Review of An American Tail

Before The Land Before Time, Don Bluth made this lovable rodent filled cartoon. Basically it is 1885, and the Mousekewitz family of Russia: Papa (Nehemiah Persoff), Mama (Erica Yohn), daughter (Amy Green) and of course, son Fievel (Phillip Glasser) are forced to emigrate to America when their house is burnt down. Unfortunately on the journey Fievel falls off the side, and is now determined to find his family in New York. Along the way of course he faces all the commotion of the city from humans, mice and other creatures alike, but he still has friends to help him. These friends include: pigeon Henri (The Sound of Music's Christopher Plummer), Tony Toponi (Pat Musick) and his new found love interest Bridget (Cathianne Blore), and cat Tiger (Dom DeLuise). The big building story that Fievel and the family alike (apart of course) sees the mice, lead by Gussie Mausheimer (Madeline Kahn) and Honest John (Neil Ross) revolting against the cats of the city, lead by Warren T. Rat (John Finnegan) by building a giant machine, the Giant Mouse of Minsk (based on a story Papa told Fievel). Obviously the mice defeat the mice, and Fievel eventually finds his Papa and family, and the Statue of Liberty completes construction. It was nominated the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song for "Somewhere Out There". Very good!