Move over Mickey, America has discovered an even more lovable animated mouse.
His name is Fievel Mousekewitz, the star of the first animated film by Steven Spielberg, An American Tail.
The year is 1885. Fievel (the voice of 7-year-old Phillip Glasser), his parents, sister, and baby brother, live in a comfortable mouse hole in Shostka, Russia. Life is happy — especially on the nights of Hanukkah.
Papa (the voice of Nehemiah Persoff) plays his fiddle to delight the kids and hands out a few meager presents: a new scarf for his sister, a snappy hand-me- down cap for Fievel.
Suddenly, in a parallel of Russian history, the lives of all the Jewish mice in the settlement are threatened by an attack by Cossack cats. The Mousekewitzes are driven from their home.
“We must go to America,” Papa says. “In America, there are no cats!”
Thus begins director Don Bluth’s charming animated film about hope, love, friendship and, most of all, freedom.
Through the delightful Mousekewitz family, youngsters and adults alike will discover a reflection of what has made America the great melting pot for people of many nationalities, creeds and faiths.
The Mousekewitz family is like the many thousands of immigrants who filtered through Ellis Island between 1885 and 1910 in search of freedom and personal expression.
The journey to America is hazardous for young Fievel, however. In a masterpiece of animation, a storm lashes the sea and waves wash over the ship carrying the Mousekewitz family. The boy is swept overboard. His parents fear he is lost.
Landing in a bottle, Fievel comes ashore near the unfinished Statue of Liberty. The sculpture is being worked on by the very French pigeon, Henri (a wonderful characterization by Christopher Plummer). He takes Fievel under his wing and tells him not to give up hope. He’ll be reunited with his family.
It takes little time for Fievel to make friends, discover new dangers in America, even grow up a bit into a clever and resourceful fellow.
Along the way, we meet a host of sparkling characters. Among them are zillionaire anti-cat activist Gussie Mausheimer (Madeline Kahn); devious Warren T. Rat (John Finnegan); and lovable cat Tiger (extremely funny Dom DeLuise).
Laced with action scenes and peppered with amusing dialogue, the film moves along briskly. Little ones won’t be bored.
Original songs — including Never Say Never, Somewhere Out There and We’re a Duo — are also entertaining. You’ll marvel over the quality of Plummer’s singing voice and be convulsed by DeLuise’s feline antics.
Most of all, you’ll discover in gentle Fievel a endearing character that manages to be lovable without undue sentiment. His eyes may tear up once in a while and his lower lip quiver, but mostly he’s ready to face the situation. Still, the superb animation makes you believe Fievel is a small boy lost in a big world.
The whole family will enjoy this beautifully made holiday adventure.
Producer Spielberg proves there’s a lot more to animated films these days than Disney.
AN AMERICAN TAIL 3 1/2 STARS
The animated story of one mouse family’s journey to America and of Fievel, their young son, who gets lost along the way.
Credits: Featuring the voices of Phillip Glasser, Dom DeLuise, John Finnegan, Madeline Kahn, Nehemiah Persoff, Christopher Plummer. Written by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss. Directed by Don Bluth.
No objectionable material.
1 star Poor, 2 stars Fair, 3 stars Good, 4 stars Excellent
