The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Directors:

Ron Clements
Burny Mattinson
(more)

Writers:

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

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)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melissa Manchester	...	Miss Kitty Mouse (voice) (uncredited)
Basil Rathbone	...	Sherlock Holmes (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)
Frank Welker	...	Toby the Dog / Felica the Cat / Royal Guard Dogs (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Clements
Burny Mattinson
David Michener		(as Dave Michener)
John Musker

Writing credits
Peter Young		(story adaptation) (as Pete Young) &
Vance Gerry		(story adaptation) &
Steve Hulett		(story adaptation) &
Ron Clements		(story adaptation) &
John Musker		(story adaptation) &
Bruce Morris		(story adaptation) (as Bruce M. Morris) &
Matthew O'Callaghan		(story adaptation) &
Burny Mattinson		(story adaptation) &
David Michener		(story adaptation) (as Dave Michener) &
Melvin Shaw		(story adaptation)
Eve Titus		(book series "Basil of Baker Street") and
Paul Galdone		(book series "Basil of Baker Street")

Produced by
Burny Mattinson	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Film Editing by
Roy M. Brewer Jr.
James Melton

Art Direction by
Guy Vasilovich

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark A. Hester	....	assistant director
Tim O'Donnell	....	assistant director (as Timothy J. O'Donnell)

Sound Department
Tomas Krantz	....	adr editor (Swedish version)

Visual Effects by
Dave Bossert	....	effects animator
Mark Dindal	....	effects animator
Tad A. Gielow	....	computer graphics artist
Ted Kierscey	....	effects animator (as Ted C. Kierscey)
Rolando Mercado	....	effects assistant animator (as Rolando B. Mercado)
Patricia Peraza	....	effects animator
Steve Starr	....	effects assistant animator
John Tucker	....	effects assistant animator
Kelvin Yasuda	....	effects animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Austin	....	animation camera operator
Rick Taylor	....	animation camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Scott Anderson	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Tony Anselmo	....	key assistant animator
Ruben A. Aquino	....	character animator
Rasoul Azadani	....	assistant layout artist
Judith Barnes	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Lori Benson-Noda	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Lori M. Noda)
Bill Berg	....	coordinating animator
David Block	....	character animator
Christine Blum	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Christine Harding)
Sandra Borgmeyer	....	character animator
Bill Brazner	....	ink and paint supervisor
Janet Bruce	....	ink and paint supervisor
Hendel Butoy	....	supervising animator
Penny Campse	....	painting assistant (as Penny Campsie)
Reed Cardwell	....	key assistant animator
Hortensia Casagran	....	ink and paint supervisor (as Hortensia M. Casagran)
Wesley Chun	....	key assistant animator
Brian Clift	....	key assistant animator
Jim Coleman	....	color stylist
Jesus Cortes	....	key assistant animator
Retta Davidson	....	key assistant animator
Andreas Deja	....	character animator
Anthony de Rosa	....	key assistant animator (as Anthony DeRosa)
Barbara De Rosa	....	key assistant animator (as Barbara W. DeRosa)
Gil DiCicco	....	layout artist
Marcia Kimura Dougherty	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Marcia Y. Kimura)
Dave Dunnet	....	layout artist (as David A. Dunnet)
John Emerson	....	background artist
Rick Farmiloe	....	character animator
Tom Ferriter	....	coordinating animator
Cindy Finn	....	color modeler
Denise Ford	....	assistant animator
Gail Frank	....	assistant animator
June Fujimoto	....	assistant animator (as June M. Fujimoto)
Mike Gabriel	....	character animator
Ed Ghertner	....	layout artist (as Edward L. Ghertner)
Ed Gombert	....	character animator
Edward Goral	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Edward B. Goral)
Steven E. Gordon	....	character animator
Peter Gullerud	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Peter A. Gullerud)
Terrey Hamada	....	assistant animator
Dan Hansen	....	layout artist
Ray Harris	....	assistant animator
Mark Henn	....	supervising animator
Steve Hickner	....	key assistant animator (as Stephen Hickner)
Glenn M. Higa	....	scene planner (as Glenn Higa)
Richard Hoppe	....	key assistant animator
Michael Horowitz	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Michael Humphries	....	background artist
Ron Husband	....	character animator
Jay Jackson	....	character animator
Debra Jorgensborg	....	color modeler (as Debbie Jorgensborg)
Mark Kalesniko	....	assistant layout artist (as Mark G. Kalesniko)
Glen Keane	....	supervising animator
Lisa Keene	....	background artist (as Lisa L. Keene)
Karen A. Keller	....	layout artist
Shawn Keller	....	character animator
Lureline Kohler	....	key assistant animator (as Lureline Weatherly)
Marty Korth	....	key assistant animator (as Martin Korth)
Mona Koth	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Tia W. Kratter	....	background artist (as Tia Kratter)
Doug Krohn	....	character animator
Joseph Lanzisero	....	character animator
Eric Larson	....	animation consultant
Christine Liffers	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Steve Lubin	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as Stephen L. Lubin)
Kaaren Lundeen	....	assistant animator (as Kaaren Spooner)
Jeffrey Lynch	....	key assistant animator
Ginni Mack	....	painting assistant
David Martin	....	breakdown and inbetween artist (as David P. Martin)
Gretchen Maschmeyer Albrecht	....	ink and paint supervisor (as Gretchen L. Albrecht)
Dan McHugh	....	assistant layout artist
Brian McKim	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Mike McKinney	....	key assistant animator (as Michael G. McKinney)
Rob Minkoff	....	supervising animator (as Robert Minkoff)
Edward Murrieta	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Terry Naughton	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Phil Nibbelink	....	character animator
Matthew O'Callaghan	....	character animator
Matthew O'Callaghan	....	storyboard artist
Madlyn O'Neill	....	final checker
Dave Pacheco	....	key assistant animator
Gilda Palinginis	....	assistant animator
Elyse Pastel	....	assistant layout artist
Michael Peraza Jr.	....	layout artist (as Michael A. Peraza Jr.)
Andrew Phillipson	....	background artist
Philip Phillipson	....	background artist
Tina Price	....	key assistant animator
Ruben Procopio	....	key assistant animator
David Pruiksma	....	character animator
Sylvia Roemer	....	color modeler
Maria Rosetti	....	assistant animator
Carmen Sanderson	....	ink and paint supervisor
Brian Sebern	....	background artist
Natasha Selfridge	....	key assistant animator (as Natasha A. Selfridge)
Toby Shelton	....	assistant animator
Walt Stanchfield	....	coordinating animator
Betty Stark	....	ink and paint supervisor
David Stephan	....	key assistant animator
Rusty Stoll	....	assistant animator
Brigitte Strother	....	color modeler
Dave Suding	....	coordinating animator
Richard Sullivan	....	scene planner (as Richard T. Sullivan)
Dan Tanaka	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Barry Temple	....	character animator
Peggy Tonkonogy	....	assistant animator
Alex Topete	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Donald Towns	....	background artist (as Donald A. Towns)
Jane Tucker	....	key assistant animator
Cyndee Whitney	....	character animator
Chuck Williams	....	coordinating animator
Kirk Wise	....	assistant animator
Ellen Woodbury	....	assistant animator
Phillip Young	....	character animator (as Phil Young)
Jennifer Yuan	....	assistant layout artist
Cathy Zar	....	breakdown and inbetween artist
Kathy Zielinski	....	character animator
Stephan Zupkas	....	key assistant animator
Debra Armstrong	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
William H. Frake III	....	layout artist (uncredited)
Tanya Moreau-Smith	....	paint checker (uncredited)
Jeff Richards	....	background artist (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Phil Hetos	....	color timer

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Henry Mancini	....	conductor
Henry Mancini	....	orchestrator
John Richards	....	music engineer
Jack Wadsworth	....	music editor

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Feature Animation
• Silver Screen Partners II
• Walt Disney Pictures

Distributors

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Finnkino
• Gativideo (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• CBS Television City  music recording studio

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:

In the German version of the movie Fidget's name is "Greifer," but in the end credits his name is misspelled. It reads "Griefer."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ratigan talks to Hiram when he is near the bottle, we see Olivia in the bottle, wearing her Tam O'Shanter hat. But Fidget wore it earlier (along with Olivia's scarf and dress), and we don't see Olivia's clothing after that until the final scene so Olivia couldn't have gotten her clothes back just yet.

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:

References Lady and the Tramp (1955)

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.