Cats Don't Dance (1997) is nearly perfect in every aspect as an animated movie musical from the 1990s. The protagonists are amiable, Steve Goldstein's musical score is lighthearted and endearing, the original songs from Randy Newman are catchy ("Tell Me Lies" is a beautiful ballad sung by the late Natalie Cole, "Danny's Arrival Song" is upbeat and optimistic), the animation and color schemes are crisp and vibrant in quality, and the pace, while fast-paced, has perfect comedic timing. This film serves as an homage to classic Hollywood as well as the movie musicals from MGM like The Wizard of Oz (1939), Anchors Aweigh (1945), and Singin' in the Rain (1952), and said references could not be more appropriate here given how dear said films are to my heart.
Cats Don't Dance follows Danny (voiced by Scott Bakula), an orange tabby cat who travels to 1930s Hollywood from his home in Kokomo, Indiana, to pursue his dreams of becoming a big star on the big screen. However, he learns from other animals (including a white cat named Sawyer (voiced by Jasmine Guy)) that not everything as it seems and that said top-billing roles are reserved for humans only. In contrast, the animals are given merely supporting roles. With his new friends' help, Danny strives to provide him and his friends a moment in the spotlight.
Bakula's vocal performance as Danny exudes optimism with a naïvity that does get him into trouble, but never to the point of annoying the audience, very similar to characters played by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (more on him later). Guy's Sawyer has a classic Cyd Charisse-esque elegance with the perfect blend of cynicism and sass to counter Danny's sweetness (at one point, she claims that "Dancing is a waste of time," an almost word-for-word recitation of a quote from Charisse's character in Silk Stockings (1957)).
The animation for this film has all the fast-paced wit and timing of classic Looney Tunes cartoons, and it lends itself to the movie perfectly. From the caricatures of Hollywood celebrities of the day like Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Laurel and Hardy, Mae West, etc., to the quippy line deliveries to akin those from Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. The color schemes in this film are extraordinary, for they are eye-popping yet never gaudy while maintaining the character and perceived glamour of classic Hollywood and Los Angeles.
While the script doesn't stray (no pun intended) too far from the "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back with song" formula from the 1930s through '50s, and the film's supporting cast doesn't receive too much character development, I was instantly won over by the rest of the voice cast (including the likes of Kathy Najimy, John Rhys-Davies, Betty Lou Gerson (the voice of Cruella de Vill herself), Hal Holbrook, and Don Knotts) and the personalities that they brought to their roles. On a side note, Darla Dimple (voiced by Ashley Peldon) is one of the scariest child actresses to grace the silver screen. Seriously, watch the movie, and you will see what I mean.
One additional fun fact about this movie was that this was MGM legend Gene Kelly's final project that he worked on as a choreographer before his passing in 1996. Upon re-watching the film, I can see his choreographic influence sprinkled throughout the film, which not only adds to this film's nostalgia factor but also comes full circle to his iconic "The Worry Song" routine with Jerry the Mouse (of Tom and Jerry fame) in Anchors Aweigh.
Overall, I had (and still have) an absolute blast watching this film, and I highly recommend Cats Don't Dance. Now, if only this film could get a Blu-ray release. It would be sure to satisfy the die-hard fans like myself and give this film the recognition it deserves.
Final Score: 9 out of 10
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