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If you have a long career in film and are known for your voice, you will eventually be asked to provide it for a film. It wasn't only Disney doing animated films during the hey-dey of their classic cartoon features, even though it was a rare occurrence for other major films. This came on top of "101 Dalmations" at Disney, so instead of some fabulous spotted dogs, you've got a variety of cats, hep ones, sweet ones, villainous ones, and in the case of one big eccentric cat, a total camp kitty.
Judy Garland provides the voice of Mewsette, the innocent white cat who wants something more than her provincial life (to quote the leading lady of another animated classic). So she leaves behind lover kitty Jaune-Tom (Robert Goulet) and heads to the big city of lights, falling prey to the nefarious Meowrice (Paul Frees) while being turned into a sophisticate by the wacky Mme. Rubens-Chatte (Hermoine Gingold). It's up to Jaune-Tom to rescue her from the fate Frees has in store for her.
This was a reunion for Garland and "The Wizard of Oz" song-writing team of E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen (also the writer of "Get Happy"), and the score they provide for her is a delight. "Paris Is a Lonely Town" should be up there with the songs which Judy sang about other cities, and it is a shame it was not nominated for an Oscar. Goulet, then a big hit thanks to "Camelot" on Broadway, is great singing opposite Judy, while Red Buttons provides great comic relief. Frees, of course, is an animated voice over veteran, having frightened children (and make them laugh at the same time) as the Burgonmeister in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". All you have to do is mention Hermoine Gingold, and you know exactly what you're going to get. Definitely worthy of re-discovery, "Gay Pur-ee" is a beautiful tribute to the city of lights and totally endearing even amongst the more well known Disney classics.
score 5/10
mark.waltz 19 December 2014
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3144331/ |
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4-3-2021 18:05:10