Charlotte’s Web *** (1973, voices of Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, Paul Lynde, Martha Scott, Agnes Moorehead, Rex Allen) – Classic Movie Review 12,878

Hanna-Barbera’s 1973 animated feature film Charlotte’s Web is based on the beloved 1952 E B White children’s tale, and stars the voices of Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, Paul Lynde, and Agnes Moorehead, with narration by Rex Allen.

Directors Charles A Nichols and Iwao Takamoto’s 1973 American animated musical drama feature film Charlotte’s Web features the voices of Debbie Reynolds as the spider Charlotte, Henry Gibson as the pig Wilbur, Paul Lynde as the rat Templeton, Agnes Moorehead as the Goose, and Martha Scott as Mrs Arable.

Hanna-Barbera’s cartoon version of the beloved E B White children’s tale about a spider saving a pig’s bacon is an acceptable entertainment. The pig called Wilbur befriends an intelligent spider named Charlotte, who saves him from being slaughtered.

It goes for the Disney whimsical style, what with the friendly farm favourites and the jolly music from the Sherman twins (Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman), but it just misses the spot since the animation and storytelling are pretty flat and stale.

However, the lively dialogue in the faithful screenplay by Earl Hanmer Jnr helps to spin out the yarn and the voice cast is ideal, with outstanding work by Debbie Reynolds as the voice of Charlotte the spider and Henry Gibson as the voice of Wilbur the pig. It is narrated by Rex Allen.

Also in the voice cast are Dave Madden as the Ram, Danny Bonaduce as Avery Arable, Don Messick as gosling Jeffrey, Herb Vigran as farmhand Lurvy, Pam Ferdin [Pamelyn Ferdin] as Fern Arable, Joan Gerber as Edith Zuckerman, Robert Holt [Bob Holt] as Homer Zuckerman, John Stephenson as John Arable, and William B White as Henry Fussy.

White, had previously rejected an offer from Disney, greatly disliked the film: ‘The story is interrupted every few minutes so that somebody can sing a jolly song. I don’t care much for jolly songs. The Blue Hill Fair, which I tried to report faithfully in the book, has become a Disney World, with 76 trombones. But that’s what you get for getting embroiled in Hollywood.’

Charlotte’s Web is directed by Charles A Nichols and Iwao Takamoto, runs 94 minutes, is made by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions, is released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Earl Hanmer Jnr, is shot by Roy Wade, Dick Blundell, Dennis Weaver, Ralph Miglion and George Epperson, is produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and scored by Irwin Kostal, with songs by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman.

It premiered at the Radio City Music Hall on February 22, 1973, and was generally released on March 1, 1973 in the US.

Two decades later, it made a surprise comeback in popularity by becoming one of the best-selling VHS titles of 1994.

It is followed by a direct-to-video sequel, Charlotte’s Web 2: Wilbur’s Great Adventure, released by Paramount in the US on March 18, 2003.

It is remade as Charlotte’s Web (2006), a live-action film version co-produced by Nickelodeon Movies.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,878

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