101 Dalmatians

So many dogs. So little time.

1996 • 103 min • Family · Comedy

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Synopsis

An evil, high-fashion designer plots to steal Dalmatian puppies in order to make an extravagant fur coat, but instead creates an extravagant mess.

Our family guide

Best from age 6

Movie Knight Score

3693 reviews

60 Reviewers · 5 · 65%
59 Audience · 3688 · 35%

An extravagant fashion designer schemes to steal Dalmatian puppies to create a fur coat. A clever group of animal heroes must outwit her and her bumbling henchmen to save the day in this live-action caper.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 0/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Villainous character is quite menacing
Animal cruelty is a central plot point
Some slapstick peril for characters

What it models well

Animal protection and welfare
Teamwork and cooperation
Resourcefulness and cleverness

Talk about it after

Why is it wrong to harm animals for fashion?
How do the animals work together to solve problems?
What makes Cruella De Vil such a memorable villain?

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for 101 Dalmatians. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Stephen Herek • Crew: John Hughes

Trailers & clips

Glenn Close reflects on Cruella de Vil and Disney’s animated classic ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS.

101 Dalmatians (1996), 35mm film trailer, scope.

Reviewer notes

Not recommended
Who doesn't remember Cruella De Vil's iconic, shrill laugh echoing across the screen? Revisiting the 1996 live-action "101 Dalmatians" immediately takes us back to a time when Disney was just starting to test the waters of turning its classic animations into live-action movies. But did the magic of the cartoon survive the jump to flesh, bone, and a whole lot of slapstick comedy? Join me on this nostalgic deep dive...
Vinicius_Monteiro, TMDB Community

Recommended
Walt Disney's classic film, 101 Dalmatians, may not be completely original as it is based on a previous book, but it has turned its characters into beloved favorites, especially Pongo and Purdy. The movie will make you fall in love with all the adorable puppies like Lucky, Penny, Patch, and Freckles. The animation is superb with just the right amount of music that doesn't overwhelm the storyline but does give u...
tmdb51616167, TMDB Community

Not recommended
Disney plumbs the depths of their classic animation and creates a one hundred minute commercial for their Dalmatian products. Glenn Close perfectly embodies Cruella DeVil. She is the fashion designing boss of Anita (Joely Richardson). Roger (Jeff Daniels) has a Dalmatian, like Anita, but he is unsuccessful as a video game designer- living in that hotbed of video game designing- London. Anita and Roger meet overly ...
tmdb76622195, TMDB Community

Recommended
Unfortunately, this is really just a vehicle for a wonderfully sinister Glenn Close as Dodie Smith's aptly named "Cruella De Vil". She has a penchant for fur; and the finer and more rare the better. When she discovers that Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson have a whole 101 Dalmatians, she reckons a new coat beckons and dispatches a couple of her crazily inept henchmen to carry out the simple task of dognapping the...
Geronimo1967, TMDB Community

Recommended
A true classic. Who doesn't like this movie. If you haven't seen it, I really recommend it. Especially for kids.
SoSmooth1982, TMDB Community