Summer of Magic- "The Rescuers"

Disney is oftentimes at their creative best when they are changing the game and trying something different. It has been the studio's identity to think outside the proverbial box ever since seven dwarfs first appeared on silver screens across the globe. One of Disney's most distinct films in terms of subject matter and tone is 1977's The Rescuers. There are no elaborate songs in this film nor are there any scene-stealing characters. The jokes are subtle at best as the comedy in this film is usually non-existent. However, that is the point of The Rescuers. This is an extremely mature story for adults probably more so than children that just happens to be animated. Disney once again attempted something new, and the result was something so unique that I am not really sure how to feel about it. The Rescuers certainly contains some genuinely classic scenes, but to me, it almost feels too dramatic. Essentially, it never feels like Disney. In films like Beauty and the Beast and Mulan, the drama was present, but it was never constant. Timely comedic relief tended to come in at just the right time and songs usually were performed to alleviate the tension, but in The Rescuers, Disney has crafted a straight drama, and while that may work for some, it falls flat for me.

The characters in The Rescuers are fine Disney creations, but overall, quite unmemorable. Our leading duo, Bernard and Bianca, are admirable protagonists that exhibit characteristics such as bravery, selflessness, and hopefulness, but there is just something missing in their characterization. I am not sure what that something is, but I wanted more from Bernard and Bianca. That can really be said of the entire film. There seems to just be something entirely missing in The Rescuers. By all accounts, this should be a story that Disney can tell with tremendous success, but it just is not one of those stories in the end. The other animal characters never make an impression. They attempt to create some comedy with these characters, but the jokes and comedic situations fall flat. The human characters are more solid, but still not too strong, with the exception of one. Madame Medusa is undoubtedly evil, but there is never a reason given to justify her vileness. Plus, it doesn't help her characterization that she is clearly a Cruella De Vil ripoff. It feels a bit like "been there, done that" for Disney, which is definitely a disappointment. If Madame Medusa is like Cruella, Mr. Snoops is Horace and Jasper wrapped into one character. The only memorable character in this ensemble is Penny, the young girl kidnapped from an orphanage by Madame Medusa. My heart always breaks for Penny and her adverse situation while I tend to bawl my eyes out as well. When she is on screen, The Rescuers is a really good film. In fact, she almost single-handedly saves this film from becoming a complete disaster because of her character's sincerity and authenticity. Regrettably, though, she is relegated to sparse appearances periodically throughout the film as Disney would rather see the animal sidekicks steal the show over the only character that is worth something.

The soundtrack for The Rescuers is mediocre at best. Honestly, as I write this review, I cannot name a single song title from this film by heart, and if you know me and my love for Disney songs, that is extremely telling. Given, The Rescuers is not a typical musical, but it does contain a few songs that are quite lackluster. The film's thematic anthem, "Someone's Waiting For You," is one of the few bright spots in the entire film. It contains powerful lyrics and the performance is well done too. Otherwise, the songs come and go without ever making their presence known. Furthermore, the animation in The Rescuers is not even up to par. It looks sketchy and rather uninspired, and after the beautiful The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, I expected so much more from Disney. There is a classic film in The Rescuers somewhere, but that story is unfortunately stifled by dull characters and bland songs as well as poor animation.

I know The Rescuers has its fans. It was, in fact, the first Disney animated film to inspire a sequel (The Rescuers Down Under in 1990). However, it simply doesn't work for me, and that's the frustrating thing about it. It should be a great film. It has all the elements of a classic story, but while Disney pushed the envelope in terms of subject matter and tone, they failed to do the same with its characters, songs, and animation. I applaud them for trying something new (a novel idea that modern Disney could learn from, but I digress), but if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Disney tried to fix a formula that they had already perfected for some reason, and the result was disappointing.

Rating: 6/10

Historical Significance: The Rescuers was quite the popular film upon its release. In fact, Disney considered creating a spin-off television series focused on Bernard and Bianca's further missions with the Rescue Aid Society. However, the studio decided to begin production of a cinematic sequel, The Rescuers Down Under, instead. The storyline for this series, though, had already been discussed and planned out, so Disney replaced Bernard and Bianca with Chip and Dale, creating the cult classic show, Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers.

Behind the Scenes: Phil Harris (The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood) was almost brought in by Disney to voice another comedic character for The Rescuers. However, the studio decided that it would not appropriately match the film's tone and Harris does not appear in the film as a result. Furthermore, Milt Kahl, one of Walt's Nine Old Men, animated almost everything about Madame Medusa. He asked for helped and often received it, but no one could match Kahl's ability, so he ended up animating the villain basically by himself.

Favorite Character: Penny is the heart and soul of The Rescuers even as a secondary character. Every scene she appears is filled with genuineness and veracity. I wanted to know more about Penny
and her life before and after her encounter with Madame Medusa, which is the hallmark of excellent characters. Penny's character is truly three-dimensional, which is quite the rarity in this film.

Favorite Scene/Song: I have already expressed my displeasure with this soundtrack, but the "Someone's Waiting For You" sequence with Penny front and center is by far the highlight of the film. Even though the song is not that memorable, Penny is, and her facial
expressions during this scene tell the whole story, which is a true triumph for the animators. If Penny were our star from beginning to end instead of only appearing sparingly, The Rescuers would be a much more solid film. (Listen/watch this scene here)

Updated Ranking: The Rescuers finds itself in the same camp as The Sword in the Stone: so much potential, and yet it is all wasted.

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2. Peter Pan
3. Cinderella
4. The Jungle Book
5. Sleeping Beauty
6. Pinocchio
7. Lady and the Tramp
8. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9. Alice in Wonderland
10. Dumbo
11. Bambi
12. 101 Dalmatians
13. Fantasia
14. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
15. The AristoCats
16. Fun and Fancy Free
17. Robin Hood
18. Melody Time
19. The Three Caballeros
20. Saludos Amigos
21. The Rescuers
22. The Sword in the Stone
23. Make Mine Music

The seventies were generally a step back for Disney with the obvious exception of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and unfortunately, the eighties will probably not reverse that trend. The identity crisis of Disney for these two decades continues tomorrow with The Fox and the Hound!

-Cody Fleenor