Lady and the Tramp: Bachelorhood is for the Dogs

I'm annoyed. Maybe I'm taking these Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB ratings too seriously but it seems ridiculous that Lady and the Tramp could outdo Peter Pan (1952). It's not just that; Lady and the Tramp also took in more money from its initial 1955 release at the box office than all Disney animated feature films to that point other than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I don't dislike the movie; it's simply just overrated in this blogger's humble opinion. If not for the iconic scene of Lady and Tramp eating spaghetti, I'm not sure what its legacy or lasting impressions would even be. One could also argue that the movie's premise highlighting the relationship between man and dog doesn't quite fit thematically with the story either. However, the theme is there... if you just dig a little – you know, like for a bone!

The movie opens with American humorist Josh Billings' line “In the whole history of the world there is but one thing that money cannot buy... to wit – the wag of a dog's tail.” First of all, maybe I'm too much of an intellectual lightweight but I'm not even sure I know what this means. My best guess is that the enjoyment a dog owner gains from the carefree “wag of a dog's tail” is an invaluable asset to one's life. Secondly, this leads one to assume that this is a “tale” (pun INTENDED!) focusing on the relationship between man and dog but that might be the least compelling aspect of the story. Lady and Tramp's star-crossed courtship of differing socioeconomic standing is the obvious (albeit most trite and cliché) “A” storyline. However, the Tramp's inner struggle reconciling a life that's “footloose and collar-free” (freedom and selfishness) with that of “life on a leash” (responsibility and love) is what makes this blogger's tail wag!

Just as Disney gave us two Darling's in a row, we also get back-to-back stories about growing up. There's no man alive who doesn't silently nod along when listening to Tramp describe his life of “adventure and excitement” to Lady.  What guy wouldn't want to chase chickens - just for fun, have a different alias for every day of the week and, most importantly, have an established stable of “tricks” with names like Peg, Lulu, Trixie, Fifi and Rosita Chiquita Juanita Chihuahua? Ooh, la and la!  And, while there's nothing inherently wrong with a grown man or dog living life as a bachelor, there's a sort of emptiness and immaturity in its absence of any real companionship or responsibility. Because, when it's all said and done, “who'd watch over the baby?” Appropriately enough, it's when Tramp does protect the baby from the rat (What's the rat going to do to the baby? I googled it and it's not uncommon for rats to gnaw at the toes of newborns – HOW HORRID!) that his new-found sense of purpose and belonging leads him to turn his back on his feral life for one of housebroken responsibility and love.

Tramp's evolution isn't one of merely forgoing the freedom of roaming the city outskirts and countryside in lieu of family life in the suburbs. There's much more to it than that.  Perhaps, Lady and the Tramp would have been better served introduced with a quote detailing such a theme: “In the whole history of the world freedom cannot be found outward but resides within us and those individuals we most cherish... to wit – the freedom to love and be loved.” - PW

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On a more whimsical note...

Lady has same collar as Scooby-Doo! Ruh roh!!!

In regards to Tramps different aliases he's “Fritzie” at the Shultzes for Monday der wiener schnitzel, “Mike” at the O'Brien's for Tuesday corned beef and Butch at “Tony's” for bones and pasta.

The many breeds of dog include a Cocker Spaniel (Lady), a mutt (Tramp), a Scottish Terrier (Jock), a Bloodhound (Trusty), a Shitzu (Peg), a Bulldog (Bull), a Borzoi (Boris) and a Chihuahua (Pedro).

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It's an odd choice by Disney to feature a poster for the production of Uncle Tom's Cabin on the wall of “Tony's Restaurant.” Couldn't they have used something less controversial like Our American Cousin or Cats?

As the voice of Peg, Darling and the Siamese cats, Peggy Lee was the first big celebrity to be cast in a Disney animated feature. She also performed the songs “He's a Tramp” and the “Siamese Cat Song.”

The newspaper Jim Dear is seen reading with the headline “Catastrophe seen as Crime Booms!!” doesn't amount to much. Perhaps they should've used a headline of “Rats Found Gnawing Newborn's Toes!!”

I'm not a fan of Lady's voice. She sounds like a prudish old lady.

Like the curious case of Cinderella's dress (is it silver or blue?), Tramp also has a crisis of colour – is he tan or gray?

Jim Dear is no slouch, evidenced by the pennant he hangs in his son's nursery, he matriculated through Yale.

How is Jim Dear supposed to acquiesce to Darling's pregnancy cravings of watermelon and chop suey at 3 o'clock in the morning during a blizzard? I doubt there are 24-hour grocery stores in 1909 Maine.

What kinds of parents leave their newborn to go on vacation for a few days?

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Is that Darling's breast pump I spy? Hubba hubba!

What's the implication of Jock and Trusty discussing one of the two marrying Lady? Is she already knocked up at that point and they are worried about her raising the pups as a single mother? Or, is it as simple as offering her security since they feel she may no longer be welcome at her home after her stay at the pound?

Lady and Tramp's litter includes three girls and a boy.

Anti-dog Aunt Sarah has a change of heart as she sends Lady and Tramp dog biscuits for Christmas!

Jim Dear and Darling must've done their shopping at the same pet store as Gepetto since both Cleo and their fish have a castle in their bowls.