Shinbone Alley (1970)

A newspaper man is reincarnated as a cockroach and makes friends with a free-spirited female alley cat.

Directors:

John Wilson (as John David Wilson), David Detiege

Writers:

Joe Darion (screenplay), John Wilson (story continuity)

Stars:

Carol Channing, Eddie Bracken, Alan Reed

Cast

Credited cast:
Carol Channing	...	Mehitabel (voice)
Eddie Bracken	...	Archy (voice)
Alan Reed	...	Big Bill (voice) (as Allen Reed Sr.)
John Carradine	...	Tyrone T. Tattersall (voice)
Hal Smith	...	Freddie the Rat / Prissy Cat (voice)
Joan Gerber	...	Penelope the Fat Cat / Ladybugs of the Evening (voice)
Sal Delano	...	Beatnik Spider (voice)
Ken Sansom	...	Rosie the Cat (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Byron Kane	...	Newspaperman (voice)

Storyline

A newspaperman jumps in the river to drown himself. He reappears as a cockroach, who finds he can still type by jumping up and down on the keys of a typewriter. He is in love with Mehitabel, the office cat. He writes poetry to her, and tries to keep her on the straight and narrow. Big Bill the Alley tom cat is Mehit's heart-throb, and Archy's nemesis. She has kittens, and archy declares war in a George Herriman sequence.

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Plot Keywords:

cutout animation | cat | cockroach | office | love | 

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Taglines:

A PURR-fectly Delightful film for the Whole Family

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kujien kuningatar

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fine Arts Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Cheerio My Deario (Toujours Gai)
Music by George Kleinsinger
Lyrics by Joe Darion

User Reviews

Obscure for good reasons

Even with its release on DVD a few years ago, "Shinbone Alley" has stayed pretty obscure over the years, and seeing it you'll understand why. I imagine many people will be turned off by the animation style, which is similar to animation found in the early years of "Sesame Street", pretty crude and sketchy. It still could have worked if it was engaging in other areas, but it isn't. Those who are unfamiliar with the original "Archy and Mehitabel" stories (especially kids) will be confused by some parts of the screenplay. Some kids who are more sensitive may be upset by elements such as suicide, though I think most kids who manage to sit through this will be bored stiff. But what really sinks the movie are the characters. Archy the cockroach is an annoying whiner who will get on your nerves, and Mehitabel the cat is a dim-witted slut who only thinks of herself. I would recommend this movie only for adults who are die-hard fans of animation, though I would suggest they don't watch it all at once.