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Disney’s animated classics are known for their sweet, fairy tale romance—their daring princes and beautiful princesses. But 1955’s Lady and the Tramp tells a different kind of love story: a fun-loving, adventure-filled, four-legged love story.
When she was just a playful pup, a pretty cocker spaniel named Lady found the perfect life with the perfect little family. She loved her caring and devoted humans, Jim Dear and his wife, Darling, and she loved playing with her best friends, Jock and Trusty. But then, one day, things began to change. Jim Dear started ignoring her, and Darling started skipping their afternoon walks in order to stay home and knit tiny booties. That’s when Jock and Trusty explained that Lady’s humans were going to have a baby.
As Lady is preparing for the arrival of the new baby, she meets Tramp, a mutt from the wrong side of the tracks who enjoys living his life on the streets. When things at home start to get rough for poor Lady, her new friend helps her out, teaching her how to survive on the streets.
The quaint, old-fashioned setting of the film’s artistically rendered opening scenes may look like something out of a Currier & Ives painting, but Lady and the Tramp isn’t just a quaint, old-fashioned movie. It’s a playful little adventure, filled with lovable four-legged characters and accentuated by a variety of singalong songs.
Audiences of all ages will instantly fall in love with sweet, devoted Lady and her new friend, Tramp, the lovable scamp. But the supporting characters help to make the story even more fun—from Lady’s loyal pals and Tramp’s gang of street smart rascals to Aunt Sarah’s sinister Siamese cats. Wherever the characters find themselves—whether they’re playing out in the yard, wandering through the zoo, or locked up in the pound—they’re always surrounded by a band of eccentric friends, who add welcome touches of both action and comedy to the lovable canine romance.
The catchy music, too, makes the film feel a little more modern than some of Disney’s princess classics. While the romantic theme, “Bella Notte,” with its chorus of voices, will stir up memories of classic romance, songs like the hypnotic “The Siamese Cat Song” and the jazzier “He’s a Tramp” are the kind that make you want to tap your feet and sing along. These are the kind of songs you’ll find in today’s Disney movies—the kind of upbeat songs that kids love.
From its jazzy tunes to its quirky characters, Lady and the Tramp is a classic Disney film that’s still as amusing and entertaining today as it was when it was first released. Once you add it to your kids’ movie collection, this timeless classic is sure to become a new favorite.
Blu-ray Review:
Like other Diamond Edition releases, the Blu-ray release of Disney’s Lady and the Tramp comes with so many extras that you need a map to navigate your way through them.
Fans of the film will love taking a peek at the three deleted scenes—and hearing Tramp’s breezy deleted song, “I’m Free as a Breeze.” You can also check out the making-of extras from the original DVD release. Or, for an insider’s look at classic Disney—and the man who started it all—you can check out Diane Disney Miller’s Remembering Dad.
Once you’ve made it through the extras on the disc, though, you’ll also want to check out Disney’s Second Screen feature, which allows you to sync even more extras on your laptop or iPad as you watch the movie.
Disney’s Diamond Edition releases are always loaded with interesting behind-the-scenes extras. And, with so many options, it’s tough to choose just a favorite or two. So I recommend taking some time to navigate the map of extras—to choose the topics that most interest you.
