Lilli e il vagabondo

Yet another winner from Disney about an upper-class dog who falls for a mutt from the streets. The timeless love story works just as well on a feature-length cartoon as it does with live-action fare. The animation is first-rate, the characters are fun and the songs will stick with you long after the movie is seen. Great entertainment for all ages. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If this film isn't a classic, I don't know what is! This is a great story about two dogs who fall in love, although they're from different sides of the railroad tracks, so to speak. These dogs act more human than many humans do. It's heartwarming, humorous and just plain clean family entertainment! This is a film that has stood the test of time and passed with flying colors. This is one to BUY and keep! So what are you waiting for? Go buy it!

Fairy tale about the romance between two dogs from opposite sides of the tracks gets colorful, warm, old-fashioned Disney treatment. Cinemascope cartoon unfolds with valentine-like flair, all the ribbons and bows are in place, yet the requisite cutesy flourishes and manipulation inevitably turn up (one dog, thought to have been killed, shows up LIMPING in the next scene!). Yet, it's hard to complain when the rest of the pieces fall into place so snugly. The plot is, by turns, comfortably predictable and still pleasingly reassuring, though a bit heavy with incidental chatter. The Peggy Lee music is delightful, and the "Bella Notte" sequence alone, with the spaghetti, breadsticks and the drippy candle, is simply superb. *** from ****

Peggy Lee was a national treasure. What an amazing thing that she wrote most of the music for this movie, but only in old age did she receive credit. I agree that issues of class seem merely consistent with the era, but consider that the flavor of the day was vanilla. So in those days going out for Italian was a walk on the wild side (unless you grew up in Brooklyn)! Then an upper-crust girl marries a boy of mixed race origins?! And it's clear from the dog pound scene that Peg "got around" (just look at her hair!), nevertheless, she was valued and respected among the dogs. Yes, the film is hokey. But rats are evil. And the soundtrack is outstanding.

There is nothing as wonderful as the wag of a dog's tale. The writers, actors and animators, together with Disney magic, capture the unique and limitless variety of personalities that exist in the canine world. This film takes these wonderful canine characters and shows the world from their perspective. The adorable footage of Lady as a puppy reminds me of the behavior of my own hounds when they were pups. The beautiful "Park Avenue" Lady grows up and falls for the happy-go-lucky, vagabond, Tramp. Add a dog-hating aunt, a baby, some cats, some rats and the adventure is complete. The songs sung from the dog pound together with those sung by the wicked Siamese cats are the most purely fun of any Disney animation. The song sung at the lover's romantic Italian dinner brings a tear to the eye. Finally, Lady and the Tramp share a spaghetti noodle that leads to one of the most memorable kisses in Hollywood history. This is a wonderful film that will be enjoyed for generations.