Fievel's American Tales

Fievel Mousekiwitz, star of Steven Spielberg’s animated movie hits An American Tail and Fievel Goes West, continues his inadvertent mousecapades with Fievel’s American Tales, an entertaining cartoon series. In the first episode, Fievel and his mouse family set off for a town picnic, but, ever the daydreamer, Fievel forgets to bring his “Lonesome Ranger” lariat; he runs back for it and gets left behind. It’s a rodent rewrite of Home Alone: Fievel uses his head to fight off a hungry gang of bad cats. He wins (with the help of his loyal friend Tiger, the voice of Dom DeLuise), and his parents return home to find Fievel in fine fettle. Although the story is nothing more than the usual cartoon cat-and-mouse game, kids will like Fievel and admire his pluck. The animation is appealing: The Mousekiwitzes’ tiny mouse house is very cute, as are the Mousekiwitzes themselves. Fievel’s American Tails ends up being an enjoyable half hour. A-