Classic Movie Dogathon: 101 Dalmatians

101 Dalmatians ranks easily as my favorite Disney animated feature. It puzzles me that it’s rarely mentioned among the Disney classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, and Pinocchio. While I admire those films, they fail to blend the critical animated film elements—well-developed characters, quality artwork, and strong narrative—with the ease of 101 Dalmatians. (Admit it, both Snow White and Pinocchio have their share of slow spots.)

Set in London, the well-known plot traces the courtship and marriage of Dalmatians Pongo and Perdy (and their human “pets” Roger and Anita). It’s a happy home until Anita’s wealthy “friend” Cruella De Vil pays a visit and decides that Perdita’s puppies would make “such perfectly beautiful coats.” Hiding her intentions, Cruella tries to buy the puppies. When Roger and Anita refuse, Cruella has her bumbling goons Horace and Jasper kidnap the pups.

It’s a lively, entertaining story rich with fully developed characters. Even the puppies get memorable personalities, with my favorite of the litter being the plump Rollie who spouts classic lines like: “I’m so hungry I could eat an elephant” and (a few minutes later) “I’m hungry, Mother…I really am.”

Anyone who has loved a dog will appreciate the care with which the animators have captured canine traits. Pongo drags Roger mercilessly on walks, shakes off water vigorously when wet, and sticks his butt in the air when getting playful.

Indeed, the entire film exhibits a delightful fondness for little details. Like all parents, Pongo and Perdy spell out certain words in front of their children—important canine words like W-A-L-K. As with many children, the puppies are glued to the TV screen for their favorite show (the adventures of the heroic dog Thunderbolt). The TV show is even sponsored by a children’s food (Kanine Krunchies). And when the the spotted dogs are pursued by Horace and Jasper, they roll into coal dust to disguise themselves as black Labradors. My favorite little touch, though, is the “twilight bark,” a canine telegraph system in which dogs howl important messages to one another each evening.

Technically, 101 Dalmatians boasts splendid animation. The London buildings and the rural countryside are painted with charm and detail (to include a flashing neon billboard for Kanine Krunchies). The use of shadows and silhouettes brings depth to the images. Even the direction is imaginative, as evidenced by the clever scene of Roger and Anita’s wedding. As the “camera” pulls back through a church window, we see that Pongo and Perdy are holding paws as part of their own matrimonial ceremony.

In my opinion, 101 Dalmatians was the last great American-made animated film until Disney revived the genre in the 1990s with Broadway-style musicals like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.


Be sure to check out the rest of the films in the Classic Movie Dogathon. Click here for the full schedule.