Lady and the Tramp-1955
Director Clyde Geronimi
Voices Peggy Lee, Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts
Scott’s Review #894
Reviewed May 5, 2019
Grade: A-
Released mid-way through a decade of prosperity, Lady and the Tramp (1955) is a lovely production representing an innocent time that still holds up well decades later.
In a Walt Disney film, the story, animations, and characters are charming with a wholesome yet sophisticated vibrancy. A year in the life of its main character (Lady) never was more richly created providing adventure, romance, and fun for the entire family.
During the turn of the twentieth century, presumed to be somewhere in the mid-western part of the United States, John Dear gives his wife Darling a Cocker Spaniel puppy that she names Lady.
The couple is immediately smitten with Lady providing her with all the comforts of warm and lavish country living. As months go by the Dears become pregnant causing Lady to feel left out. When the baby arrives and the Dear’s go on a trip, their dog-hating, and incompetent Aunt Sarah arrives, leaving poor Lady at risk for her life.
Meanwhile, a stray mixed breed named Tramp prowls the streets protecting his friends and avoiding the dog catcher. He dines on Italian leftovers at Tony’s and lives his own idyllic life, proud not to be owned, able to live on his terms.
He befriends Lady through mutual acquaintances Jock and Trusty who reside nearby.
When Lady faces peril the duo embark on an exciting escapade that leads them to a dog shelter and a farm as they begin to fall in love with each other, eventually resulting in a candlelit dinner for two at Tony’s, the highlight of the film.
Each of the animal characters is a treasure and voiced appropriately providing Lady and the Tramp with life and good zest. Tramp is gruff yet lovable with a “footloose and collar-free” outlook, charming and bold in his determination.
The voice of Lady is the polar opposite- demure, feminine, and proper. Her voice is cultured without being too snobbish.
In supporting roles, Tramp’s fellow strays Peg (a Pekingese) and Bull (a bulldog) possess a New York street-savvy that is perfect for their characters.
Besides Aunt Sarah, the dog catcher, and a hungry rat, Lady, and the Tramp contain no villains and each of these characters is somewhat justified in their motivations. The rat just wants to eat, the dog catcher is doing his job, and Aunt Sarah, a cat lover with two Siamese pets, is foolhardier and more clueless rather than dastardly.
She can be forgiven for wanting Lady to have a muzzle because she misunderstands Lady’s intentions toward the newborn baby. These characters are more comical than deadly and Si and Am add mischievous shenanigans to further the plot along.
The heart of the film belongs to the sweet romance between Lady and Tramp. The two dogs immediately appeal to the audience with instant chemistry.
The “Footloose and Collar-Free / A Night at the Restaurant / Bella Notte” medley is the best of the song arrangements as the duo shares a delicious plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
In the film’s most iconic and recognizable scene, the pair lovingly munch on the same spaghetti noodle- if that does not love then what is?
Lady and the Tramp (1955) is a charmer containing innocence, vivid colors, and a rich, welcoming story.
Beginning on Christmas and ending exactly a year later, Lady and Tramp’s wonderful journey is topsy-turvy but culminates in the birth of a litter of puppies cheerily celebrating life.
The happy ending is a perfect bow on a Disney film that is enchanting, harmless, and inspiring.
The quintessential American love story between the pampered heiress and the spontaneous, fun-loving pup from the wrong side of the tracks — has rarely been more elegantly and entertainingly told.