1912. Lady And The Tramp (1955)

Starring: Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Bill Thompson

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske

Running Time: 76 mins

Lady And The Tramp is an American film about the story of an uptown Cocker Spaniel and a streetwise Mutt, and the unlikely development of a romance.

This is up there as one of the all-time Disney classics, and it’s easy to see why. Apart from the fact that it plays Disney’s traditional formula to perfection, with lovely and fluffy comedy complemented by elegant animation and a heart-warming story, it has all the hallmarks of a perfect family film, taking man’s best friend to the centre of the story and, without personifying them too much, makes them the perfect leads for a delightful film.

If you’ve ever seen a classic Disney romance, then you pretty much know where this film is going. What’s more, if you’ve seen any Disney film with animals in the lead roles, you definitely that there will be a few trips to the pound here and there. However, none of that matters, simply because Lady And The Tramp gets it so right when it comes to a cosy and pleasant family adventure.

From the start, we get a wonderful introduction to Lady, the uptown spaniel, and become immersed in her and her friends’ rather well-off world. She’s a lovable lead right from the start, something that only gets better when the charismatic Tramp arrives on the scene, and the two hit it off immediately.

It may seem like any other cheesy romance, but what Lady And The Tramp does so well is use the two lead characters’ differences to more comedic effect than normal. Rather than a generic romantic comedy that starts off with the leads hating each other, only to fall in love, this film is a lot more genuine in the way the story develops, effectively and convincingly showing how opposites can attract, but it’s not quite like it always happens in Hollywood.

Of course, it’s a simple family film, and there’s nothing too heavy when it comes to the romantic drama, rather more emphasis on heartwarming and delightful romance throughout that will make even the coldest viewers smile from ear to ear, but that’s what makes it so memorable and such a pleasant watch throughout.

Then there’s the animation. You of course already know what classic Disney animation looks like, but we mustn’t take its brilliance for granted, as it shines through once again in Lady And The Tramp. Combined with a beautiful classical score, the animation here is the perfect ingredient to bring the dogs to life as cuddly and cute, but still convincing and engaging human-esque lead characters, all the while cementing that wonderfully cheesy but genuinely heartwarming atmosphere throughout.

Overall, I really liked Lady And The Tramp. It’s a simple Disney classic that plays the traditional formula well, with a delightful central romance surrounding entertaining and likable characters, all brought beautifully to life with sublime animation and a wonderful score, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.6.