This 1972 short film has a bit of a misleading title. They always included Charlie Brown, but really here the candidate for class presidency is Linus. Maybe this is also why I enjoyed this half hour special more than other Charlie Brown short films. Hands down, brown's self-pity and whining gets annoying at times. But most of the rest is as always about this movie. It is directed by Melendez, written by Schulz and as almost always Emmy-nominated. At this point in 1972, they made one new peanuts film every year, frequently even two. And the year is also interesting for another reason. This half-hour television movie came out not too long before the Presidential election. And while the race between Nixon and McGovern could not have been any more one-sided, the race between Linus and Russell could not be any more close. In the end, one vote is decisive. There are some more parallels. Pay attention to how a random pumpkin reference by Linus almost costs him the victory in the end. It's a tough world and one unlucky statement can destroy all ambitions. Also in one scene we see how Lucy intimidates voters into choosing her brother. The rest of it is pretty harmless though. The call-in show with Linus answering questions was maybe the funniest thing even if Snoopy had to yawn. I didn't have to while watching this short (unlike some other Peanuts shorts), so this gets a solid 3 out of 5 stars, also a majority. Recommended.
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
(1972 TV Short)
Another central character this time and some interesting references
23 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers