Stuart Little

Stuart Little

This live-action version of E.B. White's novel doesn't have quite the magic of, say, Toy Story. Instead of entertainment the whole family can be enthralled with, Stuart Little is squarely aimed, and successfully so, at the 4- to 10-year-old watcher. Does this make it a bad family film? Not in the slightest. The gee-whiz visual effects (created by original Star Wars wizard John Dykstra) and the film's ebullient wholesomeness make this a welcome addition to the home library. In E.B. White's world, it's hardly surprising that human parents would adopt "outside their species." The smooth-talking mouse Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) seems the perfect new child for parents Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie, especially with an adorable wardrobe of very small sweaters and pants. Harder is fitting in with the Little's family cat, Snowbell (voiced by Nathan Lane, who also deftly voiced Timon in director Rob Minkoff's last feature, The Lion King). The simple story deals with Stuart trying to fit in with his new life, including big brother George (Jerry Maguire's scene-stealing Jonathan Lipnicki). And of course there's an adventure when Snowbell's schemes lead Stuart into true danger, in the form of the devious plans of an alley cat named Smokey (voiced by Chazz Palminteri). Brisk--85 minutes--amusing, and tolerably cute, Stuart Little stands tall. Two curios: The effects are so cleanly done that we could call Stuart the first successfully computer-animated actor, and the screenplay was cowritten by M. Night Shyamalan, who made bigger waves in 1999 writing and directing The Sixth Sense. --Doug Thomas

Production: Columbia Pictures
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations.
 
IMDB:
5.9
Metacritic:
61
Rotten Tomatoes:
66%
G (General Audience)
Year:
1999
81
Website
6,345 Views

[Snowbell sits Stuart down on a branch]

Stuart:
Snowbell, you saved me?

Snowbell:
Yeah, yeah. Look, let's get one thing straight. I'm doing this for the Littles. They love you. George loves you. They're all miserable without you.

Stuart:
But Snowbell, you said--

Snowbell:
I know what I said, I... I lied, okay? Welcome to Manhattan. I'm the one that hates you.

Stuart:
Oh, Snowbell. You do care! [hugs his front leg]

Snowbell:
Ugh. Yeah, yeah, okay. Okay, that's enough.

Monty:
[arriving with the other cats] Snow, what's he doin' to your leg? I can't help to think this is wrong.

Smokey:
What the Hell's goin' on here?

Snowbell:
Uh, look, Smokey, uh, call me fickled, but... I want to call this whole thing off, okay?

Smokey:
Too late.

Snowbell:
Come on, Smokey, can't we talk it over? You know, Stuart's not so bad once you get to know him, and he's got his own car.

Smokey:
Careful, house cat. You're askin' for it.

Monty:
Snow, what are you doin'? Come on, he's just a mouse.

Snowbelll:
He's not just a mouse. He's-- He's-- He's family.

Smokey:
Oh, yeah! [laughing hysterically] I could see the resemblance! [he and the other cats laugh hysterically]

Stuart:
[angrily] Is that what you think? You have to look alike to be family? [the cats abruptly stop laughing] You don't have to look alike. You don't even have to like each other. Look at Snowbell: He hates me, and still, he's tryin' to save me. Sure, you'll probably scratch him up pretty bad, you'd tear him to shreds; you may even kill him... [Snowbell gulps] ...but Snowbell will not run away, and that is what family is all about. Right...Snow?

Snowbell:
[chuckles nervously] Maybe "Family"'s too strong a word.

Smokey:
Scratch 'em both!

Snowbell:
Both?!

Snowbell:
Well, what have we got here?

Monty:
Snow, don't come out here! The branch is breaking!

Snowbell:
Stuart! Are you all right?

Stuart:
Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay.

Snowbell:
Just hang on! I'll take it from here!

Monty:
Huh? Take what?

[Snowbell breaks away the tree branches]

Monty:
Whoa! Hey, come on, Snow. You wouldn't do this to me. Not your old buddy.

Snowbell:
Don't worry, buddy! I'm sure your land on your....

Monty:
What are you doing? Wait! I gotta ask you something!

Snowbell:
...FEET!! [lets go of the tree branch, Monty, Red and Lucky falling into the river]

Both:
[falling] AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH!

[Monty, Lucky and Red falls in water, and gets out of water]

Lucky:
Cold! Cold! Cold water! I can't swim. Dog paddle!

Red:
Dog paddle? I'd rather drown! And I had my fur just the way I like it.

Lucky:
I'll be licking myself for days!

Monty:
How could he do this to me, after all we've meant to each other? I mean, I love that guy! Hey, you guys! Wait up for me!

Snowbell:
[laughing] Pack up the pineapple, Stuart! This luau's over!

Stuart:
Thanks, Snowbell. You were great.

Snowbell:
Well, it must've been quite a show from up there.

[Suddenly, Smokey comes up behind Snowbell]

Stuart:
[clears throat] Snowbell.

Snowbell:
Those cats think they're so tough.

Stuart:
Snowbell.

Snowbell:
I guess I showed them. Not bad for a house cat!

Smokey:
Not bad for a dead house cat!

[Snowbell gasps, Stuart climbing to the tree.]

Smokey:
Say good night...Tinkerbell.

[Snowbell gulps]

Stuart:
Hey, Smokey! His name is Snowbell! [lets go of the tree branch he is holding onto; it flies up and hits Smokey in the face, knocking him off his own branch and sending him falling into the river]

Smokey:
[falling] AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH!

[Smokey falls into the water and gets out of the water.]

Smokey:
This water's damn cold! I can't believe this! [shivering] Beating by the mouse and his pet cat! What can be worse?! [Suddenly, dogs barking heard in distance and chasing Smokey] NICE DOGGIES!! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Stuart:
Little high, Little low.

Snowbell:
Little hey, Little ho. Let's go home.


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