Metrograph

Inspired by the adventures of the foundling Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 collection of the same name, The Jungle Book—the final animated Disney feature to be overseen in its production by Uncle Walt—would become one of the studio’s biggest hits, thanks in no small part to its exceptional confluence of vocal talent (yes, that’s George Sanders as the suavely sinister Bengal tiger Shere Khan) and unforgettable songbook, including perennial favorites “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song),” the latter volcanically belted out by none other than jump blues howler extraordinaire Louis Prima. Brisk, breezy, and simply buckets of fun.

Distributor: Walt Disney Studios/20th Century