The Secret of NIMH

3.5/4

Starring (voices): Elizabeth Hartmann, Dom DeLuise, Derek Jacobi, Hermione Baddeley, Arthur Malet, Peter Strauss

Rated PG for Disturbing Images (I guess)

In 1979, Disney animator Don Bluth left the world famous animation studio with several other animators to form his own company, Don Bluth Productions.  During the 1980’s and 1990’s, the new independent animation production company became a rival of The Disney Company, producing such classic films as “The Land Before Time” and the “American Tail” movies.  Their first movie, “The Secret of NIMH,” is an ambitious debut, taking a beloved novel and translating it into an animated family film.  Bluth accomplishes this with tremendous success, capturing both complexity and emotion in a relatively short film.

Mrs. Brisby (Hartmann) is a young mouse who has just lost her husband, Jonathan.  A mother of four, she must now survive on her own; no easy feat considering that she must frequently move to avoid the local farmer’s plow, and is under constant threat of being eaten by the farmer’s monstrous cat, Dragon.  Things really take a turn for the worse when her son, Timothy (Ian Fried), comes down with pneumonia shortly before the farmer is going to plow his field.  In order to save him, she must seek help from the mysterious rats of NIMH.

The voice cast is perfect.  Elizabeth Hartmann (in her final performance before her suicide in 1987) is wonderful as the film’s central character.  Mrs. Brisby is a shy and timid young mouse, but she is also a good mother, and her love for her children is what compels her to do things that ordinary folk would never dream of.  Derek Jacobi gives a soft-spoken performance as the wise and powerful Nicodemus, a friend of Jonathan’s and a powerful rat.  Arthur Malet is also quite good as Mr. Ages, Mrs. Brisby’s friend (who has a few secrets of his own).  Hermione Baddeley and Dom DeLuise (a frequent collaborator of Bluth’s) provide comic relief as a shrewish shrew and a klutzy crow.

In general, animation storylines tend to be rather simple affairs (there are exceptions to that, however.  Just look at Hayao Miyazaki’s films).  After all, they are aimed at children.  Not here.  I haven’t read the novel that the film is based upon, but I can say that this is a far more complicated movie than is par for most animated films.  That’s not to say that kids may not understand it; in fact, it’s perfect for the whole family.  Bluth has proven himself to be a master storyteller, weaving in themes of medical experimentation and the price of unnaturally high intelligence with humor, drama, creepiness and heart.

Bluth’s films are instantly recognizable by two things: one, the style of animation, and two, the “feel” of the picture.  While the animation isn’t up to par with Disney’s best, it gives his work its own charm.  And what it lacks in artistry, it makes up for in detail and style.  The characters movements are both exaggerated and delicate, which provides a unique contrast.  Bluth’s films also have a signature “mood,” if you will.  Like Miyazaki, his work provokes a certain feeling that’s not really possible to describe, but it’s undeniable. Call it Bluth’s “identity.”

The film isn’t flawless; the final conflict at the end is underwritten, and as a result comes across as somewhat poorly motivated.  The film’s flaws are definitely outweighed by its successes.  This is a movie that’s able to capture both the hearts and minds of children and adults alike.