MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE

1996, Allied Filmmakers

Live action

Rating: PG

Approx. 89 mins.

THE STORY:

A fairly faithful retelling of The Wind in the Willows, in which the amiable Mole (Steve Coogan) seeks the help of the resourceful Rat (Eric Idle) after his home is destroyed by developers' trucks. Together they embark on an adventure as they try to rein in, then rescue, then restore the flighty local lord of the manor Toad (Terry Jones). 

Toad moves fickly from craze to craze, the latest being motor cars. He gets into trouble with the law when his obsession leads him to steal a car. He ends up in jail, and the pernicious weasels take over his estate. Rat, Mole and Badger help him escape and then take back his ancestral home.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• none

VIOLENCE:

• some whacks over the head, but nothing significant

TEACHING POINTS:

• nothing significant

THE UPSHOT:

The Wind and the Willows was a huge part of my childhood, but I have accepted the sad fact that it is a bit inaccessible for kids today. Of the dramatized versions of the book that I have seen, this one is the best-- good songs, action, great acting and cast. But it is still no competition for the products of DreamWorks or Pixar or what have you.

If the original story means something to you, it is worth seeing. If not....

3/5