The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Ron Clements
Burny Mattinson

Writers:

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

Release Date:

2 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | 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 | Fountain | Criminal Mastermind

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:

1.75 : 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:

Several of the sound clips of Toby howling are recycled from "Lady and the Tramp".

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of Ratigan's rant ("I have the power. I am supreme !", etc.) he snaps a crutch in his hands. He is still holding the two halves when we cut to a two-shot of him and the robot Queen, but when he jumps up on the banister on the next shot the two pieces are gone. (He is not seen holding them before the jump.)

Quotes:

Basil: There's always a chance, Doctor, as long as one can think.

Movie Connections:

References Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye So Soon (Reprise)

A forgotten Disney masterpiece.

This is probably one of the most unknown Disney classic.

For the time the movie was quite new and revolutionary and it doesn't quite fit in with the other movies Disney made in that period., perhaps that's the reason why it has been forgotten. But "The Great Mouse Detective" deserves to be known and seen.

The characters are real classics and one of the best to have ever appeared in a Disney movie. Actually Professor Ratigan (voiced by the legendary Vincent Price) is quite possibly my favorite movie villain of all time. No wonder that it was Vincent Price's favorite role. His style and humor is priceless and it cracks me up every time. But the other characters are also very memorable. I especially like the character of doctor Dawson.

The story is good and very pleasant and very mature compared to other Disney's from that period. But of course the idea of making a story about the mouse version of Sherlock Holmes alone is already good enough to make a fun movie about.

One of the other things that makes this movie different compared to other Disney's from that period are the songs or better said the lack of it. The movie features only one song (3 if you count the bar song and the goodbye, so soon song.). But it's not a miss. The surprising magnificent musical score by famous composer Henry Mancini make up for this loss.

The movie has a very spectacular final on and in the famous Big Ben. It's by far my favorite Disney movie ending.

Certainly a fun movie to watch over and over again.

10/10

P.S.: If you're Dutch speaking, I highly recommend that you watch this movie Dutch spoken. Believe it or not it's even better and more fun then the English version! Believe me, just give it a shot.