AN AMERICAN TAIL (Theatrical Release USA 1986)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Stars ìììì

An American Tail—an animation film to love again and again—is built for the adult and child audience, it’s clean, nicely cut, rightly told down to its last written letter. The voices are perfect, the animation great. This film deserves applause for Director Don Bluth’s work (Land Before Time, The Secret of the NIMH). On the critical side, the song Never Say Never seems not well set in this film and some parts of this animated film flow slowly.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The Ukrainian Mousekewitz family are constantly under attack by cats. So, Papa Mousekewitz (voice of Nehemiah Persoff), in the middle of a Hanukkah celebration, decides the family must go to America because it is rumored there are no cats in America. They catch a boat to New York City and find that cats are a universal fact of life.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Don Bluth for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Kathleen Kennedy, David Kirschner, Frank Marshall, and Steven Speilberg for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mama Mousekewitz (voice of Erica Yohn), Tanya Mousekewitz (voice of Amy Green), Fievel Mousekewitz (voice of Phillip Glasser), Henri (voice of Christopher Plummer), Warren T. Rat (John Finnegan), Digit (voice of Will Ryan), Moe (voice of Hal Smith), Tony Toponi (voice of Pat Musick), Bridget (voice of Cathianne Blore), Honest John (voice of Neil Ross), and Gussie Mausheimer (voice of Madeline Kahn).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This a ‘must see’ animated film for all ages. It is re-watch-able.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers