The output of Walt Disney Animation Studios–currently totaling 54 full-length films–has been cherished by audiences young and old for almost 80 years. In this weekly online feature, arts and entertainment editor Nathan Tucker will review and rank each of them.

Lady and the Tramp is the first movie covered in this feature that I owned on VHS as a child. As such, it is still engrained on my memory; it was almost certainly my initial encounter with Canis familiaris and the reason I ended up being a “dog person.” My opinion of it is, by no choice of my own, absolutely biased.

Fortunately, that high opinion can be justified. In portraying man’s best friend, Disney made its most human film. Unlike any of the past fourteen features, which focused on imagery, story, music, or metaphor, Lady and the Tramp is resolutely character-driven.

That attention to personality begins with the character design. The Disney animators always excelled in this field, but they absolutely outdid themselves here. Each dog breed is drawn with just enough humanity to be likeable, without sacrificing their canine qualities. Look at Lady’s ears/perfectly-curled-hair or Tramp’s scruffy “beard”: the audience instantly knows their exact nature before they so much as speak.

The accessibility allows sparks to fly in quick succession. The idea of a baby entering the home is quickly grasped, allowing the viewer to automatically turn their attention to the humorous slant Lady interprets it with. The heartbreaker who has his heart suddenly broken is obvious from the get-go: now we are watching for “how” not “what”; for character instead of function. Lady and the Tramp is sleekly economical: every line, movement, and gag is built to pay off.

Of course, this is not a perfect film. The Random Racist Song rears its ugly head as “We Are Siamese,” a nasty assembly of every yellow peril cliche in the book. In fact, the soundtrack overall is pretty meager, with the notable exception of the romantic “Bella Notte.”  But these are minor complaints when set against the clever charm and sentiment the film so handily trades in. An old dog may not be able to learn any new tricks, but Lady and the Tramp is a fresh and modern film unlike anything in Disney’s prior canon.           

The List:

1. Bambi
2. Lady and the Tramp
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Fantasia
5. Pinocchio
6. Peter Pan
7. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
8. Cinderella
9. Dumbo
10. Melody Time
11. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
12. Fun and Fancy Free
13. Saludos Amigos
14. Make Mine Music
15. The Three Caballeros