Heartwarming / Oliver & Company

It took a while, but he finally found a family.

• After Oliver is discovered and interrogated by Fagin's dogs, he nervously explains his past meeting with Dodger. While the others go to laugh at Dodger, Rita gives Oliver a subtle reassuring wink and tell him not to be scared, making clear he's in no real danger.
  • Later, when Sykes's dogs try to attack Oliver, the gang immediately puts a wall of fur and fangs between them and him, despite the fact that they've known him for minutes and only because he broke into their lair. They all might be scoundrels, but none of them is going to leave an innocent kid (kitten, in this case) to be harmed.
• The dogs comforting Fagin after he finds out he only has three days to pay Sykes the money.
• A subtler one, but Fagin returns home with a box of dog treats and the dogs pile on him, showing their love for their owner. Not just this, but the fact that Fagin, desperate, homeless and in debt, clearly bought the treats for them (a later line is "Dead men do NOT buy dog food!", meaning he paid for it honestly) so they wouldn't go hungry. It's clear from the dogs dialogue they've had to stoop to eating newspaper once or twice before when they complain about Francis not bringing food home and Fagin put the meagre money he could scrounge into keeping them fed.
  • Plus factor in when Fagin calls them "kids."
    • Then later on, Dodger refers to Fagin as "the old man", like how a son refers to his father as his 'old man.'
  • While it's mixed with a Tear Jerker, it's repeated during the final day, when Fagin just mournfully decides to pet Oliver for some form of comfort. His pets are clearly his best source of uplift in his very troubled life.
• Oliver snuggling up to Dodger to sleep and Dodger letting him. Accompanied by a touching instrumental reprise of "Once Upon a Time in New York City".
  • Of course, Dodger being Dodger, when he sees Rita watching the cuteness, he shoots her a "yeah, and?" sort of look that's adorable in its own right.
• The song Jenny sings while playing the piano, followed with a montage of her with Oliver in Central Park, and finally, the two going to bed together.
  • "You and me together will be, forever you'll see, we two can be good company, you and me..."
    • And the way Winston looks at Jenny while turning off the lights. He may not be her father, but she's his daughter in all but name.
• Jenny clearly cares for Winston too. A Blink-and-You-Miss-It moment comes when, just after Oliver is found and they return to her home, Winston is struggling to take off his jacket and Jenny wordlessly helps him by giving it a tug.
• When Jenny goes out to look for Oliver, she brings Georgette, who is angry and miserable about being dragged out in the rain. When Fagin shows up, however, Georgette immediately starts growling at him when he gets too close to Jenny. She may be a pampered poodle, but she still has the protective dog instincts when it comes to Jenny—especially with banding with the other dogs immediately to rescue Jenny when Sykes kidnaps her too.
  • Shortly afterward, when Jenny is crying helplessly, Georgette can be seen with a face that clearly says "My God, What Have I Done?". She clearly feels remorseful about her role in Oliver's kidnapping.
• Fagin giving up his chance to get the ransom money for Oliver, pretending to find the kitten so he can return him to Jenny. Not to mention Jenny's reaction to having him back. Too bad Sykes had to come and spoil it.
• Oliver's distress at Jenny's abduction (though crossed with Tear Jerker). Then when Dodger firmly declares "Don't worry, kid, we'll get her back", Oliver is obviously both surprised and touched that Dodger would go after the kid he earlier professed to resent.
• And the ending, much like the endings to most other Disney films... just before Sykes dies, he tosses Oliver off of him. Jenny checks if Oliver is okay, but he seemed like he was dead... until the little kitten lets out a mew. And the very end, with its reprise of "Why Should I Worry" involves 3 other Crowning Moment tropes along with this, combined.
• Jenny hugging Fagin at the end counts, given all the crud Fagin takes throughout the whole movie.
• As Fagin and his dogs leave Jenny's house, Jenny says "Goodbye!" twice, holding Oliver's paw to wave during the second. Winston, covered in smoke from Fagin's scooter, smiles and reflects on Dodger, exclaiming "What a delightful scoundrel."
• Tito and Francis are largely Vitriolic Best Buds, but get a cute moment high-fiving after Francis throws a verbal zinger at Roscoe. When Roscoe menaces Francis over it, Tito instantly snarls back at Roscoe protectively.
• A villainous example, but Roscoe and Desoto seem to care for each other. When visiting Fagin's hideout Roscoe maintained a cool but intimidating attitude when dealing with the gang, but only when Oliver scratched Desoto's nose did he turn aggressive. He also pulled Dodger off of Desoto when he got the upper hand. Desoto also seemed very angry after Roscoe's death and was extremely brutal in attacking Dodger.

---