Charlotte’s Web
Watching Gary Winick’s live action adaptation of E.B. White’s beloved children’s novel- the second after an animated version in the ’70s- memories of not only the animated film but also of reading the book as a child with my mother came back to me. These are fond memories, even if the story made me cry like a baby as we were reading. Winick (best known for the bouncy “13 Going on 30” and overrated indie “Tadpole”) made sure I cried like a baby again with a faithful and touching new version for a post-“Babe” moviegoer, where the live action film features real animals enhanced with CGI to make it look like they’re speaking (“Babe” did it first- and probably better (I still have yet to see it actually)- but “Web” does it very well). Don’t expect this film to go the way of that 1995 sleeper and find Oscar gold- though don’t count out the lovely end credits song “Ordinary Miracle” by Sarah McLachlan- but do expect box-office success for “Web.” It’s just a wonderful story, folks.
It’s a good bet that you know that story, as well, but here’s a rundown anyway. When her father is looking to turn the runt of a litter of pigs into a meal, Fern (Dakota Fanning, whose exceptional talent continues to shine through at a still-young age) makes a promise to look after the pig, whom she names Wilbur, saying that it’s not fair to kill the pig just because it’s small. But her promise may not be able to save Wilbur, so it’s sold to the Zuckerman farm across the street- and Fern’s uncle- as a brief reprive, waiting for the winter before he’s turned into Christmas morning bacon and sausage. Wilbur’s something of an outcast in the barn, where the geese, sheep, cows, and horse are too polite to tell the little pig his fate (a self-serving rat named Templeton- voiced by the sneaky and funny Steve Buscemi- isn’t ashamed of doing that). But a change happens when Wilbur is befriended by a spider who lives in the doorway named Charlotte (voiced by Julia Roberts- does it go without saying that she’s ideal at projecting Charlotte’s wise and humane personality?). Also an outcast- you can imagine an 8-legged insect being one in a barn- Charlotte also makes a promise to Wilbur, to do what she can to make sure the spring pig sees his first snow. I think you probably know the rest from there.
There’s a right way and a wrong way to do this story, and the wrong way would be to alter it, either for the time it’s being told (setting it too obviously in the here and now, for instance), either for comic effect (it’s always been more of a dramatic story anyway, though not without some laughs to be had), or either to avoid being criticized for complete fidelity (in the right hands, the great stories can stand up to simple and direct conversion to the big screen). Winick and his screenwriters (“Erin Brockovich’s” Susannah Grant and “Chicken Run’s” Karey Kirkpatrick adaptation brims with wit, warmth, and resonate feeling) do it right, with a look and setting that’s indeed timeless, no noticeable attempts to bring a contemporary humor to the film that would feel out-of-place, and an adaptation that remains true to the original in both story and theme. Reconnecting with the story again, however, I also noticed- perhaps more than ever- not just the importance of friendship and promises kept in the story, and obviously the imaginative way White used his fable to teach children about the circle of life, but also an unspoken spirituality and pseudo-religious subtext to the story that seems rarely commented on. Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s the film’s tagline, “Help is coming from above,” which sort of makes Charlotte feel like either an angelic character (an idea I have noticed elsewhere), or even- dare I say it?- a Christ-like figure. Of course, to draw the latter conclusion, you must know the end, and be able to see the subtle parallels (and they are subtle; we’re not talking Aslan from “The Chronicles of Narnia” obviousness here). Anyone reading this likely does know the ending, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be explicitly saying it here- I will say that the film earned my tears at the moment by staying true to the bonds the characters form during the story (Danny Elfman’s sweetly moving score- not one of his best, but certainly worth a few listens- helped a little in that department as well).
The cast is across the board well-cast, even if some of them seem underused. Besides Fanning, Roberts, and Buscemi, the next major standout is child actor Dominic Scott Kay, who perfectly embodies Wilbur’s playful nature, as well as his emotions during key moments in the film in his delightful vocal performance. John Cleese is fine comic relief as Samuel the sheep, Oprah Winfrey and Cedric the Entertainer make an enjoyable couple as the geese, Kathy Bates and Reba McEntire are fun as the cows, while Thomas Hayden Church and Andre Benjamin steal the show as crows after corn and Templeton. The one disappointment- if there is one- is Robert Redford as Ike the horse. Don’t get me wrong- Redford voices the part wonderfully, and it’s great to hear him in a role for the first time in what seems like forever (same went with Paul Newman in “Cars”), but when I say some of the actors seem underused, I’m referring specifically to Redford, although he’s so good in the role that when Wilbur returns home from the fair late in the movie, Redford only has a brief line, but I found myself thinking of the actor’s quiet grace when the horse moves. You’ll see what I mean- it’s a perfect little moment in a film with many.
In watching “Home Alone” recently with some friends, I realized that the movie held up even better than one would expect. It deepened for me, was more impressive in its’ performances and story. It made me feel like a kid again, giving me the same feeling I had when I first saw it. The best stories are like that; they’re overall effect on a viewer never wavers, and even heightens with age, given the viewers added world experience. That’s part of the reason why- for all its’ changes from the original story- the Jim Carrey “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” worked for me when I saw it in 2000. That’s why Pixar and Aardman’s films- however brilliant or not- never fail to entertain me. That’s why the best Disney films have stood the test of time. Deep down, there’s something so universal in them that whether your 13 or going on 30, they allow you to recapture that feeling you had when you first connected with them. I’m probably something of a softy for feeling so high on a movie that’s very much fluff (notice that G rating), but it’s good fluff, and the story still connected. I can’t think of higher praise for the film.
