADY AND THE TRAMP, Lady is a pampered cocker spaniel of a couple she knows as "Jim Dear" and "Darling." When Lady's owners have a baby, Lady is apprehensive, but Jim Dear and Darling assure her that she's still important to them. The couple goes away, and Aunt Sarah arrives, with her nasty Siamese cats, to care for the baby. The cats make a mess of the living room and Lady gets the blame. Aunt Sarah puts Lady in a muzzle, and Lady, hurt and humiliated, runs away. She meets Tramp, who finds a way to get the muzzle off, and the two share some romantic adventures.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15 ):
Kids say (29 ):

This animated film takes the classic romantic story of two individuals from different sides of the tracks and turns it into a delightful musical kids' tale that all ages can enjoy. With memorable songs and sweet characters, Lady and the Tramp taps into issues that will resonate with kids (like being neglected after a new baby arrives) and classic clichés (like love across class lines). Without a dominating villain, younger kids will get the thrill of conflict and resolution without being too scared to enjoy the movie, but the racist caricatures might require some adult supervision or post-movie discussion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the differences between Lady and the Tramp. What are the benefits of their different lifestyles? What do they learn from each other?

  • What happened to Lady after the baby was born? Kids: How would you feel if a new baby took away your parents' attention? How could the parents have handled things differently?

  • Talk about the era this movie is set in. Can you spot any old-fashioned images? How do men and women act in the movie that's different from today?

  • How do the characters in Lady and the Tramp demonstrate integrity and humility? Why are these important character strengths?

  • Talk about the movie's racist stereotypes (the Siamese cats, for example) and what's changed since the movie was originally released. Why are these depictions harmful?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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