| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Debbie Reynolds | ... |
Charlotte A. Cavatica
(voice)
|
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| Paul Lynde | ... |
Templeton
(voice)
|
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| Henry Gibson | ... |
Wilbur
(voice)
|
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| Rex Allen | ... |
Narrator
(voice)
|
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| Martha Scott | ... |
Mrs. Arable
(voice)
|
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| Dave Madden | ... |
Ram
(voice)
|
|
| Danny Bonaduce | ... |
Avery Arable
(voice)
|
|
|
|
Don Messick | ... |
Jeffrey
(voice)
|
|
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Herb Vigran | ... |
Lurvy
(voice)
|
| Agnes Moorehead | ... |
The Goose
(voice)
|
|
|
|
Pamelyn Ferdin | ... |
Fern Arable
(voice) (as Pam Ferdin)
|
|
|
Joan Gerber | ... |
Mrs. Zuckerman /
Mrs. Fussy
(voice)
|
| Bob Holt | ... |
Homer Zuckerman
(voice) (as Robert Holt)
|
|
|
|
John Stephenson | ... |
Farmer Arable
(voice)
|
|
|
William B. White | ... |
Henry Fussy
(voice)
|
Based on the beloved children's novel by E.B. White, this is the story of a little pig named Wilbur who was born a runt. Mr. Arable decides to kill him for dinner food but his daughter Fern begs him to let him live. On greater maturity, Wilbut is sold to Fern's uncle, Homer L. Zuckerman, in whose barnyard he's left yearning for friendship, but is snubbed by other barn animals. Wilbur is scared of the end of the season, because he knows that come that time, he will end up on the dinner table. He hatches a plan with Charlotte, a gentle and wise grey spider that lives in his pen, to ensure that this will never happen. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
I just rented this for my kids (ages 4 & 6) and had completely forgotten that adults can enjoy it, too. I'm quite weary of the obnoxious Disney-fication of most kids movies these days. (Spare me any more simpering princess stories.) The story of the clever spider who tries to save a pig from becoming breakfast meat is a familiar one and can be appreciated by many. The voice talent here is so superb that the movie doesn't make you rue the day they decided to animate the book. The songs aren't overly saccharine and are actually quite catchy. The movie is worth it alone for Templeton's trip to the fair and "a fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord" song. Debbie Reynolds' Charlotte is warm and wise, Wilber is naive and friendly, and Templeton provides the perfect foil as a spoiled rat who's just in it for himself. Agnes Moorehead as the goose became a sort of comedic extra to make the little ones laugh in the face of the rather adult plot about life and death. Overall, it's a movie for the whole family.