I can't believe how little I see this among Disney-fans and in Disney-related shops. It is sad, because the two main characters Basil and Ratigan are among their most enjoyable. As much as I love The Great Mouse Detective I must confess that aside from the amazing Big Ben climax the animation is not among the studio's greatest accomplishments, but that is a minor detail. Speaking of the climax, it really is among Disney's greatest. The way the music builds up, the perfectly rendered CG in the bell tower and Ratigan's degeneration into his true self is just suspenseful. Ratigan is also among the most underrated and enjoyable Disney villains, period! Vincent price just engulfs himself in this evil- doer who loves every single second of it. His little running gag about not wanting to be called a rat is hilarious. He is great! Basil's giant ego is also enjoyable. He and Ratigan play off one another with perfection. They are the focus of the story and that is also what it should be. There is not too many side characters who steal screen time. The Great Mouse Detective certainly does deserve more attention. Watch it and enjoy some great voice acting and a great climax.

I saw the VHS trailer for this Disney animation a good number of times as a child, but it took me years to get the opportunity to watch it, I was hoping it would be worth waiting for. Basically set in Victorian London, England, young Scottish mouse Olivia Flaversham (Susanne Pollatschek) is celebrating her birthday, when her toy maker father Hiram (DuckTales' Alan Young) is kidnapped by peg legged and crippled winged bat Fidget (Candy Candido). Olivia goes to find the famed Great Mouse Detective named Basil of Baker Street (Barrie Ingham), she gets lost, but she is found by mouse surgeon Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin), he escorts her to Basil's residence. Upon arrival, Basil has no interest, but as soon as Olivia mentions the bat that kidnapped her father, Basil realises the bat is a henchman for the villain he has been trying to arrest for years, Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price). It is revealed Hiram has been kidnapped by Professor Ratigan to create a mechanical mimic of the Queen of the Mice so that the Professor can rule England as "supreme ruler of all mousedom", Hiram reluctantly agrees, when Olivia is threatened to be harmed. Basil, Dr. Dawson and Olivia begin to follow the trail for Hiram, finding Fidget's footprints, and using Sherlock Holmes's pet Basset Hound, Toby (Frank Welker), to track the bat's scent, they find him in a toy shop stealing various clockwork mechanisms and toy soldier uniforms. Before escaping, Fidget is able to ambush and kidnap Olivia, Basil is able to deduce from finding Fidget's checklist that he dropped that Ratigan's headquarters are located somewhere on a riverfront near the Thames, so they go disguised as sailors to find it. Basil and Dawson are caught and tied up in a mousetrap, with many components laid out to kill them both, while Ratigan sets out for Buckingham Palace, where Fidget and Ratigan's accomplices kidnap the Queen (Eve Brenner), with the clockwork operated Queen mimic taking to the stage. Basil finds a weakness in the trap, and is able to spring himself and Dawson out, the mechanical Queen proclaims Ratigan as the new ruler, but Basil and Dawson arrive in time to save Hiram, Olivia and the real Queen. Basil seizes control of the clockwork Queen, denouncing Ratigan as a fraud, before breaking into pieces, enraged by the treason, the crowd start a fight, but Ratigan is able to escape in his dirigible, with Fidget, and taking Olivia hostage, Basil, Dawson, and Hiram follow in a craft made with a craft with a matchbox and some balloons. Fidget is thrown out to lighten the weight, Basil jumps on the dirigible and causes Ratigan to crash into the Big Ben clock tower, Basil and Ratigan fight, Olivia is rescued, Ratigan is defeated when Big Ben strikes ten and causes him to fall to his death. In the end the Flavershams leave to catch their train, while back in Baker Street, Basil is given a new case to solve, he mentions Dawson as his trusted associate, they agree to form a partnership. Also starring Barrie Ingham as Bartholomew and Diana Chesney as Mrs. Judson. Price is notable and a good choice as the master scoundrel, it is very simply Sherlock Holmes with rodents, sounds like a charming idea, it does have good animation, but the story is a little predictable and not all the jokes strike the right cord, but it is certainly fun enough for the family to enjoy, a reasonable animated mystery comedy. Worth watching!

Under-appreciated is the best way to describe "The Great Mouse Detective" because you never hear mention of this movie. "Renaissance" this and "Classic Disney" that, but never this one. And it's a shame really, since this is a fun, well put-together flick. There's life to the animation (for a story told from a mouse's level, it's pretty good-looking), it makes good use of early CGI, and I really like the new spin on the subject matter while paying respect to earlier Sherlock Holmes adaptations. This is a real treat; good characters, dastardly plot and an outsized adventure.7/10

I have a feeling that I've watched this film at a very very early age, but I'm not quite sure since I was watching a lot of Disney films at the time (I think) and it had to be a very short scene of it... Basil looks kind of familiar.This very entertaining surprise shows a small mouse named Olivia that gets her father, Professor Ratigan kidnapped on her birthday and her father! Dawson finds her crying inside a shoe, lost. So he helps her.Now this is where the entertaining part starts, Olivia convinces Basil to help her search for her father. I thought I'd really like it but the ending when Basil almost dies and then Olivia cries was somewhat poor. But that's probably because I really loved Basil and I was shocked to see him falling like that! The film, while being quite forgettable is actually somewhat memorable!Olivia is a little too naive though. But the rest of the cast is pretty great! And the voice acting fitted them perfectly, yet you'll fall in love with them!I also fell in love with the cinematography, art, and animation! It's all top-notch!I don't like mysteries but this film managed to engage me! I think it's entertaining for all ages! You would like this is you like comedies.