The Great Mouse Detective
3.5/4
Starring (voices): Barrie Ingham, Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Susanne Pollatschek
Rated G
Somehow, if he had lived to see it, I don't think that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have imagined his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, to be brought to the screen quite like this. Not only is it an animated movie featuring mice as the lead characters, it features three song and dance numbers and ends with a fight on Big Ben. Still, I'd like to think that he'd be at least entertained if nothing else.
Actually, "The Great Mouse Detective" is not directly based off of the most frequently adapted character in cinema. It's comes from a book series called "Basil of Baker Street," although the similarities are so numerous that the filmmakers do little to hide them. Basil Rathbone's (who is widely considered to have given the definitive portrayal of the famous detective) archived voice is even used in one brief scene. Everything is there, from the hat and pipe to the deductive reasoning, to a doctor as a companion (the voice of Watson is Laurie Maine instead of Nigel Bruce, Rathbone's frequent collaborator, as the vocals were taken from a reading in 1966 when Bruce and Rathbone worked together in the 1940s).
The story takes place in 1897. A doctor named Dawson (Bettin) is returning from military service in Afghanistan looking for some peace and quiet. While looking for an apartment, or at least a way out of the the rain, he comes across a crying little girl. Her name is Olivia Flaversham (Pollatscheck). Her father was kidnapped, and she's looking for the famous detective, Basil of Baker Street, for help. Taking pity on her, as well as having nothing else to do, Dawson helps her find Basil. Basil (Ingham) is a little too scatterbrained and self-absorbed to be of much interest, until Olivia reveals that her father was kidnapped by a bat with a peg leg. Basil immediately knows that his arch-nemisis, the vile Professor Ratigan (Price), is behind it. Before either Olivia or Dawson know what's going on, the case is afoot!
I grew up watching old Disney movies like "The Great Mouse Detective," and unlike some other kids movies from my childhood, such as "Heavy Weights" and "An American Tail," it has aged very well. Sure, Basil and Ratigan are a little too fatuous for my adult self, but those are small quibbles. The mystery is engaging and no one can claim that Ratigan isn't fun to watch. Price plays the character with the correct mix of villainy and loopiness. He may be comical and off-his-rocker, but he's still a formidable foe. And as aloof and single-minded as he sometimes is, Basil is likable and easy to get behind. The supporting characters are just as good. Olivia, voiced by Susanne Pollatcschek, is adorable and Dr. Dawson is perfectly fatherly; I could still feel the growing bond between the two of them.
The film is filled with great moments of high adventure and some inspired comedy. The action scenes are exhilarating rather than obligatory. The scene in the toy store is vividly realized, and the climax at Big Ben is truly awesome. The latter is the first time computer animation was used in a full-length animated movie and the first time animation and computers were mixed (I was surprised to learn this...it's entirely convincing, unlike the Hydra fight in "Hercules," which came out 11 years later).
If there's any real flaw, it's that the film is too short (74 minutes including the end credits...not even one and a quarter hours). I realize that animated films were difficult to make back then (and still are). But with the help of computers, production only lasted a year. With a little more time and effort, the film's story, which is on the thin side and feels rushed, could have had more room to breathe.
All that said, this is still worth seeing even as an adults. It's still great fun!
Starring (voices): Barrie Ingham, Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Susanne Pollatschek
Rated G
Somehow, if he had lived to see it, I don't think that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have imagined his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, to be brought to the screen quite like this. Not only is it an animated movie featuring mice as the lead characters, it features three song and dance numbers and ends with a fight on Big Ben. Still, I'd like to think that he'd be at least entertained if nothing else.
Actually, "The Great Mouse Detective" is not directly based off of the most frequently adapted character in cinema. It's comes from a book series called "Basil of Baker Street," although the similarities are so numerous that the filmmakers do little to hide them. Basil Rathbone's (who is widely considered to have given the definitive portrayal of the famous detective) archived voice is even used in one brief scene. Everything is there, from the hat and pipe to the deductive reasoning, to a doctor as a companion (the voice of Watson is Laurie Maine instead of Nigel Bruce, Rathbone's frequent collaborator, as the vocals were taken from a reading in 1966 when Bruce and Rathbone worked together in the 1940s).
The story takes place in 1897. A doctor named Dawson (Bettin) is returning from military service in Afghanistan looking for some peace and quiet. While looking for an apartment, or at least a way out of the the rain, he comes across a crying little girl. Her name is Olivia Flaversham (Pollatscheck). Her father was kidnapped, and she's looking for the famous detective, Basil of Baker Street, for help. Taking pity on her, as well as having nothing else to do, Dawson helps her find Basil. Basil (Ingham) is a little too scatterbrained and self-absorbed to be of much interest, until Olivia reveals that her father was kidnapped by a bat with a peg leg. Basil immediately knows that his arch-nemisis, the vile Professor Ratigan (Price), is behind it. Before either Olivia or Dawson know what's going on, the case is afoot!
I grew up watching old Disney movies like "The Great Mouse Detective," and unlike some other kids movies from my childhood, such as "Heavy Weights" and "An American Tail," it has aged very well. Sure, Basil and Ratigan are a little too fatuous for my adult self, but those are small quibbles. The mystery is engaging and no one can claim that Ratigan isn't fun to watch. Price plays the character with the correct mix of villainy and loopiness. He may be comical and off-his-rocker, but he's still a formidable foe. And as aloof and single-minded as he sometimes is, Basil is likable and easy to get behind. The supporting characters are just as good. Olivia, voiced by Susanne Pollatcschek, is adorable and Dr. Dawson is perfectly fatherly; I could still feel the growing bond between the two of them.
The film is filled with great moments of high adventure and some inspired comedy. The action scenes are exhilarating rather than obligatory. The scene in the toy store is vividly realized, and the climax at Big Ben is truly awesome. The latter is the first time computer animation was used in a full-length animated movie and the first time animation and computers were mixed (I was surprised to learn this...it's entirely convincing, unlike the Hydra fight in "Hercules," which came out 11 years later).
If there's any real flaw, it's that the film is too short (74 minutes including the end credits...not even one and a quarter hours). I realize that animated films were difficult to make back then (and still are). But with the help of computers, production only lasted a year. With a little more time and effort, the film's story, which is on the thin side and feels rushed, could have had more room to breathe.
All that said, this is still worth seeing even as an adults. It's still great fun!
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