The Fox and the Hound

Daniel P. Mannix’s novel The Fox and the Hound was Disney’s 1981 animated release. Starring Kurt Russell, Mickey Rooney, Pat Buttram, John Fiedler, and Pearl Bailey, it was the most expensive animated film at the time. It won the 1982 Golden Screen Awards and was nominated for the Best Fantasy Film for the Saturn Awards and Best Motion Picture – Fantasy or Comedy – Family Enjoyment for the Youth in Film Awards. The film received a midquel in 2006.

The plot features an old woman ( Jeanette Nolan) taking in an orphan fox, who she names Tod (Keith Mitchell, later Rooney). At the same time, her hunter neighbor brings home a hound dog named Copper (Corey Feldman, later Russell). He intends on raising him to be a hunting dog, however Tod and Copper become best friends. However, this raises conflict between their owners and after the two grow up, they find themselves on opposite sides after the hunter’s other dog, Chief (Buttram), is injured.

There is also a subplot about a couple of birds trying to get a caterpillar.

Those who have been following my reviews know that I can’t stand when movies are cute for the sake of being cute. This film doesn’t do that. We do get cutesy scenes, but it’s meant to portray the innocent and idyllic childhoods of Copper and Tod and work very well when juxtaposed with the latter half of the film, where Copper goes to great lengths to track down Tod to avenge Chief. You find yourself wanting the serenity and innocence of those early scenes. The ending is also done very well, with the bear attack and Copper realizing that his lust for vengeance has blinded him to what he used to value. It makes for good character development and redemption.

The subplot with the two birds is simply there for comic relief. And that’s not bad considering the overall tone of the film. People need to have something to laugh at when the heavier moments are making us all think about love, life, and friendship. It’s not overused, nor do they overstay their welcome.

Speaking of the tone, I feel it could have been heavier. Copper gets bloodlust when Chief is injured falling off train tracks. But he still lives. Copper’s call for Tod’s head and subsequent realization might have been more meaningful had that dog actually died. It could be argued that with Chief simply being hurt, it shows that Copper and the hunter are being irrational in breaking a few laws to hunt down Copper, but it makes sort of lessens Copper’s redemption. Instead of “he hurt my friend, but this fox is also my old friend and I realized what I’m doing,” it could have been, “He killed my friend, but this fox is also my friend and I forgive him.”

When the widow gives Tod up, he eventually runs into a female fox, who is his primary love interest. While I enjoy that they don’t immediately fall in love, I feel that when they do, it’s too quick, which made it feel forced. But eventually, it grew to feel more natural.

 As for the songs, “Best of Friends” is ok, but everything else isn’t very memorable.

Final call: Not as heavy as it should be, but exceeds in what it does. #3