Rita (Oliver & Company)

Rita is the secondary heroine in the disney film, Oliver & Company. 
== Role in the film ==
Rita makes her first appearence when she stops Tito and Francis from attacking each other. When Dodger returns with the hot dogs she asks him how he got them calling him "Dodgie Baby" implying that she has a relationship with him. 
== Personality ==
Rita proves to be a no-nonsensical type of girl who can fend for herself. This is best reflected in her song "Streets of Gold," where she tells Oliver about the secrets of survival out on the street. She dislikes Roscoe when he hits on her at the beginning of the film mostly because of his arrogance and demeaning nature, showing she strongly dislikes people who are shallow, as well as the fact that his owner terrorizes in her own. However, this doesn't stop her from looking at another Doberman, looking dreamingly at a portrait of Georgette's boyfriend, Rex. However, her primary love interest, is Dodger. There is almost nothing Rita wouldn't do for her friends, such as helping rescue Jenny with Oliver, dodger and the rest of the gang. She also cares about/is loyal to Fagin, helping take care of him after he trudged back onto the barge fell into the river after Sykes' honk sent him over the edge. 
She sees the team as her own family, being something of a mother figure of the group., She treats Oliver like a son-figure. At first, she was distrusting and unwelcoming to him because he was just a cat. However, she seems to soften up to him instantly after learning how he and Dodger met. Rita helps him understand the true meaning of survival. She is also the only one who notices that he is happy with his life with Jenny after the gang comes to "rescue" him from the house, and insists to Dodger they should have left him at home. This shows that Rita cares for Oliver's happiness and would put his happiness first before everything else 
== Appearance ==
== Trivia ==
* Though not an original character in the book, Rita is close enough to be based on Nancy and Oliver's aunt, Rose Maylie. Both become motherly figures to the heroes. However, unlike Nancy, Rita survives.
* For years, it's been debated whether or not if she was a Saluki or an Afghan Hound. She is actually the former. 
* Rita is the only female in Fagin's gang.
* Second-leading heroine in the series, preceded by Jenny Foxworth and followed by Georgette.
* Rita is the love interest of Dodger.
Category:Characters
Category:Females
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