Have you ever seen a movie you wanted to like so much, but just couldn't? There are lots of movies out there that critics and audiences love, but you and I might not. I have a couple myself and sadly, I do have to admit that this is one of them. I'm not the only one to not like this movie though, E.B. White, the author of the original book also didn't like this movie. However, rather than dump all over a movie that many people more than likely have fond memories of, I'm going to look at both the good and the bad of the film, and see if there is anything that other viewers might latch onto.
Charlotte's Web tells the story of Wilbur, a pig that was born the runt of the litter. After he grows bigger and gets sold to a new farmer, he befriends a spider by the name of Charlotte, and a gosling named Jeffery and together, try to come up with a plan to keep Wilbur from being killed and eaten. Plot wise the movie is very cohesive, the film does not cut out the reasons for decisions being made. Wilbur must be sold because he's getting to big, Charlotte spins webs with words on them to keep Wilbur from becoming ham and bacon. Being based on a book, I would expect some level of cohesive narrative, so as a whole, the plot and narrative are solid.
As I haven't read the book in a long time, I won't comment on the changes between book to screen, I'm gonna save that for a different movie.
That being said, the plot does often take a back seat to the song numbers in this film. This movie loves to have its song numbers and very few of them are good. Not that they're badly written or sung, I really only found myself being annoyed by one song in the movie. That being said, none of the songs are really memorable, even the one song I kind of liked was not terribly memorable. While the songs aren't great, the background music is actually pretty good, setting the mood perfectly, and not overstaying its welcome like a lot of the songs do. I don't think this movie is very strong musically.
The characters of this movie are pretty strong. Wilbur is kind-hearted and friendly, I think most viewers can sympathize with his will to survive, though personally I cared a little more for the side characters. Templeton the rat is one of those, only out for himself kind of characters, which leads to him being a scoundrel. Despite this, he's one of the better characters in the film, getting excited over food and ultimately doing what is right, even if just for the reward. Though of all the characters in the film, Charlotte has to be my favourite. She is very kind and caring, but also stern and cunning, tricking Templeton into nearly getting eaten by a cat. Charlotte is a great character and is giving a very well done send-off.
I think animation wise, this film is okay. Backgrounds are well drawn and character animation is fluent, the movie looks good, but it also pulls a few cheap tricks in repeating animations. I also noticed some lip sync issues, but they weren't the worst I've ever seen, and whenever Wilbur would face the screen, it looked a little weird. Overall though, I will say it is a nice looking movie, it is pleasing to the eyes and never harsh or unpleasant to look at. I think, of the 1970s, this is one of the better looking American animated movies of the time period.
Objectively speaking, Charlotte's Web is a fine movie, but personally I found the movie to be a little uninteresting. While I did enjoy Charlotte's character and her interactions with Wilbur and Templeton, those are about the only highlights I can think of. Songs are forgettable, the rest of the characters aren't great, and it's not a very engaging watch. That being said, it is a classic animated feature, and I will admit that I have been spoiled by the standards of today. If I watched this when I was younger I probably would have enjoyed the songs and characters a lot more. I can't really recommend it based on my feelings towards the film, so take this review with a grain of salt. It's not a bad movie, just not one that grabbed me, though their are worse offenders in that regard.
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