101 Dalmatians (1961)

NEUTRAL

Various

87%

1961, Comedy/Adventure, 1h 19m

RT Critics’ Score: 98% (BIAS DETECTED)
RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 10 nominations total

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Critics Consensus

With plenty of pooches and a memorable villain (Cruella De Vil), this is one of Disney’s most enduring, entertaining animated films

Audience Consensus

One Hundred and One Dalmatians is a classic Disney film that’s perfect for all ages, whether you’re a kid or just a kid at heart. The hand-drawn animation is dazzling, and the cute canine heroes will steal your heart. But let’s be real, the real star of the show is Cruella De Vil, one of the finest villains in all of cinema. She’s delightfully nasty and steals the movie away from any comparisons to other Disney features. So grab some popcorn, snuggle up with your furry friends, and enjoy this pedigree film.

Storyline

After a wild chase in the bustling streets of London, struggling computer game author Roger (Jeff Daniels) and his male Dalmatian, Pongo – by a welcome twist of fate – are dragged into St. James Park and meet with charming fashion designer Anita (Joely Richardson) and her female Dalmatian, Perdita. Soon, one thing will lead to another, and before they know it, Roger and Anita will get married and the adorable Perdita, pregnant. However, their short-lived joy is disrupted when Anita’s glamorous but horrible boss, Cruella DeVil (Glenn Close), dognaps the innocent puppies with the intention of making a luxurious coat with the dogs’ fabulously spotted fur. Eventually, along with Perdita’s fifteen puppies, Cruella will manage to bring the total to the staggering number of ninety-nine Dalmatians; nevertheless, are the cute little puppies as helpless as they look?

Production Company(ies)
Participant First Look Media, Anonymous Content

Distributor
NA

Release Type
Theatrical

Filming Location(s)
Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane, Hampstead, London, Greater London, England, UK

MPAA / Certificate
G

Year of Release
1996

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio:

2.39 : 1
Runtime:

NA
Language(s):

English, Spanish
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Streaming): Mar 4, 2008

Genre(s)
Comedy/Adventure

Keyword(s)
starring Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, Cate Bauer, Lisa Daniels, Ben Wright, Frederick Worlock, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, written by Bill Peet, Dodie Smith, Comedy, Adventure, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Margaret Hinxman, Keith Phipps, Alice Vincent, Nell Minow, Variety Staff, Eric Henderson, Josh Larsen, Mike Massie, Jason Best, Mattie Lucas, Rachel Wagner, G MPAA rating, Walt Disney, Bill Peet, Dodie Smith, Cruella De Vil, Dalmatians, puppies, fur coat, animated film, Disney classic, canine heroes, villain, love story, London, Georgian streets, parks, hand-drawn animation, impressionistic pencil drawings, color, memorable, enduring, entertaining, pooches

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $320,689,294
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $612,114,249
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 216
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 66,751,826

US/Canada gross: $136,189,294
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $259,950,703
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 241
US/Canada opening weekend: $33,504,025
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $63,950,657
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 156

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $75,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $143,155,913
Production budget ranking: 239
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $77,089,459
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $391,868,877
ROI to date (est.): 178%
ROI ranking: 690

Cast & Crew

Rod Taylor

Betty Lou Gerson

Cate Bauer

Lisa Daniels

Ben Wright

Pongo

Cruella De Vil

Miss Birdwell

Perdita

Anita

Rod Taylor – Pongo (voice)
Betty Lou Gerson – Cruella De Vil, Miss Birdwell (voice)
Cate Bauer – Perdita (voice)
Lisa Daniels – Anita (voice)
Ben Wright – Roger (voice)
Frederick Worlock – Horace, Inspector Craven (voice)

Wolfgang Reitherman

Bill Peet

Walt Disney

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi

Writer(s)
Bill Peet, Dodie Smith

Producer(s)
Walt Disney

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 10 nominations total

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Margaret Hinxman

Keith Phipps

Alice Vincent

Nell Minow

Variety Staff

Sight & Sound

The Dissolve

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Common Sense Media

Variety

ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (1)
The fairly long in the tooth child, through whose eyes most Disney dramas, live or otherwise, are seen, seems to have grown up Just a little; a fact which should please adults while not offending the young.

February 11, 2020

Margaret Hinxman
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
However much the film breaks with Disney tradition, it’s still a winning effort that mixes cuteness with dry wit in the service of a fast-paced, emotionally charged adventure tale.

February 9, 2015 | Rating: 4/5

Keith Phipps
The Dissolve
TOP CRITIC
This loveable romp evokes a gloomy, starlit London of Georgian streets and quietly grand parks.

December 24, 2014 | Rating: 4/5

Alice Vincent
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Lovable cartoon classic for all ages.

August 24, 2010 | Rating: 5/5

Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
While not as indelibly enchanting or inspired as some of the studio’s most unforgettable animated endeavors, this is nonetheless a painstaking creative effort.

March 4, 2008

Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Cruella De Vil is so much a tour de force that she single-handedly snatches the movie away from any retroactive comparisons to post-classical Disney features whose sloppiness is the is their only saving grace.

March 3, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4

Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Cruella looms over it all.

May 21, 2021 | Rating: 3/4

Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Cruella De Vil is one of the finest villains ever to grace an animated feature – as well as one of the most memorable evildoers in the entirety of cinema.

August 24, 2020 | Rating: 9/10

Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Dazzling hand-drawn animation, cute canine heroes and a delightfully nasty villainess all combine to make this a pedigree film.

May 19, 2020

Jason Best
What’s On TV
One of the most striking Disney films of the classic era, with its almost impressionistic pencil drawings and dazzling use of color.

August 7, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4

Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
It is just about perfect.

April 26, 2019 | Rating: A+

Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
One of the most entirely fun, entertaining of all Disney features.

February 5, 2018 | Rating: 9/10

Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending…

Plot
After a wild chase in the bustling streets of London, struggling computer game author Roger (Jeff Daniels) and his male Dalmatian, Pongo – by a welcome twist of fate – are dragged into St. James Park and meet with charming fashion designer Anita (Joely Richardson) and her female Dalmatian, Perdita. Soon, one thing will lead to another, and before they know it, Roger and Anita will get married and the adorable Perdita, pregnant. However, their short-lived joy is disrupted when Anita’s glamorous but horrible boss, Cruella DeVil (Glenn Close), dognaps the innocent puppies with the intention of making a luxurious coat with the dogs’ fabulously spotted fur. Eventually, along with Perdita’s fifteen puppies, Cruella will manage to bring the total to the staggering number of ninety-nine Dalmatians; nevertheless, are the cute little puppies as helpless as they look?

Trivia