Grab a comfy blanket and a plate of spaghetti and meatballs for this next movie. The third of 4 animated movies from the 1950s, Lady and the Tramp tells one of the best kinds of love stories from the dogs’ point of view. For this project, I’m focusing on the story itself, including dialogue, character development, any subplots, how a story presents itself, the speed at which it moves, if it slows down unnecessarily, etc.
Update: In February 2022, I started a video version of the DFP on Tiktok. You can find the video below. Thoughts expressed in the video may be different than what are expressed in the blog post, due to the time difference in posting.
A Brief Summary
Lady is a young, well-bred cocker spaniel when she meets Tramp, a mutt who lives life free from wearing a collar, but always on the run from the dog catchers. When a newborn baby disrupts Lady’s home life, Tramp shows Lady what her life can be like if she wasn’t a house pet. But after Lady gets taken to the dog pound, she learns a few interesting things about Tramp’s past that put a halt on their relationship. Includes a buried pile of bones, a fish bowl and an injured paw.
What works
- I’d call this film a Currier and Ives Christmas Card movie. Not just because it starts and ends on Christmas Day (in fact, most of the movie takes place during the spring/summer months), but because it’s a cozy, nostalgic type of story. One to enjoy while curled up in front of the fire.
- Like in Bambi, we see the world through the eyes of the animals. But because humans have a much larger part in this film, the animals themselves are more humanized. They can read, they understand what humans are saying and understand different aspects of human existence, such as collars/licenses and human babies.
- Also similar to Bambi, Lady is young and understandably naive throughout the film. Because of that, she becomes the perfect dog for the audience to connect with as she experiences everything around her.
- There’s a sense of foreshadowing when Lady chases away a rat towards the beginning of the movie. The rat doesn’t make another appearance until everything’s falling apart (and the blank yellow eyes are not helping me appreciate rats in this film. Nope. Demon eyes have no place here.)
- The last scene before Tramp’s introduction is another bit of foreshadowing as Jim Dear and Darling mention how having Lady makes their lives complete and that nothing could take her place in their hearts. I really like that placement because, in a way, Tramp’s presence in the film allows Lady to make peace with what happens in her home life.
- I love the inclusion of the Siamese Cats. Not just because they have a pretty catchy tune to sing, but because they provide an animal conflict to match Aunt Sarah’s human conflict. Up to that point, she’s never interacted negatively with another animal, so it is an eye-opening experience for her.
- Having it end on another Christmas day just brings closure to the film, as everything has come full circle.
What may or may not work
- The song during the opening Christmas scene is okay. It’s a lovely song, feeling appropriate to the time period and main setting for the film. But it feels a tad at odds with the rest of the music from the movie, especially considering it followed the opening credits version of ‘Bella Notte’.
- Lady’s ‘speak-song’ about wondering what a baby is. I mean, I’ve done that before myself (singing what I’m thinking), so I’m not judging that she does it, it just feels odd and a bit slow compared to the rest of the film.
Honorable Mentions
- Darling’s pregnancy cravings: watermelon and chop suey.
- If there was ever an Olympic Speed-chewing competition, the Beaver would win for sure.
Side Questions
- Honestly, how does the muzzle leash wrap around the birdcage pole enough to drag it around?
- What happened to the man at the zoo that Tramp got in a fight with the police officer?
- What does Aunt Sarah do after the discovery of the dead rat and Tramp’s rescue?
What I learned from watching this film
- I love, in a major way, how animals are portrayed in this (and I know I’ve already mentioned this before). I love that they know how to read, what humans are saying (even if humans can’t understand them) and everything really. Actually, during my initial viewing of the film, I was coming up with different story exercises I could do with this type of storyline (two dogs from different sides of the track). It is such a simple movie and its simplicity makes it relatable to the audience.
- Because the dogs were the focus, there was this cool world-building aspect to the story. There’s obviously human societal rules exhibited in the film, but also all of these animal societal rules as well. The level of detailing that went into creating this dog’s world was mind-blowing. Even though what the dogs discuss could easily be translated to what humans discuss, just the relaxed nature of their interactions is wonderful. Rather than saying “here’s this new idea, civilized society as seen by dogs!”, instead, we’re automatically brought into the world, balancing the familiar with the canine. Most world-building is done beneath the surface, so I can only imagine that every single main and supporting animal had a somewhat detailed background as to who they were, what their motivation was and how they acted in the world.
If you’ve seen Lady and the Tramp, what are some of your thoughts? Share in the comments below!
Rewind to the beginning of the Disney Film Project
Skip back to the previous film with Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Fast Forward to the next film with The African Lion
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