101 Dalmatians (1961)

"Grand Disney animated film that doesn't have a bad spot in it.  Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
"Disney doggie classic is spot-on entertainment for kids.  James Rocchi, NetFlix
"No offence to Glenn Close, but nothing quite compares with the original Cruella DeVille.  Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
"One of Disney's last true classics.  Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
"As one of many delightful little aspects of the film, notice how the owners and their dogs look so much alike.  Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews

Editor's Note When the wicked Cruella de Vil and her henchmen kidnap Dalmatian puppies for their cherished spotted fur, it is up to the puppies' parents, Pongo and Perdita, and some brave farm animals, to free the caged canines. Though 101 DALMATIANS has fewer songs than many of its animated brethren, the essential musical number "Cruella de Vil" is as much fun as any 10 tracks. Based on the book by Dodie Smith, this Walt Disney animated classic spawned the 1996 live-action remake, as well as a sequel called 101 DALMATIANS II: PATCH'S LONDON ADVENTURE.

	Ben Wright - Voice Of
	Betty Lou Gerson - Voice Of
	Bill Peet - Screenplay
	Cate Bauer - Voice Of
	Clyde Geronimi, et. al. - Director
	Dodie Smith - Based On Novel By
	Donald Halliday - Editor
	George Bruns - Original Music By
	Ken Anderson - Art Director
	Ken Anderson - Production Designer
	Rod Taylor - Voice Of
	Roy M. Brewer, Jr. - Editor
	Walt Disney - Producer

When the wicked Cruella and her henchmen kidnap dalmatian puppies for their cherished spotted fur, it is up to the puppies' parents, Pongo and Perdita, and some brave farm animals, to free the caged canines. New York Times
"...An enjoyable G-rated children's film with a cheery, innocent spirit and a meanie to remember..." 07/12/1991 p.C8

USA Today
"...[A] charmer..." -- 3 out of 4 stars 04/10/1992 p.3D

Sight and Sound
"...Undoubtedly one of the studio's most endearing and enduring films, DALMATIANS is as witty and fresh today as it was 25 years ago..." 04/01/1995 p.55

Los Angeles Times
"...The film remains fresh, funny and thoroughly entertaining..." 07/12/1991 p.F12

Entertainment Weekly
"Here, it's the humans who provide most of the slapstick, and the dogs who provide the grace." -- Grade: A 03/07/2008 p.75

Empire
5 stars out of 5 -- "Its storytelling is flawless, its animation staggering and, in Cruella DeVil, it boasts the greatest Disney villain bar none. Spotless." 04/01/2008 p.154

Variety 8 of 10
While not as indelibly enchanting or inspired as some of the studio's most unforgettable animated endeavors, this is nonetheless a painstaking creative effort. There are some adults for whom 101 - count 'em - dalmatians is about 101 dalmatians too many, but even the most hardened, dogmatic pooch-detester is likely to be amused by several passages in this story...Bill Peet's screen yarn, based on the book by Dodie Smith, is set in London and concerned with the efforts of Blighty's four-legged population to rescue 99 dognapped pups from the clutches of one Cruella De Ville, a chic up-to-date personification of the classic witch. The concerted effort is successful thanks to a canine sleuthing network ('Twilight Bark') that makes Scotland Yard an amateur outfit by comparison...Film purportedly is the $4 million end product of three years of work by some 300 artists. It benefits from the vocal versatility of a huge roster of 'voice' talents, including Rod Taylor, J. Pat O'Malley and Betty Lou Gerson. There are three songs by Mel Leven, best and most prominent of which is 'Cruella De Ville'.

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
All of Walt Disney's animated films have his signature on them, but "101 Dalmatians" (1961) was one of the last to be made under his personal supervision. Seen 30 years later in a national re-release, it's an uneven film, with moments of inspiration in a fairly conventional tale of kidnapping and rescue. This is not one of the great Disney classics - it's not in the same league with "Snow White" or "Pinocchio" - but it's passable fun, and will entertain its target family audiences...One sequence stands out from the others, as the puppies line up in front of the TV set to watch their favorite show, starring a brave dog. The interplay between the show and the pups is clever, and the TV show itself functions as a little added attraction; this is the first feature with the cartoon built in...If there's one thing that's absolutely first-rate about the film, it's the character of Cruella, with a voice by Betty Lou Gerson, who achieves almost operatic effects with her sudden entrances and exits, accompanied by clouds of yellow cigarette smoke. She's in a league with the Wicked Stepmother and the other great Disney villainesses - but the rest of the movie is more ordinary. - Roger Ebert