The Rescuers (1977)

Though this isn't maybe the best of stories, it's more than made up for by a bunch of entertaining personalities. For many years "Madame Medusa" has been terrorising the Bayou with her pal "Mr. Snoops" and her twin alligators, as she tries to discover the whereabouts of a giant diamond. Convinced it's down a narrow hole below a tree, she "procures" the services of the young "Penny" from an orphanage in New York. Scared and desperate, the young girl puts a message in a bottle pleading for help and next thing, "Miss Bianca" and "Bernard" - two of the best the mice-driven, UN-based, "Rescue Aid Society" has to offer - are en route via albatross. Now when I say "best", well they have actually done very little of this sleuthing lark before and indeed are frequently just as terrified of their new surroundings as the girl they are seeking. Luckily, they encounter the star of the film - "Evinrude". He's a courageous and energetic dragonfly who can propel their leaf boat at great speeds through the ever treacherous swamps in search of the youngster. What now ensues are some fun escapades as they try to keep one step ahead of their nemesis (reminded me a lot of "Miss Hannigan" from "Annie") and her lethal pair of pets. The animation is engaging and focusses more on the facial features of the characters and with a few songs to break up the pace now and again, we get an amiable eighty minutes of family fun.