Disney's 'heartwarming' live-action The Lady and the Tramp trailer

The video: Spaghetti and meatballs aren't inherently romantic, but when animated dogs Lady and the Tramp lock lips over a strand of pasta in Disney's classic 1955 cartoon, audiences tend to swoon involuntarily. Hoping to tap into that sentimental reflex, Disney Pictures unleashed a live-action version of the scene this week to promote The Lady and the Tramp special edition DVDs release. The one-minute spot (view below) stars a strapping mutt as the Tramp and a demure King Cavalier standing in for Lady, a cocker spaniel in the film. On a set designed to evoke the restaurant in the original, the dogs share mildly curious looks and a strangely stiff spaghetti strand while "Bella Note" plays in the background.

The reaction: This is one way to top off a week filled with "mushy love stuff," says Amber Doty at Babble.com. How can you resist a couple of canines "pretending to be cartoon dogs pretending to be humans"? Sure, there were some "moments of cuteness," says The Huffington Post, but the dogs were too attuned to their trainers to achieve much romantic chemistry. Oh, come on, says Dave Eisenberg at BostInno.com, why ruin the movie magic? Those loving looks and candid moments almost made me a believer. Watch the passably "heartwarming" trailer and original cartoon clip below:

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