There is absolutely no doubt that Mr. Disney had a soft spot
for little critters given how many rodents in the Disney animations list have
saved the day. But why are rodents so popular in the Disney world? Let’s
explore.
To start off, Mickey and Minnie are both mice, both kind,
clever and charismatic. They are two of the world’s greatest celebrities, one
of the world’s cutest couples and are a source of inspiration to so many people
young and old. Then there was Chip and
Dale the adorable and troublesome chipmunks who have their own film called The
Two Rescue Rangers! Talk about saving the day.
There were then a series of Disney animated classics where rodents are the heroes of the film.
We have Timothy Q mouse who saves poor baby elephant
Dumbo when separated from his mother in a circus and convinces him of his
abilities to fly through life. After they first meet, Timothy Q becomes his
mentor and his companion and the pair embark on amazing adventures together
despite the size difference.
Of course we can’t forget the mice in Cinderella. Jaq,
Gus, Luke, Mert, Bert, Perla and Suzy, are, along with the birds, her only friends who care for her
throughout the film and stop at nothing to make her happy even if it means
risking their little lives to the malicious Lucifer. They make her ball gown,
the boys volunteer to be her horses and they all manage to get the key from
Lady Tremain’s pocket to free Cinderella from her confinement allowing her to
live happily ever after as one of our charming Disney princesses.
Roquefort the mouse from The Aristocats proves himself a loyal housemate to his
feline friends by saving Duchess and her kittens from the naughty butler
Edgar’s grasp by rallying the alley cats to help him.
Then there is a whole two movies, The Rescuers and the
Rescuers Down under based on two courageous mice who have the guts to travel
long distances to save two human children’s’ lives and trump human villains!
There are also smaller appearances like that of the Porcupine in
the Fox and the Hound who, concerned for Tod’s safety, takes him into his house
on his first night in the woods.
Basil the mouse from Basil the Great Mouse Detective who has a whole film named
after him uses his intelligence system to reunite a little mouse with her father
and tackle the evil Professor Padraic Ratigan, the notorious vicious sewer rat
(one of the only rodent villains).
After Pixar came along, Remy the rat took on the spotlight
with his cooking skills helping Linguini the young chef to achieve his lifelong
goals.
Don’t worry I haven’t
forgotten little Pip, the Chipmunk from Enchanted, Giselle’s loyal friend who
does whatever he can to save her from harm.
So what of all these lovable creatures? Why has Disney chosen
to feature these little things as heroes again and again? Is it because
children can relate to small and fluffy friends more than people or is it
because they add comic relief to all the fright? Or maybe Disney’s underlying
message is that it does not matter how small or vulnerable you are, when you
have courage, you have power. If you believe, you will achieve. That is the
message that has allowed these tiny individuals to resonate through the screen,
into our hearts and around the world.
Gotta love the rodents!
R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue
Aid Society, Heads held high, touch the sky, You mean everything to me
In a fix, in a bind,
Call on us anytime, We'll appear from nowhere, Mighty are we
R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue
Aid Society, Honesty, loyalty, We pledge to thee
R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue
Aid Society, Heads held high, touch the sky, You mean everything to me
In a jam, in a scrape,
And you think, "no escape", Do not fear, we'll be here, Courageous
are we
R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue
Aid Society, Heads held high, touch the sky, Our hearts we pledge to thee.
The Rescuers (1977)
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| Bernard and Bianca from Disney's The Rescuers |
By Tasneem Mahmoud
