The Rescuers

The Rescuers (1977)

*** (out of 4)

Mice Bernard and Bianca agree to go out and search for a missing girl after the Rescue Aid Society receive a mysterious letter with a girl asking to be helped. The two mice set out to locate the girl and eventually do in a swamp where she's being held captive by a couple bad guys and their large crocodiles. I wouldn't call THE RESCUERS one of Disney's greatest films but it certainly has enough charm and laughs to make it worth sitting through. I think the best thing going for the film is the animation, which simply looks terrific. I really loved the look of the film as its quite gloomy in spots and especially during all the scenes inside the swamp. There are some pretty dark moments and especially during a sequence where the girl and the mice are inside a small cave looking for a priceless diamond. This entire sequence was full of great fun and imagination. Another major plus were the two lead vocal artists with Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor doing excellent work as the lead mice. Both of them really helped bring their characters to life and helped add to the fun. The supporting characters are also good for the most part and I especially liked the two crocodiles as well as the other critters living in the swamp. I thought both villains weren't all that memorable and especially when you consider how great the studio usually is at delivering bad guys. The film certainly has a nice pace to it and I'm sure people of all ages could get into it.

'The Rescuers' marked the advent of a new team of Disney animators taking over in 1977 as nine of the "old men" faced retirement. Under the guidance of the old pros, they turned out a charming fantasy about two adventurous mice (Bianca and Bernard) who set about to rescue a young girl (Penny) from the clutches of the villainess (Madame Medusa). As voiced by Geraldine Page, she all but steals the show--although Bianca and Bernard are perfectly voiced by Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart. A completely delightful Disney hit, welcome after some let-downs, and fortunately there would be more hits in the '80s and '90s. Don't underestimate this one. It has plenty of action, suspense and even a few nice songs--nothing spectacular, in keeping with the quiet nature of much of the story. This was a big box-office hit at time of release and led to a sequel, 'The Rescuers Down Under'. It may not be Disney's best, but it has a good amount of humor and charm. The animation is superb.

I can't fault this movie at all, other than to say the video I have is a bit grainy. The film is undeniably charming, based on the books by Margery Sharp, which I haven't read.

The animation was just wonderful, right from minute one. It was dark and fluid, and reminded me of the masterpieces of Don Bluth like American Tail and Secret of NIMH. It matched the music perfectly, and none of the characters were drawn stereotypically. I loved the fact they made the protagonists mice, which shows a lot of originality. I was laughing so much at the swamp animals scene, as it looked so ridiculous. Another funny scene was the one with the crocs playing the pipe organ, and then Medussa starts shooting the place down.

The songs were outstanding, and beautifully sung by Shelby Flint. I've heard criticisms that the songs were lifeless and slow, but I strongly disagree. The song at the beginning "The Journey" was beautiful beyond words, as was "Someone's Waiting For You", the one with Penny crying on the boat deck. They were truly emotional and haunting, and often misunderstood by people.

The characters were really funny and engaging, especially the two crocodiles, and Orville(especially when he cries "Mayday, Mayday!")Bernard was brilliantly voiced by Bob Newhart, likewise Bianca by beautiful Hungarian actress Eva Gabor. Penny was really sweet, but the scene-stealer was Geraldine Page as Madam Medussa, who was such a convincing villainess, very sinister yet absolutely hilarious. She reminds me of Ursula from the Little Mermaid.

The script was both touching and funny, with the dialogue between Madame Medussa and Snoops sparkling like bubbles on top of a champagne glass and the story is compelling and beautifully told. All in all, I recommend this and the sequel (which isn't quite as good). 10/10.Bethany Cox

There is something really nice about seeing a cartoon film that you know was hand drawn, without a speck of CGI anyplace(too early!). The voices here carry the day-Newhart, Gabor, Page, Fibber MaGee, little turns by Pat Buttram, Dub Taylor, Jeannette Nolan, etc. All fine.

Film still has a lotta heart, the songs aren't bad, the backgrounds muted and not in your face. I remember seeing the sequel (in Aussie from '90)-the character held up but it wasn't as involving.

Test for a flick like this is to see if it holds up after some years. Well I had not seen it for about 24 years or so, and ya know what? It still works very well.

Came from the mid-period team of Disney, post-Jungle Book and pre-Mermaid, a rather hit and miss era-this one stands out quite well.

*** outta ****

"The Rescuers" is my all time favorite Disney film. The story of a little orphaned girl, Penny, and the two brave mice who save her is sweet and touching. Miss Bianca is the head-turning beauty with the charming accent, and Bernard the shy janitor for the Rescue Aid Society. The voices are wonderful - Geraldine Page plays the evil Madame Medusa with such passion you can tell she loves doing it. The first movie is simply incomparable to the second one - the story about the golden eagle and the poacher just really couldn't capture my attention.