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Synopsis[]

The film starts with opening credits to the song “The Aristocats” and the background animation is of Duchess and her kittens. The cats are showcasing their talents and the painting that Toulouse is working on turns into the actual Parisian landscape. The scene zooms in on a carriage that is being pulled by Frou-Frou the horse and is being driven by Edgar the butler. It is carrying Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, Duchess and the kittens. A caption reads “Paris, 1910.”

Toulouse bothers Edgar while he is trying to drive and Berlioz rides on Frou-Frou’s hat. As they arrive home, Madame gives Frou-Frou a treat and Duchess makes sure that Berlioz thanks the horse for letting him ride on her hat. Madame calls for all the cats to go inside and as they head in, Madame warns Edgar that she is expecting her attorney, Georges Hautecourt.

Georges drives up in his backfiring car and is singing “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay.” He trips and comments that he is not as spry as since he was 80. Edgar lets Georges inside and offers that they take the elevator. But Georges is determined not to only take the stairs, but to race Edgar to the top. He thinks that elevators are for old people. Edgar tries his best to help Georges up the stairs, but he ends up carrying Georges on his back.

Madame is upstairs and getting herself ready. She warns Duchess that they must both look their best for Georges because he is their oldest and dearest friend. There is a knock on the door and it is Edgar, who is fully out of breath. He announces Georges and Georges enters and kisses Duchess’s tail, thinking that it is Madame’s hand. Berlioz starts up the gramophone and Georges and Madame start to reminisce about how they met at one of her grand premieres from since she was an opera singer. The pair dance and the kittens play amongst their feet. But then, Berlioz trips onto the gramophone and the music stops. Then Madame reminds Georges that she has asked him there on a very reluctant legal matter. Georges gets emotional because he thinks that Madame lets him sue someone, but Madame corrects him because she actually wants to make her will. Georges asks who the beneficiaries will be and Madame goes on to say that she has no living relatives and that she wants her cats to be well cared for.

The scene shows that Edgar is in the next room, ironing his pants, and he is listening to Georges and Madame through a pipe in the wall. Madame says that no one can take better care of her cats than Edgar and Georges thinks that she means that she is going to leave all her assets to Edgar. Edgar gets a big smirk on his face and becomes very giddy at the thought, but then Madame says that she is actually going to leave everything to her cats. The cats will be first and then until they pass on, Edgar will be next in line. Edgar starts to freak out at the math of the cats living their nine lives. He comes to the conclusion that he will be gone before the cats. Edger decides that the cats should be gone first and that he will think of a fashion to get rid of them. There are a million reasons why he shall and all of them are dollars.

The next scene shows the kittens racing towards their cat door, but they get stuck as all three try to go through at the same time. Marie thinks that she shall be first because she is a lady but her brothers just think that she is nothing but a sister. Then they go racing into the living room and play fight and tickle each other on the rug. Toulouse incidentally drops a candle on Marie’s head and she yells for their mother. Duchess comes in and scolds the kittens for not being lady and gentlemen like. They warn Duchess that they were only practicing their fighting and clawing, but Duchess says that Aristocats do not practice such facts. And that they shall be working on their self-improvement. Toulouse goes away to paint and the other cats go to watch. Toulouse paints Edgar and all of the other cats laugh at this, including Duchess, who then corrects herself and says that Edgar takes very nice care of them all.

In the kitchen, Edgar is making his Crème de la Crème à la Edgar with sleeping pills mixed in. He starts singing to himself about his future riches to the tune of “Rock-a-Bye Baby.”

Duchess warns Marie and Berlioz that they must start their music lessons now. They are going to practice their scales and arpeggios and Berlioz plays the piano as Marie sings “Scales and Arpeggios.” Duchess joins in the singing with Marie, while Toulouse joins in on the piano and gets paint everywhere. Edgar comes in with the Crème de la Crème à la Edgar and incidentally warns the cats to “sleep well, I mean eat well, of course.” The cats start to drink up the cream and Roquefort the mouse comes side-by-side with a cracker. Duchess offers that he joins them and he dunks his cracker into Berlioz’s dish. The cream is so delicious that Roquefort swiftly eats up the entire cracker. The mouse leaves to go get another cracker, but starts to get so sleepy that he does not even make it inside his mouse hole before falling asleep. The kittens and Duchess start to yawn and drift away as well.

At nighttime, Edgar pokes his head out of the cat door to see if anyone is around. There is spy-sounding music playing. He sneaks out of the house with a covered basket and backs into a tree. He thinks that the branch is a gun pointed at him and he starts to freak out. He realizes his mistake, but is yet very jumpy. He puts the basket down in the sidecar and checks on the sleeping cats inside. Edgar takes off down the streets of Paris with his backfiring motorcycle, actively avoiding the police station. The butler ends up in the countryside.

On a farm, Napoleon the bloodhound hears the motorcycle approaching and awakens Lafayette the Basset hound. Napoleon wants to chase the motorcycle, but Lafayette complains that they have already bit six tires and chased four motorcars, a bicycle and a scooter. Napoleon ignores Lafayette’s complaining and says that the vehicle approaching is a two cylinder, chain drive motorcycle with one squeaky wheel. Napoleon warns Lafayette to sound the attack and the Basset hound says to “charge.” But Napoleon trips Lafayette and warns the other dog that he is the leader, then he will say where to charge. Napoleon waits a second before declaring that now they can go. The two dogs start barking and chasing after Edgar. Edgar ends up off the road and loses the basket down past a creek. The dogs somehow end up in the sidecar and they attack Edgar right out of the motorcycle. Napoleon drives the motorcycle with Lafayette in the sidecar, but they smash and the sidecar breaks off. After much chaos, Edgar is able to get his motorcycle back and takes off, but the dogs are left with Edgar’s hat, umbrella and the sidecar.

A lightning storm starts and the scene zooms in on the basket down past the creek. Duchess, who has fallen out of the basket, awakens to the thunder and wonders where she is. She starts to look for the kittens and finds Marie stuck in a small tree. Marie thinks that she has had a nightmare and has fallen out of bed. Then they hear Berlioz shouting. The poor kitten is in the creek and is very cold and wet. He gets frightened by a bullfrog and goes running towards his mother. Then they shout and look for Toulouse, who is yet in the basket and is wondering what all the yelling is about. He warns the others about his funny dream about riding and bouncing along with Edgar, and then he hears the frog and realizes that it was not a dream and that Edgar did this to them. The rest of his family does not believe that it was Edgar though. The thunder frightens them all and they crawl into the basket. The cats think that the situation looks hopeless and they think that poor Madame is going to be so concerned until she finds them gone.

The scene changes to show Madame asleep in her bed. She awakens to the rain pouring and realizes that Duchess and the kittens are gone. She is concerned and terrified and goes running through the house, looking for them. Roquefort overhears that the cats are gone and is very shocked as well. He decides to go out and look for them. He puts on his little raincoat and hat and heads out into the pouring rain.

The next morning is bright and sunny. Duchess is sleeping outside of the basket and is awakened by someone singing. She sees Thomas O’Malley strutting along the creek and he is singing “Thomas O’Malley Cat.” Thomas spies Duchess and is instantly smitten with her. He comes closer to her and keeps singing his song. The kittens wake up and are very emotional that an alley cat is there. They watch from inside the basket. After he is done singing, Duchess introduces herself and Thomas just showers her with flattery. Duchess explains that she is in danger and that she must get back to Paris as soon as possible. Thomas says that he can fly her there on a magic carpet, and they will be side by side with the stars as their guide. Then Marie appears because she thinks this is absolutely romantic and her brothers appear as well. Thomas is very surprised to see the kittens and is not as enthusiastic about going on a magic carpet ride, along with the kittens. Duchess says that she understands and the Aristocats leave. As they head away, Toulouse shows Thomas his alley cat skills and Thomas warms up to him. Then the alley cat changes his mind and calls for them to stop. He says that he promised a magic carpet ride and that is what they are all going to get. He shows them where the magic carpet is going to stop for passengers and then warns them to hide in the nearby bushes as he climbs up a tree. A milk truck appears down the road and then until it is close, Thomas jumps onto the hood and frightens the driver. The upset driver has to get out of the truck to crank it up again and Thomas warns the others to jump in the back and it will take them to Paris.

Thomas stays behind and waves a farewell and as Marie is waving, she falls out of the back of the truck. Thomas rescues her and jumps back into the truck and decides to join them on their journey. He says that he will show them the time of their lives as they get to Paris, but Duchess says that Madame will be missing them where they must get back to her. She says that Madame will be all alone in that big mansion and the scene shows Madame looking very mournful in her mansion.

Inside the stable, Frou-Frou asks Roquefort how his search went. The mouse says that it does not go well and they think that it is a mournful day for all of them. But then, Edgar comes into the stable and is very cheerful. He asks Frou-Frou if she can keep a secret and then replies to himself that of course she can. Then Edgar shows Frou-Frou how he has made the newspapers headline “Mysterious Toy-maker Abducts Family of Cats.” Roquefort and Frou-Frou now know that he is the toy-maker and Edgar continues to brag about his perfect crime. He suddenly remembers that during his perfect crime he left his hat and umbrella at the scene and that he must go back there that night.

Back at the milk truck traveling through the countryside, Thomas offers the kittens breakfast, but says that first they must conduct a magic spell. He makes the kittens wiggle their noses, tickle the chins and then close their eyes and cross their hearts. And presto, breakfast. Thomas flips open a can that is labelled “cream” and the kittens enjoy their breakfast. Then the driver sees the cats in the rear-view mirror and chases them out of the truck. They run into a nearby shed. The cats wait until the truck is gone and then they continue on their journey back home. They come across a train bridge that they need to cross and the kittens want to play train. Toulouse and Berlioz make Marie be the caboose. Then a real train comes and they must hide under the trestles. But Marie falls down into the water below and Thomas jumps in to save her. Duchess and the boys run down to the bank beside the flowing river. Thomas is able to pass Marie to Duchess, but is not able to get out of the river himself.

Two geese appear and spot Thomas in the water and they think how strange it is that a cat is trying to learn how to swim. They decide to help by getting in the water and teaching him. Thomas is holding onto a willow tree branch in the water and is trying to get back to shore. He is very annoyed with the geese and ends up letting go of the branch. Thomas starts to drown and the geese just warn him not to worry about form because that will come later. But then, he is under for so long that they realize that he is in danger and go “bottoms up.”

Duchess and the kittens appear just as the two geese are pulling Thomas out of the water. Duchess thanks the geese and they introduce themselves as Amelia and Abigail Gabble. They are twin sisters, who are on a walking tour of France for a holiday. They warn Duchess that her husband is very charming and handsome, but Duchess corrects them in that Thomas is not her husband. Then the two geese start to criticize Thomas. Duchess stops them and explains that Thomas is a darling friend of theirs, who is helping them get to Paris. Amelia and Abigail are heading to Paris themselves and suggest that they all go together. They take over the small group and line everyone up with Thomas in the back. They warn the cats to “think goose.” And they all start waddling to Paris. Amelia and Abigail warn the cats about their Uncle Waldo, whom they are going to meet at Le Petit Café.

The next scene is of Le Petit Café and Uncle Waldo gets kicked out of the kitchen for chasing the chef, who was about to cook the goose. Uncle Waldo is drunk and has the hiccups. Amelia, Abigail and the cats meet up with Uncle Waldo and he warns them his mournful story about almost being cooked and how he is now missing his tail feathers. He shows them the menu, which reads “Prime Country Goose.” Uncle Waldo is very loud and long as his nieces try to silence him. They say that they must get going and the three geese leave while laughing very hard.

The next scene is of Roquefort and Frou-Frou peeking out of the stable window. They see that Edgar is coming where Roquefort goes to hide in the broken tail light of Edgar’s motorcycle. They take off and Roquefort gets bounced around so hard that he cannot hold on and the poor mouse goes flying away. Edger heads back to the country side and sneaks around a field in his squeaky shoes, trying to find his missing items.

Napoleon and Lafayette are sleeping in the field with all of Edgar’s items around them, which now includes the basket the cats were in. Edgar spots them and runs to hide for shelter. Napoleon awakens and hears the squeaky shoes. He awakens Lafayette and warns him that the shoes are oxfords, size 9.5, and that there is a hole in the left sole. Edgar realizes that his shoes are giving him off and takes them away. Lafayette thinks that it was just a little old cricket bug and Napoleon informs Lafayette that he is the leader where he will decide what it was. He waits a moment and then decides that it was a little old cricket bug. The dogs go back to sleep and Edgar uses a fishing pole in an attempt to get his hat. The hat drops onto Lafayette’s head and Napoleon awakens. The bloodhound is mad at Lafayette for taking his hat, because Napoleon is the leader and deserves the hat. Edgar tries again to get the hat, but Napoleon is yet awake and clamps his arms around the hat and goes back to sleep. Then Edgar tickles Napoleon and is able to catch the hat. Then Edgar goes for the basket and catches it while Lafayette is yet sleeping in it. Edger tilts the basket up where that Lafayette slips down and into the sidecar with Napoleon. Then Edgar catches the umbrella, but it is attached to a horn, which honks. The dogs awaken and notice that their items are gone and they go looking for the culprit. Lafayette steps into Edgar’s shoes and the dogs think that someone wearing the shoes is super close. Then Napoleon hears a one-wheeled haystack wheeling off and they see that the sidecar is in a haystack. The dogs attack the contraption and end up smashing into a barn, which gives Edgar the chance to escape with all of his items.

Back in Paris, the cats are walking along the roofs. Thomas does not think that they can get all the road back to Madame’s that night and the kittens are very tired; the alley cat knows a place nearby where they can spend the night. They arrive at his silent old penthouse pad, but then jazz music starts to blast from inside. Thomas says that Scat Cat and his buddies must have stopped side-by-side and suggests finding a different place to stay, but Duchess and the kittens are enthusiastic about meeting Scat Cat and about the music. They go inside the attic and meet the other alley cats. Scat Cat starts to sing “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Duchess and the kittens join in and Duchess plays a harp solo halfway through the song and Thomas sings a duet with her. Then the alley cats start stomping on the piano and it goes smashing down from floor to floor. All of the alley cats head out of the building while yet singing and playing their now-broken instruments.

In the next scene, Duchess is tucking her kittens into bed and they are sleepily singing “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat.” Duchess and Thomas sit in the window, look outing at Paris and then they crawl up to the roof top as the kittens sneakily follow. Thomas warns Duchess that he thinks that the kittens need a father around and Duchess says that she thinks that his penthouse pad needs a feminine touch. But Duchess knows that they have to go home tomorrow and the kittens are very disappointed to hear this. They think that they almost had a father.

The next morning, the cats are getting close to their home in the “classy neighborhood” in Paris. The kittens see their mansion and start to race home. Roquefort sees the cats from the window and runs to go greet them. But he stops until he sees Edgar, who is smoking a cigar and leaning back with his feet propped up on the piano, enjoying his success. Roquefort ties the butler’s shoelaces together and ends up getting shot with a popping cork from Edger’s celebration.

The kittens try to jump through their cat door, but it is locked where they start meowing. Edgar hears and tries to get to the door, but he trips over his tied shoelaces. Roquefort tries to warn the kittens to go away through the window, but they do not understand.

Duchess and Thomas have a heartful farewell. Edgar lets the cats in and pretends to be happy to see them, but then catches them in a sack. Roquefort is too late to warn them and Thomas leaves, with no idea of what just happened. Madame calls for Edgar to open the door because she thinks she had heard her cats. Edgar swiftly hides the sack in the oven and then pretends to look for the cats outside. Then Madame thinks that it must have been her mind playing tricks on her. The cats warn Roquefort through the oven door about Thomas and that Roquefort needs to go get the alley cats.

Roquefort catches up with Thomas and warns him what just happened. Thomas warns the mouse to go get Scat Cat and his alley cats, but Roquefort is afraid to do so. Thomas warns him that he will need the help and to just say that O’Malley sent him. Roquefort stumbles upon the alley cats and they think it is hilarious that a mouse was sent to them for help by another cat. Poor Roquefort cannot remember what Thomas O’Malley’s name is and Scat Cat gives him three strikes and then asks the mouse if he has any last words. Roquefort blurts out “Why did I listen to that O’Malley cat?” Scat Cat and the other alley cats now know that Roquefort is warning the truth and they run away towards Madame’s. They all run past a café and a patron pours out his wine after seeing what looks like a mouse chase a bunch of cats.

At the stable, Edgar locks the cats into a trunk and says that they are being shipped to Timbuktu. He starts to push the trunk out to the road, but then Thomas pounces on him. Frou-Frou helps out and blocks the trunk and Edgar chases Thomas around and tries to stab him with a pitchfork. He corners Thomas and traps him with the pitchfork and then the stable doors open and the alley cats come bursting in. They attack Edgar and Roquefort goes right to the trunk and tries to unlock the lock. He yells at everyone to be silent where he can hear the lock clicks and then he is able to unlock the trunk. Thomas warns Duchess and her kittens to jump out, but Edgar swiftly closes the lid, trapping them all inside. But then, the alley cats attack back and the trunk opens. The cats jump out and Edgar gets trapped inside. Then the trunk is pushed out front and the delivery truck comes and picks it up for delivery to Timbuktu.

In the finale scene, Madame is taking a family portrait of her cats, which now includes Thomas. He has a fancy new collar. Georges is there and is updating Madame’s will. He takes out one butler. Madame thinks that if Edgar had known about the will, he mustn't have left. The cats then run downstairs because Madame has a surprise there. Music starts to play and Georges comments that it sounds like swinging cats. Madame says that is what it is. This is the start of her new foundation, a home for all of the alley cats of Paris. The cats start singing a reprise of “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat” and even Frou-Frou, Uncle Waldo, Amelia, Abigail, Napoleon and Lafayette join in. Then Lafayette comments that it must be the end and Napoleon informs him that he is the leader where he will say until it is the end. Text reading “The End” flies into Napoleon and he says that it is now the end.

Cast[]

Character's name Voiced by
Thomas O'Malley Phil Harris
Duchess Eva Gabor
Edgar Roddy Maude-Roxby
Toulouse Gary Dubin
Marie Liz English
Berlioz Dean Clark
Roquefort Sterling Holloway
Scat Cat Scatman Crothers
Chinese Cat Paul Winchell
English Cat Tim Hudson
Italian Cat Vito Scotti
Russian Cat Thurl Ravenscroft
Napoleon Pat Buttram
Lafayette George Lindsey
Madame Bonfamille Hermione Baddeley
Georges Hautecourt Charles Lane
Frou-Frou Nancy Kulp
Amelia Gabble Carole Shelley
Abigail Gabble Monica Evans
Uncle Waldo Bill Thompson

In Other Languages[]

Language Title
French Les Aristochats
Spanish Los Aristogatos
Portuguese Aristogatas
German Aristocats
Italian Gli Aristogatti
Swedish Aristocats
Dutch De Aristokatten
Japanese おしゃれキャット
Chinese 貓兒歷險記
Korean 아리스토캣
Thai แมวเหมียวพเนจร

Release timeline[]

Format Country of origin Date Notes
Original theatrical USA December 24, 1970[1]
Original theatrical Chile October 1, 1971 Ironically the same day that Walt Disney World opened to the public.
Original theatrical Japan March 11, 1972
Re-issue in theaters USA December 19, 1980
Re-issue in theaters Japan July 20, 1985
Second re-issue in theaters USA April 10, 1987
Re-issue in theaters Chile August 20, 1993
Re-issue in theaters UK March 25, 1994
VHS Chile March 11, 1994
VHS UK February 1995
VHS France Q2 1995
VHS USA April 24, 1996
VHS Chile March 14, 1997
VHS Japan April 25, 1997
VHS Brazil May 1997
VHS South Korea July 13, 1999
VHS Australia November 1999
DVD USA April 4, 2000
DVD Taiwan November 14, 2000
DVD Latin America 2001
DVD UK October 29, 2001
DVD France October 31, 2001
DVD Australia November 21, 2001
DVD Japan July 19, 2002
DVD South Korea July 22, 2003
DVD Chile October 18, 2003
DVD (Special Edition) UK February 4, 2008
DVD (Special Edition) USA February 5, 2008
DVD (Special Edition) Brazil February 20, 2008
DVD (Special Edition) Thailand March 2008
DVD (Special Edition) Chile March 21, 2008
DVD (Special Edition) Taiwan May 5, 2008
DVD (Special Edition) Japan August 6, 2008
Trailer for Blu-ray Disc Worldwide May 30, 2012
Blu-ray Disc UK June 25, 2012
Blu-ray Disc Japan August 3, 2012
Blu-ray Disc France August 8, 2012
Blu-ray Disc South Korea August 8, 2012
Blu-ray Disc Taiwan August 10, 2012
Blu-ray Disc Latin America August 13, 2012
Blu-ray Disc USA August 21, 2012
Digital Download USA August 21, 2012
Blu-ray Disc Chile September 28, 2012
Blu-ray Disc Australia October 10, 2012
Digital HD USA November 20, 2012
Blu-Ray & Digital HD USA January 2, 2018
Disney+ USA November 12, 2019

Production of a sequel, The Aristocats II, began in December 2005, but was canceled a few months later. In addition, the movie was originally set for release as a 2-Disc Special Edition on March 27, 2007, but was delayed so Disney could add new, never-before-seen bonus features.

Availability on Disney+[]

Audio Subtitles
Chinese (中文/简体) Y Y
Chinese (中文/繁體) Y Y
Chinese (粵語) Y Y
Dansk Y Y
Deutsch Y Y
English Y Y
Español Y Y
Español (Latinoamérica) Y Y
Français Y Y
Français (Canada) N Y
Italiano Y Y
Magyar Y Y
Nederlands Y Y
Norsk Y Y
Polski Y Y
Português Y Y
Português (Brasil) Y Y
Română Y Y
Slovenčina N Y
Suomi Y Y
Svenska Y Y
Türkçe Y Y
Íslenska Y Y
Čeština Y Y
Ελληνικά Y Y
Japanese Y Y
Korean Y Y

The film was also dubbed in Putonghua Chinese.

Moreover, Québec uses the European French dub of this film.

Gallery[]

Screenshots[]

Rankings[]

Rank of worldwide release 16
Rank of release in North America 16
Rank of release on VHS worldwide 31
Rank of release on VHS in North America 30
Rank of release on DVD worldwide 17
Rank of release on DVD in North America 14
Rank of release on Blu-ray and/or Digital HD worldwide 71
Rank of release on Blu-ray and/or Digital HD in North America 69

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