Lady and the Tramp

MOVIE TITLE: Lady and the Tramp

DIRECTORS: Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson, and Clyde Geronimi

YEAR: 1955

GENRE: Children’s Animation

RATING: G

GRADE: Extra Credit

Christmas has arrived in a quaint middle class town and Jim Dear gives his wife Darling a Cocker Spaniel puppy named Lady as a gift. Lady forms friendships with the other neighborhood dogs and needs them the most when Jim Dear and Darling ignore her during Darling’s pregnancy. Among the neighborhood dogs is a homeless drifter named Tramp, who shows Lady how to have a good time and live adventurously. With devious Siamese cats, authoritative dog catchers, and a nasty Aunt Sarah as her antagonists, Lady gladly goes on romantic getaways with Tramp, but also feels a sense of duty to protect Jim Dear and Darling’s newborn son. Will Lady ever find the acceptance she needs?

I’m not going to lie: I came close to crying several times during this movie. That’s right: a grown man almost cried to a Disney movie. Sue me. Jim Dear and Darling’s cold behavior towards Lady in the beginning is one of the catalysts for sure. The choir of locked up doggies at the pound singing and howling their hearts out reminded me of what my elderly dog Maggie does when she gets lonely and confused. Aunt Sarah blaming Lady for a mess her stupid Siamese cats made got my blood boiling, especially when Sarah decides to put a muzzle on Lady shortly thereafter. Any further divulging of information will result in spoilers, but I will say that listening to Lady crying alone in her doghouse was nearly the breaking point for me and the floodgates protecting my eyeballs. Damn you, Disney. Damn you!

Such a tear-jerking reaction can only come from an audience who cares deeply about the characters the awful things are happening to. Unless you have a heart of stone, you damn well should care about the neighborhood puppies. They’re cute, they’re bouncy, they’re friendly and lovable, and they’re worthy of getting infinite belly rubs and an endless supply of puppy burgers from McDonald’s. Just picture how happy one of these dogs would be if you took him to McDonald’s for a plain McDouble. Actually, you don’t have to picture it for long, because there’s always that infamous scene where Lady and Tramp eat a plate of spaghetti together. The fact that Tony the Italian restaurant owner cares enough about dogs to feed them his finest cuisine is heartwarming to me. Aunt Sarah should be taking notes. Puppy-duppies want delicious food, not muzzles.

If you’re an animal lover like I am, don’t pass up an opportunity to watch this Disney classic. If nothing else, it’ll make you appreciate your pets more. If they’re feeling lonely or confused, give them pettings and love. Treat them to a nice cuisine every once and a while. Snuggle with them. Let them sleep on your bed and curl up by your pillow. Animals don’t have a long lifespan, so it’s important that we make every moment with them count. A happy animal means a happy owner and a happy owner will feel the dams breaking when he buys a copy of Lady and the Tramp. An extra credit grade will go to this super sweet classic!