A Pig, a Spider and a Determined Little Girl Create "Just Another Ordinary Miracle"
Written: Dec 15 '06 (Updated Dec 15 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a gorgeous adaptation of a beloved classic
Cons: a couple of brief coarse moments
The Bottom Line: A heart-warming adaptation of a book everybody ought to read at some time or another. Gorgeous.
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| bilbopooh's Full Review: Charlotte's Web |
There are books across the face of which our eyes flit for a few moments, the words dancing fleetingly into our psyches and drifting out again before the day is gone, leaving scarcely a trace of their presence. And then there are those that linger, leaving a lasting imprint, subtly changing the way in which we experience the world. Charlotte's Web is such a book.
And such a book deserves a movie to match, a movie that can measure up to the memory of those afternoons I spent curled up cozily in my room, determined to finish the chapter my first-grade teacher would read to the class the next day. Oh, yes, there was the animated film, of course, a much-worn video in my house, complete with tracking lines and an overabundance of songs grown wobbly with over-watching. There was that, nostalgically significant despite the fact that E. B. White disapproved. Would he prefer this live-action effort? I don't know. But I do.
Walden Media seems to have tapped into a great well, using classic books as the springboard for films replete with family values, imagination and empowerment. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (the series title generally trumping that of the individual volume, particularly following SNL's internet phenomenon Lazy Sunday) was the movie of the year for me last year, and while Superman is a close contender, Charlotte's Web probably topped my must-see list this year. It's more than just company loyalty, though seeing all those beautiful tie-in books for months certainly whetted my appetite. I work at a bookstore because I love books, because there are books worth loving. This movie was made for people like me.
The obvious comparisons arise between this and Babe, that beautifully quiet little film that inspired children around the world to forgo bacon following its release. There's the gorgeous scenery, the plethora of live animals who talk thanks to the magic of computer animation and of course the dilemma of how to keep the pig from becoming Christmas dinner. I love Babe, so whatever reminders I have of that film are only a good thing. Charlotte's Web, however, has a classic status not assigned to Dick King-Smith's tale of a sheep-herding pig at the time of its adaptation, at least not in this country. So the more compelling comparison for me is with the book itself. How does it hold up?
I was thrilled to learn that Dakota Fanning, my favorite child actor since Haley Joel Osment (God rest his wholesomeness...), would be playing Fern, the gentle but grimly determined tomboyish daughter of practical parents who nonetheless allowed a little girl with a grand imagination and an even more magnificent heart to teach them a thing or two about life. Fanning fits perfectly into those old overalls, giving us a heroine who is passionate, plucky and vivacious down to the little gaps in her winningly uneven smile (soon to be amended, evidently, judging by the braces she's been sporting in interviews). An added bonus: we get to hear her sing, just a few short, sweet a cappella lines of a lullaby written by Danny Elfman, the only song in the film. And we watch her change ever so slightly into a girl who doesn't think it's such a bad thing to wear a dress once in a while, who might be on the verge of spending hours of her time in places other than her uncle's barn - though among the hints of blossoming romance, Fern still remains steadfastly dedicated to Wilbur, the pig she saved from "the injustice" of her father's axe. Little Wilbur owes his life to Fern first. But when she is no longer able to be his constant source of companionship and protection, another steps in, a tiny creature as bold and beautiful, delicate and dreadful as the existence that draws them together.
I like the fact that unlike in the cartoon version of the seventies, Wilbur (Dominic Scott Kay) is voiced by a child. Perhaps it would have been appropriate to change the voice along with the body when the adorable little piglet of summer is replaced by the considerably larger but still runty hog of autumn, but as Wilbur's coming of age hinges on the events in the county fair that occurs under a covering of auburn leaves, I think it was a good call to stick with the same voice, even extending into the next spring for the sake of consistency. Wilbur is wide-eyed and enthusiastic, embracing life and new relationships. He compliments everyone he meets on his or her name, and when assured that he has made a new friend he leaps and shouts for joy. Yes, there is a quiver in his voice as he contemplates the coming winter after his blissful innocence is shattered by Oscar the Grouch-like Templeton (Steve Buscemi), a crass garbage-loving rodent who refers to himself constantly as "the rat." But he doesn't come across as nearly so whiny as in the other version, perhaps in part because of the voice. A frightened child is more endearing than an entitled adult. And there should be little debate that Wilbur is lovable, particularly when he marvels over Charlotte's beauty when his fellow barnyard residents look on her with disgust.
Yes, she may be a spider, an eight-legged creature inspiring fear and loathing in many, but there is genuine kindness in her bottom two eyes and a gentle smile on her tiny face throughout the movie. Julia Roberts imbues her with tenderness, wisdom and just the right amount of spunk, particularly when dealing with the irascible Templeton. A great debt is, of course, owed to CGI, which allows us to see the artistic process of her web-spinning, most magically when she weaves a word into the web above Wilbur's head for the first time to the accompaniment of Elfman's mystical score.
The animation the allows the animals to speak so flawlessly is dazzling, but what really amazes me about the cast of creatures is the way an A-list cast completely disappears under fur and feathers. The culminating word in Charlotte's tireless effort to save Wilbur's life is "humble," and that seems a perfect word to describe a movie in which John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba McIntyre and Robert Redford play key supporting roles and we don't even notice. Yes, they all sound vaguely familiar, but what I worried was a shameless line-up of celebrity cameos lending little to the story actually seemed a demonstration of the reverence each of these high-profile actors had for the story. Yes, there are a few completely gratuitous bovine flatulence jokes, but most of the banter among the barnyard residents is inspired, from erudite Samuel's (Cleese) exasperated requests that his fellow sheep stop following him and echoing everything he says to sage, maternal Gussy's (Winfrey) quibbling with her gander (Cedric) over whether he wants to fly the coop and Ike (Redford) the horse waging a weak battle against his own arachnophobia. An amusing little side plot outside the barn deals with two crows (Andre Benjamin and Thomas Haden Church) desperately yearning for some corn but foiled at every juncture by that maddening man in the straw hat always loitering about in the field.
The supporting human cast is top-notch, from Fern's irritating brother Avery (Louis Corbett) and unassuming soon-to-be-sweetheart Henry (Julian O'Donnell) to the minister (Nicholas Bell) wowed by the writing in Wibur's stall and Lurvy (Nate Mooney), the gangly farmhand entirely too inclined to drop the pig slop pail in astonishment. Of slightly more significance are the Zuckermans, Homer (Gary Basaraba), a robust and jolly if rather dim man in a John Deere cap whose education continues throughout the course of the film, and his wife (Siobahn Fallon), a plain Jane sort who may have even more say in what happens on the farm as her easy-going husband does. Then there's the Arables, Fern's mother (Essie Davis), a prim and proper woman growing concerned about her daughter's obsession with spending time at the Zuckerman barn, and father (Kevin Anderson), who seems frustrated by his daughter's willpower but obviously respects her greatly for it. My favorite of the humans is a small role reminiscent of the Professor Kirke in Narnia, the doctor (Beau Bridges) Mrs. Arable consults with her concerns over Fern's emotional and mental well-being. With a twinkle in his eye, this learned man encourages Mrs. Arable to embrace the possibility of the miraculous. His voice of faith dampens her skepticism, even as he advises her that Fern's infatuation with Wilbur is, "sadly." a "childhood phase." The ravages of time darken the light this film bears, but they make those ephemeral rays all the more precious.
The scenery is arresting, ordinary yet breathtaking. Ironically, the film is set in Maine but was shot in Australia, except for the aerial footage of the magnificent fall foliage, which came from none other than my home state of Pennsylvania. While the special effects certainly are of assistance, particularly in regard to anything spider-related, the natural beauty of the land stands on its own merits. Also effective: the flannelgraph-like illustrations in the style of the book's that accompany the introductory narration and the first portion of the closing credits. Simple and stylized, they help remind us of the story's origins, as does Sam Shepard's excellent narration, which provides warm insights, sometimes in White's own words, sometimes with newly written comments of which I suspect the author would approve. Tying the whole thing together beautifully is the end-credits song Ordinary Miracle, whose life-affirming lyrics are carried through Sarah McLachlan's celestial vocals.
Charlotte's Web is a rare movie in a modern era of children's films marked by cynicism and pandering to the basest ideas of what "juvenile" means. Here is a throwback to a simpler era, with lessons to be taken in by whole families, for parent and child should glean equal enjoyment from this sincere masterpiece and, like the residents of that tiny town, perhaps become inspired to be just a little bit better and kinder, all because of two individuals who stood up for what they believed in and stood by their promises. It is not often that a movie comes along that models true friendship and good writing. Charlotte's Web does both.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Family Movie
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Epinions.com ID:
bilbopooh
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Member: Erin McCarty
Location: Erie, PA
Reviews written: 2526
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