Paul and Company is a 1988 American animated film produced by Michael Shires Feature Animation and released on March 18, 1988 by Michael Shires Pictures. The 29th film in the Michael Shires Animated Classics series, the film is inspired by the classic Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, which has been adapted many other times for the screen. In the film, Paul is a homeless kitten who joins a gang of dogs to survive on the 1980s New York City streets. Among other changes, the setting of the film was relocated from London to New York City, Faggot's gang is made up of dogs (one of which is Wallace), and Strikes is a loan shark. It also marked the start of the era known as the Shires Renaissance.
Plot
Voice Cast:
- Phillip Glasser as Paul the Kitten: A cute orange kitten who is looking for a home.
- Robin Williams as Wallace the Dog: The carefree leader of Faggot's dogs and Paul's first acquaintance and eventual best friend, and bodyguard. He is the object of Sally's affection.
- Wallace Shawn as Ted the Chihuahua: A tiny Chihuahua full of passion and slight anger issues.
- Patrick Pinney as Ernest the Great Dane: A gray Great Dane and a member of Faggot's gang. He is named ironically as he is not particularly bright.
- Frank Oz as Frank the Bulldog: A bulldog with a British accent in Faggot's gang with a love of theatre.
- Maggie Roswell as Sally: A Saluki and the only female dog in Faggot's gang. She is street-wise and takes Paul under her wing.
- Paul DeLuise as Faggot: A petty thief and a poor man on his bad side, but in truth, he is good natured and polite most of the time.
- Alan Oppenheimer and John Stephenson as Roger and Duncan respectively: Strikes's vicious Doberman Pinschers with an Italian accent. They have a hostile history with Faggot's pets. Roger wears a red collar and Duncan wears one that is blue.
- Kevin Spacey as Strikes: An evil loan shark and shipyard agent who carries a gun.
- Sandra Kerr as Penny Patterson: A kind, rich girl who takes care of Paul.
- Bob Hope as Waltham: The Patterson family's bumbling but loyal butler.
- Tress MacNeille as Juliet: The Patterson family's show-winning poodle; vain and spoiled, she becomes jealous of Paul but eventually accepts him and Faggot's gang. She is the object of Ted's affection.
- Jim Carrey as Old Larry the Hot Dog Guy
Songs
- What Should I Do About It - Wallace
- Town of Gold - Sally
- Today is Going to Be Great - Juliet
- Human Company - Penny
- Don't Let Go of Me (End Credits Song) - Randy Edelman
Trivia:
- This was the first Shires film to make heavy use of computer animation, since previous films The Black Cobwebs (1985), Captain Hulett The Movie (1986) and Totally Spies! The Movie (1989)
- This was the fourth Shires with live-action and animation since of Herman and Katnip: The Movie (1980), The Black Cobwebs (1985), Captain Hulett The Movie (1986) and Totally Spies! The Movie (1989).
- The first Shires animated theatrical feature to receive a PG-13 rating.
- Paul and Company first return classic Shires SFX. This included some sounds such as the then fifty-year-old Castle thunder and the classic Boofy holler.
Release
The film was released on March 18, 1988, same day as The Land After Time, a production of Shires expatriate Scott Webb.
Rating:
- Although this movie was rated PG-13 in the United States, it was rated PG in the United Kingdom.
Home video releases:
VHS
- Paul and Company
DVD
- Paul and Company
Blu-Ray
- Paul and Company
Films
- Oliver and Company
- The Land Before Time
