Lady and the Tramp (1998, VHS)

All right, so Tramp isn't exactly old. But he is an established troublemaker and heartbreaker. Hence his name. Lady, on the other hand, is just that. A well-mannered cocker spaniel living in style with her doting owners, "Jim Dear" and "Darling." The opening sequence which shows her as a puppy is adorable but all too short, as Disney uses in this movie the time-honored tactic of making a character grow up in five minutes.

Now an adult, Lady is the proud owner of a brand new collar and license. She is happy as can be until one day she notices Jim Dear and Darling acting strangely. She worriedly consults Jock (a scottie) and Trusty (a bloodhound), her best friends, who tell her that her owners are having a baby. At that moment, Tramp saunters into the neighborhood, meeting Lady for the first time. He tells her that babies are nothing but trouble and that her owners will forget about her once they have a child to occupy their attention. Lady huffily marches inside, and Tramp trots off to Jock's menacing barks.

When the baby arrives, Lady is thrilled with him, but trouble arrives when Jim Dear and Darling decide to go on vacation and leave the baby and Lady in the care of Aunt Sarah, who hates dogs. Her Siamese cats destroy the house and leave Lady the blame in a hilarious but slightly offensive song. Furious, Aunt Sarah has Lady muzzled, and the terrified cocker spaniel bolts from the pet shop into unfamiliar territory.

It is when she is approached by some very angry looking street dogs that Tramp comes to the rescue. Using his wit and Lady's charm, he convinces a beaver in the zoo to remove Lady's muzzle, and it's time for a romantic night out on the town. The scene in Tony's restaurant where their lips meet in the middle of an incredibly long strand of spaghetti is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic movie moments of all time.

Unfortunately, on their way home in the morning, they are pursued unexpectedly by the dogcatcher, and the delicate Lady is unable to keep up with Tramp in his escape. She is nabbed, and he doesn't realize it until too late. Aunt Sarah soon comes to claim her, but not before she hears from all of the kenneled dogs about Tramp's shady reputation. When he comes to call again, she is chained outside and furious with the seemingly no-good mutt. Just as she is telling him that she never wants to see him again, she spies a rat sneaking into the nursery towards the baby's crib. Now the Tramp must decide if he is willing to risk everything for the sake of this little lady who has stolen his heart.

One of Disney's best films, "Lady and the Tramp" is charming to the last. Spectacular animation and a wonderful story make it truly memorable, showing children that even if someone is rough around the edges he may still have a heart of gold.