Disney does it
best when it comes to love tales, using animals as the vehicle to deliver the
message. Walt Disney himself produced this musical romantic animation, which
served as the 15th theatrical feature from the mouse house.
The animation’s story is based on Ward Greene’s Happy Dan, The Whistling
Dog. The movie features a female American Cocker Spaniel named Lady and a stray
mongrel named Tramp.
Lady lives with a refined, fairly wealthy couple who pamper and care for her,
while Tramp is a stray who has grown accustomed to life on the streets.
The animation focuses on how the two meet, the romantic adventures they share,
and how they grow to love and support each other. The story is told from a
dog’s perspective, with Lady’s humans referred to as Jim Dear and Darling.
The movie begins
with Jim Dear gifting his beloved wife, Darling, a little puppy named Lady.
Lady grows to love Darling and enjoys their walks together. At one point, Lady
notices that Darling isn’t giving her the same attention as before. One day,
when Lady gets playful in the house, Darling spanks her.
Feeling sad and downcast, Lady is visited by her neighbors, Jock and Trusty
(both dogs), who explain that Darling’s change in behavior is because she’s
expecting a baby. They reassure Lady that it’s a good thing, but a stray dog
passing by—Tramp—overhears the conversation and interrupts. He tells Lady it’s
a dreadful thing, sharing sad tales that leave Lady even more upset.
Eventually, the
baby arrives, and Lady gets to meet the new addition to the family. She grows
to love the baby and becomes very protective of it. Everything goes south when
Jim Dear and Darling go on a trip, leaving Aunt Sarah to look after the baby.
Aunt Sarah muzzles Lady, terrifying her. Lady flees and is chased by stray dogs
until Tramp rescues her. He helps her remove the muzzle, and soon, a romantic
journey and adventure unfold between them.
Upon its initial
release, critics called the movie too sentimental. However, over time, it has
grown to become a classic. Within the movie’s runtime is one of the most iconic
scenes in film history:
Crafted by Disney’s animators, it’s the scene where Lady and Tramp eat opposite
ends of a spaghetti strand, accidentally kissing while listening to a romantic
serenade.
The movie was nominated for many of AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies lists
and was ranked No. 95 in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions.
It’s a great movie, worth owning and watching on those cozy, cool days.
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