An animated curiosity starring Judy Garland

jimjo1216

The UPA cartoons were known for their stylish art direction and in this film the backgrounds and scenery are like beautiful impressionist paintings. Unfortunately it's not enough to save this mediocre animated feature.

The main character designs look generic and the performances from the impressive vocal cast (Judy Garland, Red Buttons, Robert Goulet, Hermione Gingold) are mostly bland. Voice actor extraordinaire Paul Frees does a good job as the villain.

The story concerns a farm cat in turn-of-the-century France who journeys to Paris and falls in with some shady characters, while her provincial beau comes to the city looking for her. The songs are forgettable, though the musical sequences have style.

The best scene is a brief lesson about famous artists of the era and their styles (Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, Seurat, Degas, Renoir, etc.). It's actually quite educational. The movie has a subtle high-brow edge. Beneath the simple story and cheap laughs it wants to be artistic and intelligent.

Comparisons to Walt Disney's THE ARISTOCATS (1970) are interesting, though mostly superficial. A white lady-cat, a yellow/orange tom, an adventure in Paris. Singing. Quintessential French entertainer Maurice Chevalier sings the title song for THE ARISTOCATS, while Morey Amsterdam does the narration for GAY PURR-EE in his best Chevalier voice. What people might find surprising is that the better-known Disney film was made eight years *after* this UPA feature.

It's clear from other reviews that GAY PURR-EE (1962) is beloved by many who cherish the memory of watching it as children. However without the rose-tinted lens of nostalgia, the film is only interesting as a curiosity. UPA seems to be aiming for something special, but doesn't quite hit the mark. Kids might still enjoy it, though.

score /10

jimjo1216 28 August 2013

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2859316/