101 Dalmatians (Live Action) Movie Review (2024)

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Positive Messages

    none

    There are no clear-cut positive messages here.

  • Positive Role Models

    none

    The characters are too cartoonish to be seen as positive role models.

  • Violence & Scariness

    some

    Pratfall violence. Two bumbling dog thieves fall on top of an electric fence; there's a close-up of their groins being electrocuted before they're violently thrown off the fence. Characters run into each other, fall into frozen water, and fall into vats of molasses. Two of the protagonists are tugged by their dalmatians while on bikes; this results in several near crashes and collisions before they finally fall into bodies of water. A woman hits a man in the face with a purse filled with bricks, knocking him on his back. Cruella De Vil is shown sticking a pitchfork in hay where a puppy is trying to hide. Open talk throughout of skinning dalmatian puppies to make a fur coat.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started

  • Products & Purchases

    a little

    Self-promotion of a couple Disney flicks within the actual movie.

  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    a little

    Cruella De Vil is often shown smoking a cigarette from a holder and wantonly flicks ashes. One of the bad guys chugs a beer before throwing and breaking the bottle.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that 101 Dalmatians is the 1996 live-action remake starring Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil. Cruella De Vil is played to the over-the-top hilt in this one: She's never without a cigarette in a holder, and she's constantly demanding that the titular dalmatians be dog-napped and skinned to make a fur coat. There is frequent pratfall comedic violence throughout the movie. The two bumbling puppy thieves are shown falling on an electric fence and getting their groins electrocuted before they're violently thrown off. The two protagonists are shown being tugged by their respective dalmatians while riding their bikes, avoiding several near-collisions and crashes before riding out of control into bodies of water. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

What's the Story?

Disney's updated movie version of 101 DALMATIANS stays true to the 1961 animated classic, with some minor changes, most noticeably the careers of the three main human characters. Instead of being a lyricist, Roger (Jeff Daniels) makes video games, and Anita (Joely Richardson) is a clothing designer for nasty Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close), a fashion maven who specializes in exotic furs. Roger and Anita are lonely singles before they're brought together by the antics of their dalmatians -- Pongo belongs to Roger, and Perdita belongs to Anita -- and it isn't long before the human couple is married and the spotted couple has a litter of 15 pups. Once Cruella gets it in her mind to have her own dalmatian fur coat, the story kicks into gear and the familiar mayhem ensues. When Cruella isn't able to buy the puppies from Roger and Anita, she hires goons to "puppy-nap" them along with 84 other dalmatian puppies, bringing the total to 99. Pongo and Perdita must set out to find the puppies and save the day, sticking it to Cruella in the meantime.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can discuss villains. What makes Cruella De Vil a spectacular villain? Why doesn't Anita see right away that she's up to no good?

  • How does this movie compare to the original animated 101 Dalmatians?

  • Did the pratfall violence add humor to the movie, or did it seem a bit much? Why?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: November 27, 1996
  • On DVD or streaming: December 12, 2000
  • Cast: Glenn Close, Hugh Laurie, Jeff Daniels, Joan Plowright, Joely Richardson, Mark Williams
  • Director: Stephen Herek
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice
  • Run time: 103 minutes
  • MPAA rating: G
  • Last updated: February 18, 2023

Inclusion information powered by 101 Dalmatians (Live Action) Movie Review (1)

101 Dalmatians (Live Action) Movie Review (2024)

FAQs

What is the message in 101 Dalmatians? ›

The main messages from One Hundred and One Dalmatians are that sometimes in life it's important to take initiative, and that you can achieve more as part of a team and when you work together.

Why is Cruella De Vil obsessed with Dalmatians? ›

Cruella saw dalmations the same as a cash crop. She Intended to slaughter them to harvest their fur. What infuriated her about the dogs is that they were clever enough to manuever escapes and cause destruction in the areas they were being held. That meant more work for her and her henchmen.

How did it go from 15 to 101 Dalmatians? ›

Pongo and Perdita set out on a cross-country rescue mission to save the litter from the maniacal Cruella, in the process rescuing 84 additional ones, bringing the total of Dalmatians to 101. One Hundred and One Dalmatians was released in theaters on January 25, 1961, to critical acclaim, and was a box-office success.

Is 101 Dalmatians worth watching? ›

It's simple fun and entertainment. The humor is simple but it's good and works effective. Glenn Close is perfectly cast as über-villain Cruella De Vil and portrays a highly memorable character.

What does Perdita mean in Disney? ›

She has the dog, who has recently given birth, treated by a vet and names her Perdita (meaning "lost"). Perdita helps to nurse the pups and becomes a member of the family. She tells Pongo about her lost love Prince and the resulting litter of puppies, which were sold by her neglectful owner.

What happens to Cruella at the end of 101 Dalmatians? ›

In the ending, the animated Cruella is chasing the animated puppies down a mineshaft with her car, only to run into lit dynamite, presumably blowing her up.

Why is Cruella's hair black and white? ›

Cruella begins with Estella as a child with black and white hair, something that she was born with due to a disease called poliosis. The condition is caused by a decrease or absence of melanin in the hair on the body, typically resulting in a white streak or splotches in someone's hair.

How did Cruella become evil? ›

Yep, beaten down by the Thatcherite years in Britain, Cruella loses her job and becomes depressed and disenfranchised. With inadequate access to mental health care and railing against the inequalities of the world, she decides to take matters into her own hands and… make herself a really fancy coat.

Who is the villain in 101 Dalmatians? ›

Cruella de Vil is the main antagonist of Disney's 101 Dalmatians franchise. She is one of the most iconic and well-known Disney Villains and is a primary member of the franchise, she is remembered for her unique name, extravagance, and practical worship of fur.

What does the name Cadpig mean? ›

Famous Usage: Term for the runt of the litter of pigs. Screen Details: Name of the smallest of pups in the Walt Disney movie '101 Dalmatians'.

Why are there only 15 Dalmatians? ›

The Dalmatian Puppies comprise the vast majority of the titular characters of One Hundred and One Dalmatians and related media. Fifteen of them are Pongo and Perdita's puppies, who are kidnapped by the evil Cruella De Vil, and their parents journey off to go rescue them, eventually adopting the other 84.

Why didn t Walt Disney like 101 Dalmatians? ›

Walt Disney's Criticism of 101 Dalmatians. It is no secret that Walt was critical of One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Having spent years trying to perfect animation as an art form, to him the Xerox process seemed to destroy the illusion of life created by finely inked animated characters.

What time period is 101 Dalmatians set? ›

The film is set in London in 1958, and tells the story of an affable dog named Pongo (voiced by Rod Taylor) who wants to start a family, and so concocts a plan to set up his human, a musician named Roger Radcliffe, with a young woman named Anita, who (more relevant to Pongo's interests) just happens to own a beautiful ...

Does Cruella love Dalmatians? ›

Her personal anthem, the song that plays in the animated version of 101 Dalmatians, is all about how “if she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will.” And her defining characteristic is that she loves dalmatian fur so much she's more than willing to kidnap a bunch of puppies in the hopes of skinning them for their spots.

What is the message of Cruella? ›

The lesson learned from Cruella is that the more times we fall, the more times we rise. Cruella tells us to always fight our battles, even when they are difficult. We must never surrender.

What was the purpose of Dalmatians? ›

Dalmatians have been used throughout history for serious work. They have been sentinels on the borders of their homeland of Dalmatia and Croatia during wars. They worked as shepherds, as draft dogs, as hound dogs, as hunting dogs, as retrievers and as performing dogs.

What story is 101 Dalmatians based on? ›

A classic film from Disney's Silver Age. Based on Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, the film adaptation was written by Bill Peet and released in 1961.

What was the inspiration for 101 Dalmatians? ›

Best known by the animated 1961 Walt Disney classic and the 1996 live-action film with Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil, 101 Dalmations is actually based on a book by British children's novelist and playwright Dodie Smith titled "The Hundred and One Dalmatians, or The Great Dog Robbery."

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 5391

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.