Starring voices of Scott Bakula, Jasmine Guy and George Kennedy Directed by Mark Dindal (Gene Kelly was consultant for cartoon choreography) Rated G Running time 96 minutes (accompanied by new Foghorn Leghorn animated short) Jack gives this film a rating of 7 out of 10

(March 26, 1997) -- Pity the poor animals. Some dream of stardom in Hollywood, but all the big-time producers expect is for them to purr and bark and growl. What if they have enough talent and heart to become full-fledged song-and-dance stars? Talk about typecasting!

That's the amusing premise of Cats Don't Dance, an amiable new animated film, set in a colorful cartoon version of Tinsel Town in the 1930s.

Danny (voiced by Scott Bakula) is a naive but ambitious young feline dancer from Kokomo, Indiana, who is convinced he has what it takes to become a star in Hollywood musicals.

In short order, after arriving by bus from the small town, the spunky Danny meets and falls in love with an equally talented but cynical cat named Sawyer (voiced by Jasmine Guy). He convinces her to help him rally other Hollywood animals in a campaign to escape typecasting. No longer content with roles in animal choruses, they want to high-step their way into the spotlight.

Standing in their way are two formidable foes -- studio mogul L.B. Mammoth (voiced by George Kennedy) and his biggest star, a precocious human child named Darla Dimple. America thinks she is the sweetest thing since Shirley Temple, but we know she's an arrogant, self-centered spotlight hog. And she will do anything to keep the animals "in their place."

Along the way, Danny's efforts and Darla's opposition are underscored by a half-dozen new Randy Newman songs, including some sung by Natalie Cole.

The ambitious Cats Don't Dance clearly has been inspired by such Hollywood landmarks as Singin' in the Rain. Obviously, it falls far short of the all-time musical classics, and also of most Disney animated gems; but what film wouldn't?

Still, Cats Don't Dance has fast-paced action, fun characters, and enough wacky sight gags to amuse the youngsters while their parents and grandparents will enjoy the echoes of dozens of let's-put-on-a-show Hollywood musicals. (A suggestion: If your youngsters enjoy Cats Don't Dance, go home and expand their movie education by putting Singin' in the Rain in the VCR for them.)

Animation under director Mark Dindal emphasizes the color and energy of Warners-style cartooning, over the shading, detail and fully rounded imagery of Disney animation.

And bizarre as it may seem, Cats Don't Dance includes the last screen credit for the legendary late Gene Kelly. The producers visited the ailing Kelly before his death, and he so liked their ideas for an animated musical that he signed on as a consultant for the film's choreography. After all, there was a precedent: Kelly once danced on screen with Jerry the Mouse (of Tom & Jerry fame).

Screenings of Cats Don't Dance are preceded by a new Warner Bros. cartoon short, created by the esteemed veteran Chuck Jones, and starring the over-sized rooster Foghorn Leghorn. Though amusing, I miss the contributions of the late Mel Blanc, the man behind the many Warner cartoon voices. They've tried to duplicate his efforts on recent 'toons, but most fall short.