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It might have seemed like an odd choice for the live action treatment. After all, 1996's "101 Dalmatians" would require just more than a monkey's worth of spotted dogs, as well as a host of other animals. And remember the cliché? "Never work with..." - well, you get the idea. Nonetheless, Disney pushed ahead, relying on the pull of the loveable doggies and of course, one of cinema's greatest villains, Cruella De Vil (played to perfection by Glenn Close).
If you don't already know the story, it's pretty simple. Roger and Anita (Daniels and Richardson) are two single people with a love of - you've guessed it - dalmatians. On a trip to the park, they bump into each other and fall in lurve. As, rather appropriately, do their pets. Soon, the house is full of ickle doggies.
Unfortunately, the fur-fancying Cruella decides on a black and white addition to her winter collection and despatches her dumb henchmen (Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams) to retrieve the animals. Looks like the canine crew have a fight on their hands. Ideal for the kiddies and more than palatable for the grown-ups, "101 Dalmatians" manages to avoid trampling on a classic and relies heavily on well-crafted slapstick to create a perfectly watchable family flick.
As you've no doubt read, there is a sequel, so if you want to make sure you and your little ones have got the lowdown on Ms De Vil, best have a look. It may not be "Gandhi", but it's not too bad.
Read about more dog films.
Glenn Close played Cruella very well.
