In America, little Fievel Mousekewitz learns while growing up in Russia in 1885, "there are no cats. And the streets are paved with cheese." This establishes, immediately and neverendingly, the monotonous pattern of rodentized clichés and stereotypes: especially ethnic clichés and stereotypes, Jewish, Irish, French, Italian. There has been no reduction in the fearful sentimentality customary under the aegis of Steven Spielberg, and there has been an addition of shameless flag-waving. But the worst the movie can do is to foster the impression that Spielberg, among his innumerable other manifestations of genius, is also quite handy with a paintbrush. He is really only one of four executive producers here. Director Don Bluth, on the other hand, formerly of the Disney team, is a fine animator, as witness the storm at sea (cliché though it may be), with its anthropomorphized waves and its whirlpoolish sense of space and motion. (1986) — Duncan Shepherd
This movie is not currently in theaters.