Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Lady and the Tramp
Directed by Clyde Geronomini, Wilfred Jackson et al
Written by Ward Greene, Erdman Penner et al
1955/USA
Walt Disney Productions
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Si, Am: We are Siamese if you please. We are Siamese if you don’t please.[/box]

What’s not to like?

Jim Dear surprises Darling with a special present at Christmas.  It’s a Golden Cocker Spaniel puppy that the couple name Lady for her dainty ways.  In between tending to her owners, Lady makes friends with the Scottish Terrier and Bloodhound  who are neighbors. She is very proud when she turns six months old and gets to wear a license on her collar.

Then the owners start acting funny and paying less attention to her.  The mutt Tramp, who has an eye for the ladies, shows up about this time to inform Lady that this signals the arrival of a newborn who will be nothing but trouble.

After the baby is born, the couple leave him and Lady with a relative while they take a short trip.  This relative is a cat lover who misinterprets Lady’s every move.  Lady flees and Tramp shows her the wonders of a carefree and collarless life.  With the voice of Peggy Lee, who co-wrote the music, as Darling, the cats Si and Am, and the dog Peg.

This is not up there with the earliest Disney features but is thoroughly enjoyable.  The Italian restaurant scene is iconic and those cats kill me.  Recommended.

Trailer