Oliver & Company-1988

Director George Scribner

Voices Joey Lawrence, Natalie Gregory, Billy Joel

Scott’s Review #818

Reviewed October 8, 2018

Grade: B

Oliver & Company (1988) is a beloved animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures, the studio’s 27th feature film.

The film is based on Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist, but Oliver is now a homeless kitten who joins a gang of dogs, and the setting shifts from London to the dangerous streets of New York City in the present day.

We meet Oliver (Joey Lawrence) as he huddles with other homeless kittens in a cardboard box, chilly from a driving New York rain.

As all of the other kittens are snatched up by adoring animal lovers, Oliver is inexplicably left on his own.

He eventually meets Dodger (Billy Joel), a street-smart mongrel, and the duo steals hot dogs from an abrasive food vendor.

When Dodger swindles Oliver out of his share, the kitten follows the dog to a barge, which turns out to be the hideout of Fagin (Dom DeLuise), a human pickpocket.

Fagin houses a gang of assorted dogs, while the loan shark Sykes bullies him.

As Oliver bonds with the miscreants, his life suddenly takes a positive turn when he is rescued from the streets by a kindly, wealthy little girl named Jenny and her bumbling butler, Winston.

Jenny’s parents are on holiday in Europe, leaving her and Winston running the house.

Along for the ride is Jenny’s sophisticated and spoiled pet poodle, Georgette (Bette Midler), who takes a dislike to Oliver.

By the 1980s, Disney films were hardly the hot commodity they once were, and the small budget shows it.

Oliver & Company doesn’t measure up to classic, beloved offerings such as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), or Dumbo (1941).

The film has a severe and decidedly “1980s quality”, mostly due to the upbeat soundtrack, which decades later makes the film feel rather dated.

Speaking of the soundtrack, the highlight is a treat entitled “Why Should I Worry?”, a tune sung by the ensemble cast and impossible not to hum along to.

The film features an array of famous voices, all perfectly cast.

The filmmakers wisely cast plenty of native New Yorkers, which adds a lot of authenticity. Brazen voices like Midler’s, Joel’s, and Cheech Marin’s as the feisty chihuahua Tito give their characters credibility.

The odd romantic pairing of Georgette and Tito, completely mismatched on the surface, adds a good dose of comic relief to the story.

The story written for Oliver & Company is the best part of the entire production.  Anyone familiar with the famous Dickens novel or Oliver! (1968), the most famous of the film incarnations, knows how the story will end.

This didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the animated film, though; it was a compelling and charming experience.

Sykes makes a great villain, drawn with a long face and enormous chin, interesting but not so scary that it frightens young children.

One conspicuous omission is the elimination of the important character of Nancy. As fans know, Nancy played a vital role in the original story.

The decision not to include her is perplexing, but perhaps her ultimate death would have made the story too dark, so this can be overlooked.

Surely not the best in the Disney bunch, Oliver & Company (1988) is nonetheless a decent offering, sadly overlooked by fans and critics alike.

The film is nearly forgotten and suffers from a dated quality, if not for the widespread knowledge of the classic novel. The film isn’t one of Disney’s storied treasures, but it shouldn’t be dismissed altogether.

The result is a darling, innocent experience meant for pure enjoyment.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Original Song-“Why Should I Worry?”