This nineteenth cartoon feature from Disney is one of their best films, the last to be supervised by Walt Disney himself before his death, based on the book by Rudyard Kipling, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman (101 Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The AristoCats, Robin Hood). Basically, in the jungles of India, an orphaned baby, or "Man Cub", is found by Bagheera the panther (Sebastian Cabot). Knowing the boy needs nourishment, he takes him to a family of wolves, where he is cared for by wolf mother Raksha and father Rama (Ben Wright) and raised with their cubs. Ten years later, Mowgli the man cub (Bruce Reitherman, the director's son) has adapted to life in the jungle with his wolf siblings, but Bagheera knows that one day he must return to his own kind. One night, the wolf pack gathers at Council Rock, because Shere Khan the Bengal tiger (George Sanders) has returned to their part of the jungle. Pack leader Akela (John Abbott) decides that Mowgli must leave the jungle for his own safety and that of everyone around him. Bagheera volunteers to escort him to a "Man Village". That night, Bagheera and Mowgli start their journey, during which the panther explains that Shere Khan hates man. The tiger has sworn to kill him before he grows up to become a man, perhaps a hunter with a gun. They rest for the night in a tree, where Mowgli encounters Kaa (Sterling Holloway), a hungry Indian python. Kaa hypnotises him and wraps him in his coils to devour him before Bagheera intervenes. The next morning, Mowgli is woken by the stamping and trumpeting of the elephant patrol led by Colonel Hathi (J. Pat O'Malley) and his wife Winifred (Verna Felton). Mowgli tries to join the parade and befriends Haihi's son (Clint Howard, Ron's brother, as a child) before Bagheera finds him. Mowgli still refuses to go to the Man Village and fights with Bagheera, after which he leaves him on his own. Mowgli soon meets the laid-back, fun-loving sloth bear Baloo (Phil Harris) who teaches him some fighting and growling skills. Bagheera finds them and insists Mowgli should go to the Man Village, but Baloo promises to raise the man cub himself and take care of him. Baloo and Mowgli have fun eating ants, scratching themselves and relaxing in the river ("The Bare Necessities"). Shortly afterward, Mowgli is kidnapped by a group of monkeys who take him to their leader, King Louie the orangutan (Louis Prima). Knowing he wants to stay in the jungle, King Louie offers to help Mowgli if he tells him how to make fire ("I Wanna Be Like You"), but Mowgli does not know how to do so. Bagheera and Baloo arrive to rescue Mowgli, but Baloo cannot help but be drawn in by the music. Baloo joins to sing but is caught out in disguise. The ensuing chaos causes King Louie's palace to collapse. During the night, while Mowgli is sleeping, Bagheera talks to Baloo to convince him that the jungle is not safe for Mowgli. Baloo realises the danger Mowgli is in when Shere Khan is mentioned. In the morning, Baloo reluctantly tells Mowgli he must take him to the Man Village. Accusing him of breaking his promise, Mowgli runs away. Meanwhile, Shere Khan is hunting deer when he is interrupted by the elephant patrol. He eavesdrops on Bagheera asking Colonel Hathi to help to find the man cub after running away. The tiger is now determined to hunt and kill Mowgli. Alone in the jungle, Mowgli has a second encounter with Kaa who tries to convince him he can help him to remain in the jungle ("Trust in Me"). But the snake again hypnotises him into a deep sleep and tries to devour him. Shere Khan interrupts Kaa, overhearing him singing, and suspects him of holding the man cub. After Shere Khan leaves, Mowgli eventually wakes and escapes. As a storm gathers in a desolate area of the jungle, a depressed Mowgli encounters a group of friendly vultures, Buzzy (J. Pat O'Malley), Flaps (Chad Stuart), Ziggy (Digby Wolfe) and Dizzy (Lord Tim Hudson) (all four resembling and impersonations of The Beatles). They accept Mowgli as a fellow outcast and offer their friendship ("That's What Friends Are For (The Vulture Song)"). Shere Khan appears during their singing and scares away the vultures, but Mowgli refuses to run. Shere Khan counts to ten to give him a sporting chance and prepares to attack before Baloo arrives. Baloo haplessly tries to keep the tiger from getting to the boy, while the vultures fly Mowgli away. While lightning strikes a tree and causes a fire, Baloo is knocked unconscious by the tiger. The vultures swoop in to distract Shere Khan, while Mowgli grabs a flaming branch and ties it to the tiger's tail. Shere Khan sees the fire, panics, and runs away. Bagheera finds Mowgli mourning for Baloo, who eventually wakes up and hugs Mowgli. While the trio walks through the jungle, Mowgli hears the voice of a beautiful young girl (Darleen Carr) walking to the river outside the Man Village ("My Own Home"). Mowgli is fascinated seeing another human, he is smitten with the girl, and she notices him. After "accidentally" dropping her water pot, Mowgli retrieves it and follows her. Baloo begs him to come back, while Bagheera encourages him to go. Mowgli cannot help himself and shrugs to his jungle friends as he chooses to follow the girl into the Man Village. With Mowgli safe, Baloo and Bagheera decide to head home. The animation of the film is impeccable, all the characters are loveable, especially Baloo and King Louie, and the songs written by brothers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Charlotte's Web) are fantastic, it is a perfect animated musical comedy. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Original Song for "The Bare Necessities". It was number 27 on The 100 Greatest Musicals, it was number 19 on The 100 Greatest Family Films, it was number 57 on The 100 Greatest Cartoons, it was number 7 on The Ultimate Film, and it was number 53 on The 100 Greatest Films. Outstanding!
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