CHARLOTTE'S WEB

US, 1972, 85 minutes, Colour.
Voices by Debbie Reynolds, Paul Lynde, Henry Gibson, Agnes Moorhead.
Directed by Charles A. Nichols and Iwao Takamoto.

Charlotte's Web is a classic children's story, a delightful fable about values by means of characters in spider, pig and rat forms. This animated version is pleasing, although it uses the cute, naturalistic style of drawing which gives it sometimes a sugary niceness. The songs by the Sherman Brothers are enjoyable, although not particularly memorable. (They have added songs to Mary Poppins, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn etc.). Debbie Reynolds gives a pleasing voice to Charlotte. Paul Lynde is entertaining as the rat, Templeton. A good film to use for the youngest audiences.

1. Was this an enjoyable cartoon? How delightful was the story and the treatment?

2. Comment on the style of the drawing and of the songs. Did they add to or detract from the charm of the film?

3. For whom was the film made? What age group? Why?

4. Were the characters attractive? Why were they so likeable -especially when they were pigs, spiders, rats?

5. Which situations were drawn best? And made most likeable?

6. The character of Charlotte, (and Debbie Reynolds' voice, its subdued style)? Why was Charlotte attractive, even though a spider? The importance of her web? Charlotte's place in the farmyard? Her friendship with Wilbur? Her giving of herself for Wilbur? Her love for her eggs, and her children? The impact of Charlotte's death?

7. Wilbur the pig, His likeable nature? His being saved by Fern - as a runt doomed to be killed? His treatment in the home, growing up, his fainting? His being sold and his growing up and finding his place in the second farmyard? His need for friends - with Charlotte, with the geese, with Templeton? His response to Charlotte's kindness to him? His love for Fern and his not understanding her growing up? The time at the fair? His realisation of Charlotte's death? His care for her children, especially the small ones who couldn't fly away? Wilbur as a hero?

8. Why was Templeton the rat so attractive? Even though he was really self-centred? His friendship with Charlotte and his finding the words for the web? The humour of the sequence where he ate everything at the fair?

9. The humans in the film - how attractive and likeable? Why? The early scenes of the family, the killing of the pigs and the interest of Fern and her brother? Fern's love for Wilbur? Fern's love for the boy down the street and her growing up?

10. The importance of Charlotte's web - a touch of magic, the centre of interest and attraction of the film? The role that the words played in the film and for Wilbur? The web and the words as Charlotte's gift to Wilbur?

11. How enjoyable were the sequences at the fair? Why?

12. The importance of Charlotte's eggs and their being taken back to the farm by Wilbur and Templeton? The growth of the children and Wilbur's caring for the youngest three? The memory of Charlotte living on, and Wilbur's learning friendship and love from Charlotte?

13. The theme of the film, which was mentioned frequently, of having a true friend, the nature of friendship and of love? How important were these themes for the film? How well would they have been communicated to young audiences? Would young audiences learn much from these themes in this film? How?