UNLIMITED STREAMING
WITH PRIME VIDEO
TRY 30-DAY TRIAL
Home > Animation >

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web (1973)

March. 01,1973
|
6.9
|
G
| Animation Drama Comedy Music

Wilbur the pig 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 spider that lives in his pen, to ensure that this will never happen.

...

Watch Trailer

Cast

Similar titles

Reviews

Plantiana
1973/03/01

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

More
VeteranLight
1973/03/02

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

More
ThedevilChoose
1973/03/03

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

More
Roman Sampson
1973/03/04

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

More
Python Hyena
1973/03/05

Charlotte's Web (1973): Dir: Charles A. Nichols, Iwao Takamoto / Voices: Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, Paul Lynde, Pamelyn Ferdin, Agnes Moorehead: Based on the popular book for children, this animated film celebrates life, talents and friendship all spun within a spider web. Wilber the pig is born a runt but is saved the death sentence when the farmer's daughter, Fern takes interest and raises him. When he grows too big Wilbur is shipped to a nearby farm where his future is under threat until a spider named Charlotte spins messages in the web describing the pig as "radiant", "terrific", "humble", etc. This is all very touching with quirky characters inhabiting the barn. Charlotte is brought to life by the voice of Debbie Reynolds who also lends her singing talent as well, but one wonders why the spider isn't celebrated in the media. She seems to be the one with the web art. Wilber has a yearning for life that eventually leads to taking on a bigger task. Paul Hynde voices the sneaky rat Tempelton whose foul greed knows no end however, Charlotte finds use for his talents that lead to a fetching scene at the fair at night. Agnes Moorehead voices the mother goose whose voice is stern and fatal. Only Fern is a problem. She whines too much and her ability to understand the animals is never explained. Nonetheless this is an animated treasure that acknowledges the true nature of friendship. Score: 8 ½ / 10

More
Christopher Bubb
1973/03/06

First of all, a disclaimer of sorts: I do remember reading the original E.B. White book for school as a child, but I'm fairly sure I saw the movie first. I haven't read the book recently enough to be able to comment on how faithful this animated adaptation is. So my review will focus on the movie's merits from a production standpoint. And it has many.As other commenters have pointed out, at first viewing it seems rather hard to believe that this film was made by the same company that produced "The Flintstones" and "Yogi Bear." The animation may look dated by today's standards, and the secondary characters do look like rush jobs, but the central characters - Wilbur, Charlotte, Templeton, Fern, et al. - are animated quite nicely in my opinion. There are moments of real beauty, such as the sequence during "Deep In The Dark/Charlotte's Lullaby" (the song probably known to most as "Charlotte's Web," sung by an all-male chorus). On the whole, the animation is very simple, but it is fluid and it gives the movie a simple, homey charm missing from the CG-heavy animated feature films of today. The songs seem to be quite a point of contention among those who have seen this movie. Some of them are cloying and syrupy, but even the worst songs in this film are good - they're catchy and very well sung. As with many others, Paul Lynde's hilarious reading of "A Veritable Smorgasbord" as Templeton the rat (also when sung as a duet with Agnes Moorehead as the Goose) is a highlight for me, as is "Chin Up," which is guaranteed to stick in your head for hours. "Mother Earth and Father Time" is touching, especially the reprise of the song coinciding with Charlotte's death. Pamelyn Ferdin (well known as Lucy Van Pelt in several "Peanuts" TV specials and movies) delights with her own singing abilities in "There Must Be Something More." I think I can understand why E.B. White didn't care for the songs, but they are well-crafted nevertheless, and kids should love them, especially the more upbeat songs like "I Can Talk" and "Chin Up." "Zuckerman's Famous Pig" and "Charlotte's Lullaby" would later be covered by The Brady Bunch.But the voice acting is what really MAKES the film. I do find Henry Gibson's (R.I.P.) Wilbur a little grating and overacted at times, but some might say he captures the essence of the character perfectly, as Wilbur does tend to be given over to histrionics, which even Charlotte recognizes ("Wilbur, I FORBID you to faint!"). Debbie Reynolds' Charlotte is perfectly cast - her voice is soft, gentle, and tender, yet doesn't detract from Charlotte's intelligence and craftiness. Pamelyn Ferdin as Fern impresses with the mature qualities of her voice and her great emotional range (she's become an animal rights activist since, which considering Fern's initial saving of Wilbur from the chopping block, is apropos). But it's "Bewitched" veterans Agnes Moorehead and Paul Lynde (R.I.P. to them both) who really steal the show as the Goose and Templeton respectively, with their hilarious deliveries of some rather catty lines. Paul Lynde in particular was well-cast as Wilbur's somewhat reluctant ally, Templeton, whose catty and sarcastic remarks are always a highlight. All in all, the 1973 "Charlotte's Web" is still a delight to watch years later. Kids (provided today's kids have the patience for something without Disney/Pixar's bells and whistles) will be delighted by the characters and the fun songs; adults will appreciate the message about the gullible side of human nature that they might have missed the first time around. I haven't seen the live-action 2006 remake or CW2: Wilbur's Great Adventure but I doubt they could be as magical. 9/10 stars.

More
TheLittleSongbird
1973/03/07

The book by EB White is a marvellous timeless classic of a book, full of memorable characters and a sweet story. This 1973 animation is a very likable adaptation, and fairly faithful to the book. Of course there are problems- the animation occasionally isn't that great though there are some truly lovely moments, and one or two songs were out of place. Speaking of the songs though, a vast majority of them are lovely, definitely not the Shermann Brothers' best work but not their worst either. The characters are still appealing, Wilbur is adorable, and Fern is very appealing, but for me the scene stealer was Templeton, very funny he was at times. The voice work was fine too, Pamelyn Ferdin was lovely as Fern, and Debbie Reynolds is perfect as Charlotte, a really warm and loving spider that you can't help but love. My final verdict, is that although the book is better, this is still a likable, sweet and well meaning animated adaptation. 8/10 Bethany Cox

More
gcd70
1973/03/08

From the famous E.B. White children's novel (adapted by Earl Hamner Junior) came this Charles A. Nichols translation of "Charlotte's Web". The movie is a better than average animated feature about friendship on a farm between a pig and a spider. May have some good lessons for the younguns but holds little value for adults.Features the famed voice of Debbie Reynolds, who can hold her own when singin' a tune, and an enjoyable Henry Gibson. Paul Lynde and Agnes Moorhead provide comic relief as the resident rat and the chatty goose. Narrated by Rex Allen.Sunday, January 18, 1998 - Video

More