The Mouse and His Child is a 1977 animated filmDon Bluth Goes Independent - AWN.com based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Russell Hoban.UCLA Film & Television ArchiveThe Mouse and His Child by Russell Hoban: moving metaphysics for kids|Books|The Guardian
Plot The mouse and his child are two parts of a single small wind-up toy, which must be wound by a key in the father's back. After being unpacked, they discover themselves in a toy shop where they befriend a toy elephant and toy seal. The child mouse proposes staying at the shop to form a family, which the other toys ridicule.
They accidentally fall off the counter and end up in the trash. Once transported to the dump, they become enslaved by Manny the rat, who runs a casino and uses broken wind-up toys as his slave labor force. With the aid of a psychic frog, the mice escape and meet other animals on a quest to become free and independent self-winding toys.
They rediscover the elephant and seal, who are somewhat broken down. Together they manage to form a family and destroy the rat empire.Internet ArchiveTime Out London
Cast CharacterEnglishBehind The Voice ActorsJapaneseManny the RatPeter UstinovIchirō ZaitsuThe ElephantJoan GerberMasumi HarukawaThe SealSally KellermanShinobu ŌtakeThe FrogAndy DevineKinba SanyūteiThe CrowsFrank NelsonGorō NayaCliff NortonThe ClockRegis CordicJoji YanamiEuterpeCloris LeachmanYukiji AsaokaIggyNeville BrandOsamu KatōMuskratBob HoltKazuo KumakuraJack in the BoxRobert RidgelyIchirō NagaiTellerMaitzi MorganKeiko HanStarlingsYumi NakataniIris RainerChiyoko KawashimaPaper PeopleFuyumi Shiraishi Charles WoolfMakio InoueBluejayKaneta KimotsukiThe MouseAlan BarzmanAlan Barzman - 3 Characters|Behind The Voice ActorsHiroshi SakamotoThe Mouse ChildMarcy SwensonAtsuko SakamotoRalphieMel LevenShunji Fujimura
Additional English voices John Carradine (The Tramp) Cliff Osmond (Serpentina)
Home media The film was first released on RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video on VHS in 1983The Mouse and his child (VHS tape, 1983)-WorldCat.org and re-released in 1985Amazon.com The Mouse and His Child VHS in the United States. A DVD version has yet to be released in the United States,Top 10 movies starring toys that come alive|Den of Geek but it was released on DVD in Japan.The Extraordinary Adventures Of The Mouse and His Child (DVD) (Japan Version)|YesAsia
Reception Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the direction, writing and music score, but criticized the darker elements and stated that "83 minutes is a long time for an adult to think about mice".Screen: 'Mouse And Child' - The New York Times
Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide rated the movie BOMB (his lowest rating) out of four stars. He says "Boring animated film. Talk, talk, talk, and no action."
See also Children's literature 1977 in film
References
External links
The Head of Orpheus Fan Page For Russell Hoban