The Fox and the Hound

A story of two friends who didn't know they were supposed to be enemies.

1981 • 82 min • Adventure · Animation · Drama · Family

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Synopsis

When a feisty little fox named Tod is adopted into a farm family, he quickly becomes friends with a fun and adorable hound puppy named Copper. Life is full of hilarious adventures until Copper is expected to take on his role as a hunting dog -- and the object of his search is his best friend!

Our family guide

Best from age 6

Movie Knight Score

3551 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
72 Audience · 3550 · 49%

Tod, a spirited fox cub, and Copper, a playful hound puppy, form an unlikely friendship. Their bond is tested as they grow up and Copper is expected to become a hunting dog, with Tod as his prey. This classic tale explores the challenges of changing friendships and societal expectations.

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

Heads up

Hunting is a central theme and shown realistically
A character passes away off-screen
Moments of peril and emotional intensity

What it models well

The enduring power of friendship
Acceptance and overcoming prejudice
Loyalty and sacrifice

Talk about it after

How friendships change as we grow up
Understanding different ways of life
The sadness of loss and letting go

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

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Top billed cast

Director: Ted Berman, Art Stevens, Richard Rich • Crew: Larry Clemmons, Vance Gerry, Steve Hulett, Earl Kress, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, Ted Berman, Peter Young

Trailers & clips

Tod & Copper Meet - Official Clip

The Fox and the Hound - 1988 Reissue Trailer

Trailer

Reviewer notes

Recommended
Sadly, by 1981, Disney had run out of great stories around which to build their animation features. This is a loose adaptation of Daniel Mannix' tale of a fox cub "Tod" who suffers the tragic loss of his father at the hands of mankind and roams the countryside befriending all the animals - including a puppy "Copper" and an old widow - before becoming, himself, a target for the hunters. Necessity leads him to again...
Geronimo1967, TMDB Community