Movie review: The Rescuers

When villainess Madame Medusa (voiced by Geraldine Page) kidnaps an orphan girl named Penny (Michelle Stacy) to help her find an enormous diamond, the police can’t find her-so two intrepid mice decide to track her down in Disney’s animated adventure. Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) and her janitor friend Bernard (Bob Newhart) head for the swamp to rescue Penny, enlisting the help of a ragtag group of critter friends. A more modest effort than recent Disney extravaganzas, this movie still makes for great family viewing. Medusa is a villainess in the grand tradition of Cruella Deville, and the unlikely voice pairing of Eva Gabor as va-va-voom Miss Bianca and Bob Newhart as the timid janitor Bernard works exceptionally well. They enliven the melancholy Devil’s Bayou, a haunting setting if ever there was one. It’s an interesting movie that inspires children to think boldly and creatively about the situation they are. It makes kids feel they want to heroes and save their loved ones in case of trouble.

Children

Movie review: The Rescuers