The Great Mouse Detective

After the failure of The Black Cauldron, Eisner had to be convinced to keep Disney’s animation department. And so Eve Titus’ book series Basil of Baker Street was made into a simple mystery adventure film called The Great Mouse Detective. Starring Vincent Price and Barrie Ingham, the film contained no fantasy, no coming of age or love story, and no princesses. Surely something that went against almost every successful Disney archetype wouldn’t have succeeded? It made $24 million.

A toymaker and mechanical genius named Hiram Flaversham (Alan Young) is kidnapped and his daughter, Olivia (Susanne Pollatschek) hires the detective Basil of Baker Street (Ingham) to find him. On her way, she is found by Dr. Dawson (Val Bettin). Basil is at first reluctant to take the case until he realizes the bat, Fidget (Candy Candido), who kidnapped her father works for the evil Professor Ratigan (Price).

With the help of the hound, Toby, Basil tracks the bat to a toy shop, but he escapes and kidnaps Olivia. Ratigan uses her to force Hiram to complete a robot duplicate of the mouse queen to take over the Kingdom. He learns Basil is on the case and decides to trap him. Basil falls for it and after encouragement from Dawson, escapes the trap in time to save the queen and engage Ratigan inside Big Ben.

It seems this film’s biggest goal was to continue to top itself. Basil’s very first scene is extremely energetic and wild in establishing every aspect of his character. And then Vincent Price does what he does to completely ham it up in his villain song. So then, you must think that the film has wasted its best scenes in the beginning. But after we’re treated to some laughter and action in the toy shop, we get Miss Kitty Mouse (Melissa Manchester) preforming a Victorian strip tease in a very seedy bar, (You know. For kids) which is one of Disney’s best performed and animated musical numbers. And then, the trap scene comes and really shows what Basil is capable of. The film couldn’t possibly get better from there could it? I mean, all it is now is stopping and catching Ratigan. Well, you’d be right had the fight in Big Ben not been one of the definitive uses of CGI in the 1980s. It’s fantastic. The film does succeed in its goal to continually one-up itself. And it’s great every time.

Then there’s the characters. Dawson is good as the level headed sidekick who’s only in the adventure because he wants to see Olivia back with her father. But we’re not here for him. We’re here for Basil, who just might be one of Disney’s best written heroes. Most likely, he’s got a few screws loose and his ego can get in the way of catching his quarry. But he makes up for because he’s an insufferable genius that can make complex equations within seconds, but sometimes needs a little encouragement from his friends. He’s the perfect foil for Ratigan a rat mouse who is a perfect criminal mastermind and is able to strike fear into his minions, but is too flamboyant for his own good. Plus, he tamed a cat. Also, his transformation during the climax from the roguish gentleman villain he was in the beginning to crazed lunatic rat giant mouse is perfectly done. It’s the role Vincent Price was practically born to play.

The music is also some of the best in a Disney movie. Scored by the great Henry Mancini, every song is perfectly done and the main theme is amazing. Again, “Let Me Be Good to You” is one of the most well done musical sequences the company has ever animated.

One final note: Bill the Lizard has turned to crime. 

Final Call: I can’t see anything wrong with this film. #1.