Splendid film - one of Disney's best animal features

Whenever I watch a modern Disney film, they almost always turn out to be disappointing, whereas whenever I watch one of the older Disney films, they almost always turn out to be classics.

This is a classic. No question. One of the finest animal films Disney has ever created.

Every character is highly sympathetic, and the analogy of the animals to human concerns is poignant. ("Who will look after the baby?" -- paralleling how the parents have ventured off on a several-day getaway, leaving their newborn behind.)

The plight of Lady, a sheltered young woman in a hostile environment, makes for some great tension without being too unpleasant for younger viewers.

The "date night" sequence, from the dinner to the walk, is genuinely romantic and beautiful.

The animal villains are memorable, from Si and Am being vicious brats to the utterly demonic rat, which looks like an escapee from hell itself.

The finale has real emotional weight, with the false accusation against the Tramp and Lady, followed by the vindication of the discovery of the rat, and the quite thrilling, action-packed rescue of the Tramp.

In a certain sense, Disney returned to this material a few years later with the Aristocats; however, while that story is also strong, the Lady and the Tramp ending is much more satisfying. Also, the quality of animation in Aristocats is quite rough, whereas Lady and the Tramp boast some of the highest-quality animation to come from the Disney studio.

A very fine film, worlds superior to most modern Disney movies.