The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Directors:

Ron Clements
Burny Mattinson

Writers:

Peter Young (story) &
Vance Gerry (story) ...

Release Date:

2 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Musical | Mystery

Tagline:

Can he bring the dirty rat to justice?

Plot:

Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan.

Plot Keywords:

Mouse | Kidnapping | Bat | Animal In Title | Reference To Napoleon

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Professor Ratigan (voice)
Barrie Ingham	...	Basil of Baker Street / Bartholomew (voice)
Val Bettin	...	Dr. David Q. Dawson / Thug Guard (voice)
Susanne Pollatschek	...	Olivia Flaversham (voice)
Candy Candido	...	Fidget (voice)
Diana Chesney	...	Mrs. Judson (voice)
Eve Brenner	...	The Mouse Queen (voice)
Alan Young	...	Hiram Flaversham (voice)
Laurie Main	...	Dr. Watson (voice)
Shani Wallis	...	Lady Mouse (voice)
Ellen Fitzhugh	...	Bar Maid (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Citizen / Thug Guard (voice)
Wayne Allwine	...	Thug Guard (voice)
Tony Anselmo	...	Thug Guard (voice)

Also Known As:

Basil - The Great Mouse Detective (International: English title)
Basil of Baker Street (UK)
The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Philippines:G | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:G | West Germany:6 | Canada:G

Company:

Walt Disney Feature Animation

Trivia:

The lines spoken by Sherlock Holmes (voiced by Basil Rathbone) are from the story "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League". According to the text of the story, this would mean that the film takes place sometime in the autumn of 1890.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the Big Ben sequence, Ratigan's necktie comes off at one point, but then it's back on when he and Basil fall down the clock tower, and then disappears when they land on the clock hand.

Quotes:

Hiram Flaversham: You can do what you want with me. I won't be a part of this-this... this evil any longer!
Ratigan: Oh, very well, if that is your decision.
Ratigan: [pulls out Olivia's toy ballerina and winds it up]
Ratigan: Oh, by the way, I'm taking the liberty of having your daughter brought here.
Hiram Flaversham: O... Olivia?
Ratigan: Yes. I would spend many a sleepless night if anything unfortunate were to befall her.
Hiram Flaversham: You... Y-You wouldn't!
[Ratigan crushes the ballerina in his hand and looks forlornly at it, then at Flaversham]
Ratigan: Finish it, Flaversham!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Disney's Animation Magic: Beauty and the Beast (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye So Soon

One of Vincent Price's Favorite Roles

I enjoy this film for one main thing, besides the attention to detail concerning Victorian England...the performance of Vincent Price as Ratigan in his scenery-chewing glory. Yes, it's another mice-beneath-your-feet story, but it's so well done. Holmesians will enjoy it's inside jokes and references to other works about the famous fictional sleuth.

Fans of "Ducktales" may note that Alan Young, the voice of toymaker Hiram Flaversham, parlayed his near-perfect Scottish accent into being appointed the official voice of Scrooge McDuck.

But it's Vincent Price in what he later called one of his most favorite roles ever (He even had two original songs written for him!) that draws me back to this film again and again. He clearly enjoyed this role, and the exaggerated movements of Ratigan are obviously his.

An oddly gothic cartoon from Disney, and well worth viewing.