by Kari Bowles
The Rescuers:
Underrated Gem from the Disney Vault If a viewer were asked to describe what makes a Disney film a Disney film, my guess is they would say something to this effect: “Well, it’s a cartoon, there’s a princess and a love story, and lots of singing.” Indeed, since the company’s second renaissance in the late 80s and early 90s with movies like The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast(1991), it is virtually a default assumption that a Disney movie will be a “princess” movie. However, it turns out that one of the studio’s most solid yet deceptively unassuming pictures, The Rescuers (1977), uses hardly any of the elements that would come be associated with the Disney formula. Indeed, the absence of storytelling devices such as the seeming-death-instant–resurrection makes it seem all the more refreshing and original.
Loosely based on a pair of children’s books by Margery Sharp, the story follows the efforts of two mice agents of the international Rescue Aid Society, Bernard(Bob Newhart) and Miss Bianca(Eva Gabor), to come to the rescue of a kidnapped little girl named Penny(Michelle Stacy). The trajectory of their mission takes them from the streets of New York City to the swampy Devil’s Bayou, with dangerous alligators and buried treasure encountered along the way. The animation, though scratchy and rough in comparison with the lush style of later animated features, is effective at creating atmosphere. The charmingly eclectic meeting room of the R.A.S, and the dilapidated steamboat that serves as the villainess’s headquarters are both depicted with equal attention to detail, allowing the action to feel authentic every step of the way. But the real secret to the movie’s success lies in the character dynamics. Bernard and Bianca are unpretentious yet endearing heroes, driven by ethical concern and professional dedication. Their romantic connection is subtle but sweetly present, particularly during “Tomorrow is Another Day”, one of the few songs on the soundtrack. Madame Medusa (Geraldine Page) is an antagonist who doesn’t need maniacal laughter or plans for wide-scale destruction to be scary; she’s threatening because of ruthless single-minded greed and trashy callousness. The comic supporting characters are funny not through overdone pop-culture references, but through the driven quirkiness of their own personalities. Orville the albatross (Jim Jordan, recognizable to older audiences in the 70s as radio’s Fibber McGee) and Evinrude the dragonfly, both of whom assist Bernard and Bianca with transportation, nearly steal the show in all their scenes. The largest belly laugh in the film comes from Orville’s encounter with Medusa’s swamp mobile.
The Rescuers became the first Disney animated feature to have sequel, with the theatrical release of The Rescuers Down Under (1990). It’s appealing in its own way, but do yourself a favor and see the original first. If you are looking for a movie to watch with children in your care, it’s always best to choose a title that everyone will enjoy. Judging from my five year old nephew’s response, The Rescuers succeeds on that count. •
