User Reviews

Having revisited this film on the anniversary of its first release I was shocked at how good it is. I was also left to wonder why Disney never did anything with it since its release since its a very good film.

The plot is simple, Basil of Baker Street helps a young girl find her kidnapped father who is the clutches of the evil Ratigan. There's more to it than that but thats a place to start.

Vincent Price, probably having the time of his life, is the foul villain and he seems to be having a complete ball. What ever joy he was feeling must have been infectious since the work the animators did carried over and its fun to watch Price's animated alter ego mug for the camera.

This is the last of the un-politically correct films from The Mouse House. Characters smoke, which as we all know is now a no no since Disney is now going back and digitally erasing all trace of that "bad habit" from all of their earlier films. Characters die. Yes the villain still dies these days, and perhaps a Mom to get the plot going, but here we have several characters die, one simply for insulting the villain.

The final sequence of this film, a battle in and on Big Ben was promoted as Disney's first major use of computer animation. The sequence is spectacular and one of the greatest animated pieces I've ever witnessed even today. The whole thing lasts maybe five minutes but it pushes the art of animation as far as Disney has ever gone and shows us what a loss the politically correct, story formula has been in the realm of artistic animation. Disney learned how to make money but not films that pushed the envelope of what was possible. What might have happened if they had expanded on this one sequence?

See this movie. I give it 8 out of 10. Its not perfect but it is funny and exciting in ways that the films that followed rarely were. The film also contains several moments that prove that Pixar are not the only ones who can make movies that reflect the Warner Brothers style.

¨The great mouse detective¨ also titled ¨The adventure of the great mouse detective ¨ is a Walt Disney cartoon feature based on famous characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted of Eve Titus' book titled ¨Basil of Baker Street¨ . This amusing cartoon movie deals with Basil , the rodent Sherlock Holmes who investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy , Professor Ratigan . It begins when Hiram Flaversham ( voice by Alan Young) , a master toymaker , is abducted by a peg-legged bat , on his daughter Olivia's birthday . The nefarious Professor Ratingan (voice by Vincent Price) kidnapped him for forcing his victim Flaversham to make some diabolical device . The young mouse has no one to turn to for help , so she strikes out on her own , looking for the greatest detective in all mousedom , Basil of Baker Street ( performed with gusto by Barrie Ingham) . En route , Olivia encounters Dr. David Dawson (voice by Bettin) , a mouse recently gone back from military duty in Afghanistan . They manage to encounter his rooms at 221 1/2 Baker Street in the cellar of a very notorious address , and the mouse himself soon makes his appearance running around the apartment , ignoring his two hosts , in anticipation of bringing his latest case to a successful final with an experiment in ballistics . Nevertheless , the experiment is a flop , and the detective is thrown into a deep depression, still unwilling to help poor Olivia . But Basil is again galvanized into action . The Sherlockian mouse matches wits with the nasty Professor Rattingan . The crime lord Ratigan is planning in the sewers of London nothing less than the demise of the Queen on the day of her ¨Diamond Jubilee¨ and his own ascension to the throne . Later on , Basil , Dr. Dawson and Olivia are submitted a tempestuous trap by Professor Ratingan and are imprisoned .

This fun animation is set in England's mouse population, who lives not so different from ours, in the mouse holes and basements of the British Empire . The funny characters are the following : Basil who is a bundle of energy , he is played in a clever , broody and impetuous manner similarly to Holmes-Basil Rathbone . Good Doctor Dawson/Watson is drawn or played in kindly way , he's the perfect counterpoint to Basil/Holmes . Ratigan , the arch-nemesis , a Doctor Moriaty-alike is the worst criminal in London, a veritable Napoleon of Crime . Furthermore , a sympathetic thug ,an unfortunate peg-legged bat . This agreeable animation movie contains a lively and enjoyable musical score by the great Henry Mancini . The motion picture is well realized by Ron Clemens and John Musker (among others) who subsequently would have several successes such as ¨The little mermaid¨, ¨Aladdin¨ , ¨Hercules¨, ¨Tresure planet ¨, and ¨The princess and the frog¨ . Rating : Good , worthwhile watching and reissued successfully in 1992 .

By no means does it rank among the greatest Disney films. Its animation is mostly Saturday Morning level and its plot is as simplistic as a Sherlock Holmes knockoff story can get, complete with plotty, expository script and pretty typical archetypes throughout. Yet, it has something that has been missing in Disney movies for years: likability. It's lightweight, well crafted fun, like all the best Saturday morning cartoons, with inventive set pieces and terrific voice acting that helps make up for the fact that the losses incurred on The Black Cauldron show quite clearly. Unfortunately, it was shoveled under the hype over Don Bluth's An American Tail, a film that I have a bit of a soft spot for but which I'm not sure was that much better despite more involved animation. Of course it's no masterpiece, but it does deserve some appreciation for its virtues.

The plot's rather simple, and a bit too dialogue driven. Basically, you can figure out what happens before you even see it. What makes it work are the personalities. True, Olivia's a bit cloying, but Basil himself is as manic and fun to watch as any good Holmes knockoff, due in no small part to Barrie Ingham's performance. However, the show stealer, like with many Disney films, is the villain, Professor Ratigan as brilliantly voiced by the great Vincent Price. What I love about his character is that he comes off a narcissistic buffoon most of the time, but when pushed he shows himself to be a ruthless maniac able to wring whatever he wants from people by sheer force. In many ways, he's the villain that Captain Hook should have been. He even gets one of the only song numbers in this movie, one of the finest villain numbers in its jaunty bombast and how it shifts to a dead stop when a henchman double crosses him then shifts back after a rather grim moment in the film.

Unfortunately, one wishes the animation was better than Toon Disney on a production level. There's lots of conservative pose-to-pose stuff and very little in the ways of spontaneous character stuff. The angles are all very flat and straightforward. It especially shows in the dog character, who is much larger than the others but has too lightweight a feel to him. It's still a better looking film than The Black Cauldron, however less lavish it may be, and it has a few highlights. Ratigan, again, is superbly animated by Glen Keane, who gives him much more nuance and presence than the other characters. There's also a steep improvement toward the end, where Disney really ratchets up on some terrific set-piece direction. The CGI may show its age, but it's incorporated quite well. One also suspects that Disney first started to look at Hayao Miyazaki's work around this time, since there are more than a few similarities to the climax of Castle of Cagliostro.

All in all, these elements, along with a great Henry Mancini score, add up to another overlooked gem of a Disney movie, if not an essential work. It's light nature makes it understandable that some people tend not to care for it, but I enjoy it like I do any decent childhood cartoon. For me, it's the best Disney picture between the end of the golden age in the 60s and the renaissance at the end of the 80s, despite not being especially ambitious or innovative. It's just good fun, and what more can one ask for?

I enjoy this film for one main thing, besides the attention to detail concerning Victorian England...the performance of Vincent Price as Ratigan in his scenery-chewing glory. Yes, it's another mice-beneath-your-feet story, but it's so well done. Holmesians will enjoy it's inside jokes and references to other works about the famous fictional sleuth.

Fans of "Ducktales" may note that Alan Young, the voice of toymaker Hiram Flaversham, parlayed his near-perfect Scottish accent into being appointed the official voice of Scrooge McDuck.

But it's Vincent Price in what he later called one of his most favorite roles ever (He even had two original songs written for him!) that draws me back to this film again and again. He clearly enjoyed this role, and the exaggerated movements of Ratigan are obviously his.

An oddly gothic cartoon from Disney, and well worth viewing.

Under-appreciated is the best way to describe "The Great Mouse Detective" because you never hear mention of this movie. "Renaissance" this and "Classic Disney" that, but never this one. And it's a shame really, since this is a fun, well put-together flick. There's life to the animation (for a story told from a mouse's level, it's pretty good-looking), it makes good use of early CGI, and I really like the new spin on the subject matter while paying respect to earlier Sherlock Holmes adaptations. This is a real treat; good characters, dastardly plot and an outsized adventure.

7/10

This is, by far, one of the most underappreciated Disney classics of all, and one of the most developed as far as the character and the story. Basil is a perfect portrayal of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, and many don't know that it was based off a book about a mouse who lived the life of his idol, none other than Sherlock Holmes.

Personally, I love this movie because it has a colorful, developed cast of characters.

Basil is not your average Disney hero, having no love interest at any point in the movie; he is also a super-intelligent character and often bursts into fits of scientific observation. His facial expressions are timed well and are very well done, as well as his general movement. He is very excitable and you can tell he adores working on cases. He doesn't really like children, as you can see from the way he treats Olivia in the beginning. You really get a feel for Basil when watching him, and he's not easy to forget. Kids may not understand half of the things he's saying, but it's fun to watch.

Olivia is the little heroine mouse who starts Basil on his case, losing her father to a mysterious peg-legged bat of whom Basil is aware of. She is extremely plain-drawn and has no emphasis on her gender really, save for the bow in her hair and her voice, making her very realistic. She also acts alot like a realistic little girl, in her laugh, in the way she reacts to things, even in the way she exclaims "father!" when reunited with her toymaker father. Her curiosity is classic, and she has a high adoration for Basil, though he doesn't appreciate her at the start of the story.

Dawson is the elder mouse who finds Olivia looking for Basil of Baker Street. He isn't sure of who Basil is, but they end up finding him together. Dawson is, of course, Watson in mouse form, and helps Basil in his first case, being this movie.

Ratigan is the villain played by the late horror film star Vincent Price, and quite well in my opinion. He has the likeness of Mr. Price in the way he moves and acts. Of course, nothing is weirder than hearing him sing, but it happens twice in the movie-- "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" and "Goodbye, So Soon" were both written specifically for Price. He is not one of the more frightening villains as far as his looks, and is unique in that up until the climax he uses his intelligence to battle Basil, instead of the strength he obviously posesses. On a special note, Ratigan dislikes being called a rat for some reason, though I cannot remember why.

Fidget is probably one of the darkest villain henchmen in a Disney movie. He is frightening to children in appearance and voice, and the music accompanying him adds a comical aura. Fidget is by far my favorite Disney henchman, just because he's funny. The one thing that bothers me, though, is that a few times in the movie, his peg leg switches from right to left. I think it was just for the reuniting scene in which Olivia steps on his only foot, so it was switched.

The movie has many fast-paced scenes, including "Investigation At The Toy Shop" and "Big Ben Chase", among others. My personal favorite is "Big Ben Chase," because it is one of the longest Disney climaxes and it is a very unlikely setting. The movie itself is about Olivia's toymaker father being kidnapped by Fidget, and her turning to Basil for help. Basil's nemesis, Ratigan, is linked to the bat, and Basil, who was reluctant and annoyed by Olivia's protest at first, jumps at the oppertunity to see if he can finally defeat Ratigan. The movie goes from there with its "many twists and turns", to quote Basil.

If you want a fun-filled, unpredictable adventure, The Great Mouse Detective is your best bet. Especially if you're a Sherlockian or Eve Titus fan who has yet to see this exiciting portrayal of Basil of Baker Street.

As Disney films go, this is average. I can't really recommend much in this. The voice acting is probably the highlight as each character has a distinct style and personality.

This is probably one of the most unknown Disney classics.

For the time the movie was quite new and revolutionary and it doesn't quite fit in with the other movies Disney made in that period., perhaps that's the reason why it has been forgotten. But "The Great Mouse Detective" deserves to be known and seen.

The characters are real classics and one of the best to have ever appeared in a Disney movie. Actually Professor Ratigan (voiced by the legendary Vincent Price) is quite possibly my favorite movie villain of all time. No wonder that it was Vincent Price's favorite role. His style and humor is priceless and it cracks me up every time. But the other characters are also very memorable. I especially like the character of doctor Dawson.

The story is good and very pleasant and very mature compared to other Disney's from that period. But of course the idea of making a story about the mouse version of Sherlock Holmes alone is already good enough to make a fun movie about.

One of the other things that makes this movie different compared to other Disney's from that period are the songs or better said the lack of it. The movie features only one song (3 if you count the bar song and the goodbye, so soon song.). But it's not a miss. The surprising magnificent musical score by famous composer Henry Mancini make up for this loss.

The movie has a very spectacular final on and in the famous Big Ben. It's by far my favorite Disney movie ending.

Certainly a fun movie to watch over and over again.

10/10

P.S.: If you're Dutch speaking, I highly recommend that you watch this movie Dutch spoken. Believe it or not it's even better and more fun then the English version! Believe me, just give it a shot.

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"The Great Mouse Detective" was a very important Disney film for two important reasons. First, the studio was in horrible shape in the 1980s and it needed a hit badly...and the film was a considerable improvement in quality of some of the previous films (such as "The Black Cauldron"). Second, it was the first full-length Disney cartoon to have any computer animation and was way ahead of its time.

As for the film itself, this is an enjoyable film and should please everyone. However, it's also a bit slight--easier to forget and not one that is what I would consider a must-see. The animation is about that of the Disney TV shows of the time (such as "Duck Tales" and "Gummi Bears") and the characters decent but derivative. Let's face it-- it's essentially Sherlock Holmes in mouse form. Also, the sexy singing mouse scene was unnecessary and a little bit gross (as is Ratigan's sidekick). On the plus size, Vince Price is terrific and the Olivia character quite cute. Worth seeing, of course, but not quite on par with their great films of the next two decades.

The Great Mouse Detective is one of my favorite Disney films of all time, it's also one of the most under rated in my opinion. I think just because I love the story so much and it always brought up good memories, this was the funniest Disney animated movie I had seen at the time. It's just such a cute film, it has fun animation, catchy songs, and such a touching story that anyone could easily fall in love with. My parents and I watched this movie together all the time when I was a child, still to this day, I don't mind sitting down to watch it, it's just that much fun.

A young little mouse girl and her toy shop father are celebrating her birthday, but her father is quickly taken away by a rotten gang of mice who are led by a giant rat, Ratigan, who is planning to over throw the queen and become leader of the mouse world. Olivia, the daughter, goes to Basil of Baker Street, he's a mad detective who has been chasing Ratigan for a long time. Along with the help of an average mouse, Dr. Dawson, Olivia, and Basil go after Ratigan to make sure that his plan fails.

The Great Mouse Detective is such a cute film. I'm very sure that you'll enjoy it, it's one of my personal favorites, I really do think this is one of the better Disney films and is an under rated treasure. I just loved Basil, his madness was just so funny and enjoyable to watch. I also loved Ratigan's song of why he is so great, not to mention how he thinks he's a mouse is just priceless. This is a fun family film to watch, I highly recommend it.

10/10

I recall this being released, but I had missed out on it back then; consequently, I'd been looking forward to catching up with it ever since – in view of the subject matter and the distinctive vocal involvement of horror icon Vincent Price in the role of the fiendish Professor Rattigan (it's ironic, then, that when I finally watched it, his voice was dubbed in Italian!). Anyway, while it was generally engaging and mercifully involved only a handful of songs, I was somewhat let down by it: being only 74 minutes long, the plot was too slight – and obvious – to generate the requisite suspense (still, the way it integrated the kidnapping of a toymaker with Rattigan's intended takeover of the British monarchy was cleverly done).

While the classic Disney animation style is seldom in evidence (the visuals being flat overall when they should have been stylized), the studio's penchant for anthropomorphized characters is well up to par. Basil and Dr. Dawson are close enough, at least, to Hollywood's typical conception of Conan Doyle's creations (with the sleuthing rodent using logical ingenuity when cornered by his arch-nemesis and even adopting eccentric disguise during his investigation). However, much of the proceedings are stolen by Basil's amiable hound and Rattigan's absent-minded bat; the climax involving Big Ben, then, proves to be satisfactorily exciting.

"The Great Mouse Detective" is one of Disney's best films, in my opinion, because it doesn't pander to children. In this movie, the characters go to a bar, get into fights, and stripping is alluded to. However, that's not to say it isn't appropriate for children. I watched this movie when I was very young and I was so innocent that I didn't realize what those things meant. Now that I am older, I still enjoy the film. That's what makes it so great- it's enjoyable for both children and adults. Vincent Price is amazing in this film playing one of Disney's best villains. I don't know the other voice actors, but they were also great, especially the person playing Olivia. Her Scottish accent was spot-on and so darn cute. Strong characterization is one of the stronger points in this movie. Although Basil may appear cynical on the outside, he is really a sucker for Olivia. Dawson is charming and kind, Fidget is 10 times more hilarious than your average bumbling sidekick, and as I said already, Ratigan and Olivia are sublime. The Great Mouse Detective also has great music. It features 3 original songs, "World's Greatest Criminal Mind" and "Goodbye So Soon" performed by Vincent Price, and "Let Me Be Good to You" performed by Melissa Manchester as the white dancer mouse. I am proud to say that LMBGTY is one of my favorite songs of all time. Also, an excellent original score is prevalent in this movie- I wish I knew somewhere were I could get my hands on a soundtrack!! The animation is dark and moody- generally not what you'd expect from a Disney movie, and the Big Ben scene is impressive even 20 years later.

I highly recommend this movie for all Disney fans, and even for non-Disney fans. Great Mouse Detective is a diamond in the rough!!

The 26th animated Disney classic is one of the most unknown and underrated Disney classics. Yet, it has a big number of fans. Not everybody knows it (including many Disney fans themselves), but those who know it usually appreciate it. Very unlikely you'll find someone who dislikes this.

"The Great Mouse Detective" is often said to be the first animated Disney classic with animation by computer, but that title belongs to the earlier "The Black Cauldron".

"The Great Mouse Detective" is like a Sherlock Holmes mice version. Without being tremendous (far from that), it is enjoyable enough. Although it has nothing to do with "The Rescuers", it seems to have been somehow inspired by the idea and success of "The Rescuers", which encouraged them to "repeat the formula". While not as good as "The Rescuers", still this motion picture deserves some credit too.

It never reached the popularity and classic status of most Disney classics and remains forgotten and unpopular after all these years - however, not as much as "The Black Cauldron".

This movie is one of the darkest Disney cartoons and at the same time one of the funniest at times.

Like most Disney classics, it has great characters, a good general quality job on details, wonderful animation, memorable songs, a cool story, adventure, danger, friendship, the main one might ask on a Disney animated movie...

My favorite characters are Basil, Dr. David Q. Dawson, Felicia, Olivia and Toby. Why? Basil because he's wise, smart, confident and brave. Dr. Dawson because he is funny, simple and dabbler. Felicia because she is a funny character (especially when she nearly has Fidget for her dinner). Olivia because she's a cute and sweet little mouse. Toby because he's a cute and adorable dog. Both Olivia and Toby are more than cute characters - they're sweet, innocent, adorable and lovely.

Professor Ratigan is the big villain of this movie. He's the ultimate Disney villain. He's very evil (like a villain should be), but at the same time he's got a huge sense of humor, he's sarcastic and creepy at times. However, most of the time he's hilariously evil.

Fidget (the bat) is Ratigan's sidekick and helper. He's a comic relief and often abused by Ratigan.

I perfectly understand why Ratigan was one of Vincent Price's favorite roles. Vincent Price does an amazing job as the voice of Ratigan.

The soundtrack is another triumph of this movie. It has great songs such as Henry Mancini's instrumental opening theme, some beautiful classical music and the delightful Ratigan's song "Goodbye So Soon" (sung by Vincent Price himself), just to mention a few examples.

This film takes place in London, in the year of 1897. London is a beautiful and very nice big city and it has some great scenes with the majestic Big Ben (outside and inside the Big Ben).

I waited almost 25 years to see this movie, thinking it might be an underrated work, from a period animation was no longer of the quality it had once been. It starred one of the best film villains of all time, was based on a beloved series of children's books, and was a Disney Studios production. What could possibly be wrong with it? As it turns outs, almost everything.

Well, not everything. Vincent Price as Rattigan and Henry Mancini's swanky score are the movie's two saving graces. Price is wickedly enjoyable, and Mancini more professional than the material deserves. They bring class to a project that otherwise belongs in obscurity.

Meanwhile the rest of the movie, while filled with inappropriately adult situations, still suffers from a completely dull script, blandly generic voice work, terrible songs, and lazy animation that wouldn't have been out of place on any of Disney's mid-1980s Saturday morning TV shows.

This was a complete disappointment to me. It's amazing that this movie was nearly contemporary with The Secret of NIMH. Costing a fraction of this, an independent studio produced something with more creativity in its trailer than GMD has in its endless running time.

The extra star that keeps this from being "awful" goes to Price and Mancini.

Great Mouse Detective is one of the best Disney movies I've seen yet. The animation is that classic Disney style and (thank Goodness) it lacks all of those annoying songs.

As a true Sherlockian, I can only say that this is as good as it gets as far as Holmes goes. No matter what everyone says, It is still great. Kids may not get some parts f it, but every Sherlockian knows what's going on. While Ratigan may be no Moriarty, he's still the perfect example of the classic Disney villain.

Vincent Price is a terrific actor, and Alan Young as Flaversham was the perfect fit. Young Susanne Pollatschek is the perfect Olivia and no one could do a better Basil than Barrie Ingham. Val Bettin makes a lovable Dawson. Fidget is the classic evil crony.

This is absolutely a must see. For all you baby-sitters out there, and I know from personal experience, take this to your next job and the kids won't even blink for over an hour. It's one of the most memorable Disney movies of it's age. Although Beauty and the Beast will always be my favorite, GMD runs an extremely close second!

I give it 11/10! It's that good!

I always say when I write these, I loved this movie, but you may not. So how do you decide if you like it? See it! Form your own opinion! After all, one man's trash and all like that! Hope you find a good one!

The Great Mouse Detective is so underrated, it's criminal. How does nobody know about this?! It has one of the best cast of characters in a Disney film, one of the best Disney villains ever (voiced by the amazing Vincent Price, no less), and is packed with fun and adventure.

Brilliant and eccentric detective Basil of Baker Street is given the case of a lifetime when young Olivia Flavisham comes to his doorstep for help. Her father, a gifted toymaker, has been abducted by Professor Ratigan, a notorious criminal whom Basil has been chasing for years. With the help of the young mouse and the kindly but down-to-earth Dr. Dawson, Basil sets out to rescue Olivia's father and foil Ratigan's scheme.

The story seems a bit plain, but the plot isn't what makes TGMD exciting. It is the characters which bring the movie to life and make it worth watching. Being based off Sherlock Holmes himself, Basil is naturally an intelligent badass. He's enthusiastic about his work and little else at the beginning of the film, and doesn't care much for Dawson and Olivia upon first meeting them, but as the film progresses he starts opening up to them, especially Olivia. It's a nice bit of character development which gives the film heart without becoming sentimental. Dr. Dawson's warmer and less dramatic personality provides the perfect foil for Basil, and Olivia is charming and adorable without being cutesy-cutesy or annoying. But the best character has to be Ratigan, one of the great unsung Disney villains. He's funny as hell, gleefully enjoying every bit of evil he engages in and doing so with larger-than-life style; on the other hand, he can be pretty scary too, and if he snaps, boy are you screwed. He's voiced brilliantly by Vincent Price, who you can tell had a lot of fun doing the part.

The animation isn't breathtaking, but it's still good. A lot of the character animation is done extremely well, in particular facial expressions. The backgrounds are lovely and dark, perfectly giving the film the atmosphere of foggy Victorian London.

Though it's not much of a musical, the few songs in TGMD are good. I especially like "Let Me Be Good to You", which is catchy and, when viewed in context to the film, very suggestive and adult. Hilarious. Good characters, good songs, humor, heart, adventure…it's all there. It's no Pinocchio or Beauty and the Beast, but it's still a wonderful movie. How awful it is that it isn't well-known! It's one of those Disney films you'll still enjoy even when you're older, and if you haven't seen it yet, definitely check it out.

8/10

First time watching 'The Great Mouse Detective', it's good!

I wasn't sure what to expect given I hadn't really heard of this Disney animated film before, but it is actually an entertaining watch. Its story draws parallels with Sherlock Holmes, just of course with mice. It's enjoyable watching it all progress, with Basil being the Sherlock in this case.

Barrie Ingham does a grand job as the lead detective, his voice works ideally. Seeing Basil go through the processes is fun. Ratigan is a terrific antagonist, with Vincent Price voicing impressively. I also like Candy Candido's Fidget, who is the bad guy's sidekick. Val Bettin's Dawson character is kinda pointless, though he still has a place in the story.

The animation isn't the greatest of Disney's, not that it's bad but the background stuff is some scenes is quite poor; particularly in the Rat Trap. The overall premise is fun, it's paced mostly well though the ending drags ever so slightly.

Up until 1986, pre-Renaissance, this is one of the studio's best in my opinion.

A little known film but beautifully animated, with a great villain and first-class music! With most of the film being hand-drawn as a perfect version of Victorian London (except they think crumpets are muffins!) with smog dirtying the sky and cobbled streets along with a lovely colour pallet.

The acting is really good in this one, a lot better than average. Vincent Price plays one of the best Disney villains ever in the form of the dastardly Ratigan, an obvious rat, who calls himself a mouse, who's not afraid to kill his enemies, (and his friends) when they upset him; he's much more threatening than the average Disney animated villain, and he's no fool either. Barrie Ingham, who mainly acts on theatre and television shows, puts up a sterling and witty performance as Sherlock and Val Bettin does a good job as the bumbling but kind Dawson (Watson).

The plot's very interesting in comparison to other Disney animated films and has an element of surprise that other films lack, it's not a simple and predictable plot. The film has some of the most creative and intense scenes I've seen in a cartoon as well, really solid film-making.

9/10: One of the best, and sadly unheard of Disney animated movies!

This is probably one of Disney's most disturbing films. As a child the villains scared me horribly. I shied away from the film for years claiming to absolutely hate it, yet finally succumbed to watching it again couple months back.

The mousy take on Sherlock Holmes is clever and cute and the premise is simple and oh-so Disney. Still, though, at 18 years old, I was creeped out by the villains. Maybe it was the drab settings that added a level of uneasiness or Ratigan's smoky voice and queer-eye personality. In fact, with the exception of Dawson, all the characters were real drama queens. Maybe that is just the English.

Any way, this drably colorful almost classic Disney film is more suited for older children. It's still fun though. Check it out.

This movie is an absolute delight from start to finish. My only complaint was that sometimes the animation was a little crude, making a few scenes upsetting to watch, like the kidnapping scene and when Felicia the cat eats the mouse. But a vast majority of the animation was wonderful. The three songs were absolutely wonderful, especially Criminal Mind, and I loved it that Vincent Price sang in the film. How unusual! The characters were also a delight, especially Ratigan,(truly Machiavellian) with a perfect performance from the master of horror, Vincent Price, no wonder it is considered as his favourite role because he seemed to be having a wonderful time with it. The highlight of the film was the scene in Big Ben, brilliant animation in that scene. Basil and Dawson had wonderful chemistry, and I did laugh a lot in the scene in the Toyshop. Olivia is so cute, and Fidget is an inspired henchman. What impressed me most was the mix of Sherlock Holmes characters, because Toby is in the best Holmes mystery, the Sign of Four, and Fidget was probably inspired by Jonathan Small (the man with the wooden leg), from the same mystery. I think Ratigan was like Moriaty, which was great to see. In conclusion a delightful film, with minor flaws, but still lots of fun. 9/10. Bethany Cox

Disney made many animated movies similar to this in the 80's. Not similar in story, theme or characters, but similar in the fact that they were all very forgettable. This, for me, was unfortunately a very forgettable film. It's a good movie though. In this Sherlock Holmes like adventure, a mouse detective Basil is searching for little Olivia's father with the help of Dr. Dawson who just came back from Afghanistan. The only one fiendish enough to have taken her father is none other than Professor Ratigan. This movie was a really great idea for a good Disney movie, but it fell short. The animation, while pretty good, was just too loose. The characters were all pretty good, my favorite being Ratigan, voiced perfectly by Vincent Price. The music in this was very good. There were only 3 songs that were catchy, but the main theme music is really fun to listen to. The final thing that put made this not as good as it could be, was the sound effects. In several places it's as though they forgot to put in sound effects, which really takes away from the movie. However, this is a good Disney movie, but just don't expect the quality you would've seen in Beauty and the Beast.

My rating: *** out of ****. 71 mins. rated G.

The Great Mouse Detective is from Disney's weaker period, which started somewhere after The Jungle Book (1967) and ended with The Little Mermaid (1989). During that period Disney just was not able to make any of those famous Disney animated classics. This animated feature, though very short, does not entertain too much. The beginning is just too slow, the main villain not good enough and there are not enough laughs. The funny thing with this film was however, that when it finally got interesting and had enough momentum to keep me interested and entertained, it ended. Concluding, I would say that this is not a film for grown ups, but I know I loved the comic book about The Great Mouse Detective when I was a child, so maybe this one will entertain your child(ren). If you're going to sit and watch a film with your kid(s), I'd chose another film though.

6 out of 10

This was painful to watch at times, and felt like a 5-hour long movie by the time we finally finished it. Many of the bad characters and scenes are the stuff of nightmares...I can't believe this would be suitable for children.

There were some cute parts, some humor, and the animation was great for when it was made, but those things are not enough to overcome all the negatives.