It's not difficult to like this 40s masterpiece that comes with unique narration by a cricket, namely Jiminy Cricket. The animation retells the familiar story of industrious toy inventor Geppetto who longs for a son of his own. As he is a kind and loving man, the Blue Fairy grants him his wish and bestows the gift of life to his latest invention, the wooden puppet Pinocchio.

Arguably presenting the best animated adaptation of the story to date, Walt Disney's take on Pinocchio sparkles through its renditions of such memorable characters as Figaro the cat and the cute goldfish Cleo. As far as villains are concerned, viewers are introduced to an amusing scoundrel pair consisting of the cunning fox "Honest John" and his mute cat sidekick Gideon and the passionate but dangerous show businessman Stromboli. Even though there are exceptionally few songs in this Disney feature (which works to the advantage of the storytelling), Jiminy Cricket's Give a Little Whistle and the theme song When You Wish upon a Star are still considered two of Disney's most enduring songs.

Both instructive as a morality tale about the importance of honesty and enchanting as a Disney animation rich in beautiful art from the likes of Milt Kahl, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Eric Larson, this version of Pinocchio succeeds on many levels.