An American Tail (1986)

An American Tail (1986)

6/10

Starring the voices of

Cathianne Blore

Dom DeLuise

John Finnegan

Madeline Kahn

Christopher Plummer

Directed by Don Bluth

An American Tail is a nice animation. Here is something to enjoy whose quality matched any other animation done at that time. Disney was ruling the animation scene at that time and this was just as good as what they produced in the 80s. The movie was developed by the working together for Don Bluth (All Dogs Go To Heaven) and Steven Spielberg.

The movie is enjoyable and the musical score is, for lack of better words sweet.

The story toys on the dark side of things as you watch you get to see a young mouse get lost, get sold to sweatshop, escape, get swallowed, escape and almost die in a fire. All this with the music interludes happen at a fast pace making the whole ride memorable and fun for children to watch.

Some reviews believe the dark theme makes it so that they will feel children might be disturbed or lose interest. But I do not feel the movie is so dark that young children cannot enjoy and learn from the always determined young mouse.

The movie has some Jewish themes to it, but it tries not to delve into each much, I guess they did not want this movie to be any form of political statement.

The movie is set in 1885 where a Jewish mouse family are leaving in Russia in the house of a human. The Papa mouse gave his children gifts for Hanukkah, after that we hear them sing and play. With the idea that in America there are no cats.

Soon their home was raided and the family decided to immigrate to America to get away from the cats terrorizing them.

On the boat ride we see Papa mouse’s young son Fievel run off exploring which had him lost at sea and presumed dead. Depressed, the family move to their new home and start mourning his death. Much later we learn that there are cats in America, even though Papa initially did not believe so.

Fievel survived and ends up washed on a shore where he is somewhat rescued by a Pigeon who inspires him to never say never and go in search for his family.

Fievel took the advise and his journey had barely started before he starts to get into serious trouble. The movie has him moving from one trouble to another and the only thing going for him is his never say never attitude towards finding his family.

I enjoyed how his journey led him to make new friends and be more determined to find his parents.

The movie was a huge box office success beside the mixed reviews it got and it is still fun to see now in 2020.