The Amazing Maurice: A Whimsical Tale of Talking Rats and a Scheming Cat
A band of talking rats and Maurice, a silver-tongued cat, concoct a grand scheme to strike it rich. Together with Keith, a flute player, they travel from town to town, pulling off the same con. Maurice orchestrates a musical performance, alerting the townsfolk to the potential problems that rodents can bring to their homes. Then, the rat-catcher appears and, with the help of a melody, leads the mice out of the settlement, while the whiskered swindler extracts money from the locals. However, upon arriving in Bad Blintz, the con artists realize that their deception won’t work here. The trading town is experiencing a food shortage, and local hunters are demanding 50 cents for each dead rodent.
Still from the animated film “The Amazing Maurice”
The animated film is based on the novel by fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, written primarily for a young audience. The writer attempted to modernize the stories of the Rat King and the Pied Piper of Hamelin, placing the action in the setting of the Discworld cycle. The master was able not only to create a magnificent work for all ages, which has much in common with the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, but also to fill the narrative with social undertones. Pratchett poses rather contradictory questions to readers. How do mice with consciousness differ from humans? Can creatures exist in society? And in what cases can bipeds be equated with animals? The author was once again able to win the hearts of readers and be remembered by professionals. In 2001, the novel was awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal, awarded in the field of children’s literature.
Perhaps it is difficult to find a more suitable work by Terry for creating a cartoon. This is also the most obvious option for getting acquainted with creativity: cult characters appear only in episodic roles, and the narrative is in no way connected with the main events of the cycle. And besides, “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents” is one of the few books whose characters’ images can serve as a marketing ploy: the fluffies attract attention even on posters, and after watching, someone will clearly want to purchase plush heroes.
Still from the animated film “The Amazing Maurice”
A Pratchett Adaptation with Familiar Flair
It is not surprising that Terry Pratchett’s works interested screenwriter Terry Rossio, known for his work on “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Shrek.” One can only assume that the playwright was attracted by the concept of the Flat World: most of the novels in the cycle are humorous stories in which the author gives unusual comments on everyday life. If you look closely, you can feel common motifs between the writer and the screenwriter: the narrative is based on violating the classic laws of fairy tales, and the characters are sometimes antagonists altogether.
Breaking the Fourth Wall and Finding Your Voice
In “The Amazing Maurice” there is a character who grew up on books - Malicia, the sociable daughter of the burgomaster. The well-read teenager quickly learns the details of Maurice’s plan and almost immediately gets used to the fact that animals can talk. Malicia offers the heroes to embark on an adventure and solve the mystery of the disappearance of food. The creators decided to highlight the image of the heroine with the ability to break the fourth wall: initially, Malicia thinks that the cartoon is dedicated to her exploits, but soon it turns out that Maurice also has the ability to communicate with the audience. In her adventures, Malicia will not only have to understand that life does not go according to a given scenario, but also help reveal the abilities of the flute player Keith.
The musician also received a much larger role than in the original source. It is worth noting that the project director Toby Genkel has already made cartoons in which the protagonist was an orphan. In the animation “A Trio in Feathers” the sparrow Richard tried to prove to his adoptive stork parents that he could fly to Africa. Keith also needs to believe in himself and understand that nothing depends on the pipe, and most stories about real professionals may be half rumors.
Still from the animated film “The Amazing Maurice”
More Than Just a Con: Love, Loss, and the Meaning of Home
In addition to the detective intrigue, the cartoon offers a love line that was not in the original. The relationship between Keith and Malicia is a decoration of the plot, and their interaction with rodents generates many comedic moments. However, get ready to shed a tear, because “The Amazing Maurice” has a rather tragic ending, and Death himself becomes one of the minor characters (yes, him!).
In parallel, the creators develop the characters of rodents forced to cooperate with Maurice. Mice believe in the existence of a paradise island where animals live side by side with people. And the cat says that he has acquaintances who have visited these lands. But it turns out that the territory exists only in the illustrations of the children’s tale “The Adventures of Mr. Bunny”, which creatures perceive as sacred scripture. “The Amazing Maurice” becomes an actual statement about the craving for escapism and ways of communication between representatives of warring classes.
Still from the animated film “The Amazing Maurice”
A Stellar Voice Cast and Familiar Themes
The creators can be praised for carefully transferring the plot lines of the original to the screen. The authors managed to convincingly present rodents who received names from things found in the trash: Dangerous Bob, Peach, Sardines. Special mention should be made of the voice actors. The cast mainly involves British people, including Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, David Tennant and many others. Laurie’s choice for the role of Maurice is quite obvious. The cat is as cynical as the notorious Dr. House, who will not hide the truth, but will always come to the rescue in difficult times.
The picture will not avoid comparisons with the second “Puss in Boots”. According to the plot of both cartoons, the red beast, who has already lived several lives, will have to learn to appreciate the environment. It is unlikely that “The Amazing Maurice” will affect animation like “The Last Wish”, but you should definitely not pass by a successful adaptation of the satirist’s work.