History WesternAnimation / CharlottesWeb

Charlotte's Web was first adapted as an animated film in 1973. It was produced by Creator/HannaBarbera and Sagittarius Productions, and released by Creator/{{Paramount}}. Its screenplay was written by Earl Hamner, Jr. (''Series/TheWaltons'') and music by Music/TheShermanBrothers (''WesternAnimation/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'', ''Film/MaryPoppins''), and it featured the voices of Creator/DebbieReynolds as Charlotte, Creator/PaulLynde as Templeton, and Creator/HenryGibson as Wilbur. The film was reasonably well-reviewed by critics (74% fresh on Website/RottenTomatoes), though endured some complaints regarding the quality of the animation and the music. [[CreatorBacklash Notably, E.B. White himself was disappointed by the film.]] This did not stop it from becoming a popular success, enjoying strong popularity on VHS and television.

For the original book, see ''Literature/CharlottesWeb''.

* BabysFirstWords: Though not a baby, Wilbur is encouraged to talk for the first time by the goose, and he eventually sings about it. Note that this was not in the book itself, where Wilbur could already talk upon arrival.

* LanguageBarrier: Downplayed. The humans can't understand the animals, but the animals seem to understand the humans just fine.

* SadTimesMontage: Before Charlotte passes away, we get a montage of Wilbur's wonderful times from being saved by Fern to his time on the farm and winning a medal, as she thinks of her life now that nothing can harm him.

* BulletSeed: After Templeton crashed into a watermelon, see [[ImpactSilhouette below]], he spits out the seeds before he eats it from the inside.

* ImpactSilhouette: During the [[GluttonyMontage]], Templeton crashed into a watermelon. It leaves a Templeton-shaped hole in it. [[He spits out the seeds]] and eats the watermelon from the inside, leaving no trace of the Templeton-shaped hole.

* AnimalTalk: Animals can talk to each other, but not to humans.

In need of a CharacterPage.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: In the book, it's explicitly stated that Fern can hear the animals talking loud and clear (see AdaptedOut). In the film, this is not made very obvious, which makes it hard to tell for a viewer that is unfamiliar with the book if her conversation with her parents over dinner is just her playing pretend or if she really can hear the animals.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Templeton is more of a likable JerkWithAHeartOfGold in this film adaptations especially given that he's voiced by Creator/PaulLynde, whereas in the original book he is utterly self-centered and amoral.

** Another scene from the book that didn't make it in the animated adaptation is when Wilbur busts out of his pen with the geese urging him to be free. Though it did eventually end up in the live-action adaptation (along with the Dorian scene).

* AnimationBump: While still not quite Disney animation, the film's more expressive and fluid animation is otherwise a testement to what Hanna-Barbera's artists could do with the budget and schedule of a feature film, and easily distinguished from the kind of LimitedAnimation often found in the TV shows they were producing at the same time.

* BabysFirstWords: Though not a baby, Wilbur is encouraged to talk for the first time by the goose, and he eventually sings about it. Note that this was not in the book itself, and Wilbur could already talk upon arrival.

* BigBrotherBully: Fern's brother Avery, though not exactly a bully, is just rather obnoxious and mischievous. He tries to catch Charlotte for his collection only to be stopped by the rotten egg breaking. Though Avery still has a good heart.
* BittersweetEnding: While Wilbur lives, Charlotte dies soon after the fair. Also Fern doesn't visit Wilbur as often as she used to as she grows up and starts dating Henry Fussy. Yet Charlotte's children live on, and Wilbur is happy to while away the years in the barn with generations of Charlotte's descendants.

* ButtMonkey: Lurvy, the Zuckermans' farm assistant is ''very'' clumsy.

* DownOnTheFarm: A lot of action is set on two different farms. The Arable's and Zuckerman's.

** He faints when Lurvey force-feeds him a sulphur-and-molasses tonic

* FoodPorn: {{Double Subverted|Trope}} with the discarded food from the county fair. Not appetizing at first glance but it is if you're a rat. Templeton takes [[StealthPun full]] advantage of it.

* HiccupHijinks: Templeton, after his overeating at the fair, get these mid-musical number and they last him up to the next morning.

** Charlotte's full name is Charlotte A. Cavatica. She is also a barn spider, and the scientific name for a barn spider is Araneus cavaticus. When her daughter learns that mother's middle initial was "A", she decides to name herself Aranea.

* MessyPig: Type 2--Sanitary Swine. Or as sanitary as he can be, considering [[NauseaFuel he sleeps on an enormous pile of manure]]. Played with when Wilbur has to go to the fair. The sheep advises Wilbur to struggle with being put in a crate. Wilbur's objection that it'll make him messy (after he'd just had a buttermilk bath by Edith Zuckerman) is overruled by the sheep warning him if he ''doesn't'' struggle, they'll assume something is wrong with him and leave him behind.

* ParentalBonus: In the animated film, the "I got lucky" facial expression Templeton has on his face when he and his mate and his offspring walk by. The satisfied chuckle he gives just ''screams'', "Behold, the evidence of my conquest!" For those who know who [[CampGay Paul Lynde]] was, it's more "Who knew?"

* TheRunaway: Wilbur almost does this when Charlotte's daughters take off, before the ram reveals three of them decided to stay.

* StockFootage: Owing to the very low animation budget (by feature film standards, anyway), this happens here and there. One point of notice is that the footage used for the crowds pulling in is the same for the first two occasions Charlotte spins a message into her web.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Templeton, for most of the story is just an antisocial loner, who really doesn't want to be involved in Charlotte's plan to save Wilbur, unless there's something in it for him. However, he delivers an out-of-nowhere KickTheDog moment towards the end when Wilbur explains to him that Charlotte is dying and asks him to carry her egg sac into the crate. Templeton's response?

* TriumphantReprise: "Zuckerman's Famous Pig" returns in a more celebratory manner when Wilber is offered a medal and Mr. Zuckerman decides to let him live the rest of his life.

* WhatsInItForMe: It's a continued theme that Templeton repeatedly asks this question, and is repeatedly answered with ''very'' strong incentives. One has to wonder why Templeton hasn't learned to expect it. Only twice is Templeton ''not'' threatened - and those are the two final times, first with promises of miles of food at the fair, and last of all when Wilber promises to let him eat first from his trough for the rest of his life in return for bringing him Charlotte's egg sack.
* WritersSuck: Averted. The last lines of the book and adaptations are, "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both."

Charlotte's Web was first adapted as an animated film in 1973. It was produced by Creator/HannaBarbera and Sagittarius Productions, and released by Creator/{{Paramount}}. Its screenplay was written by Earl Hamner, Jr. (''Series/TheWaltons'') and music by Music/TheShermanBrothers (''WesternAnimation/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'', ''Film/MaryPoppins'') and featuring the voices of Creator/DebbieReynolds as Charlotte, Creator/PaulLynde as Templeton and Creator/HenryGibson as Wilbur. The film was reasonably well-reviewed by critics (74% fresh on Website/RottenTomatoes), though endured some complaints regarding the quality of the animation and the music. [[CreatorBacklash Notably, E.B. White himself was disappointed by the film.]] This did not stop it from becoming a popular success, enjoying strong popularity on VHS and television.

A DirectToVideo sequel, with the subtitle "Wilbur's Great Adventure" was released in 2003 by Paramount and Creator/{{Universal}}, with animation production handled by the latter.

For the original book see ''Literature/CharlottesWeb''.

* {{Fainting}}: Wilbur is prone to this whenever he when he overhears the Zuckermans still planning to slaughter him. Templeton revives him by biting his tail. He also faints after Lurvey forces him to take sulphur and molasses as medicine - a scene where he doesn't faint in the book.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Charlotte has antennae like an insect.

* AnimationBump: While it still suffers a bit from LimitedAnimation, the film is rather fluidly animated for a Hanna-Barbera product (especially from the 1970s).
* AnimatedMusical: This version is one.

* TriumphantReprise: "Zuckerman's Famous Pig" returns in a more celebratory manner when Wilber is offered a medal and Mr. Zuckerman decides to let him live the rest of his life.

-->'''Wilbur:''' Charlotte? ''Charlotte??'' '''CHARLOTTE!!!'''

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to Jeffrey, the gosling that wanted to be a pig?

* FreudianSlip: Fern accidentally says "Wilbur" when the teacher asks her what the capital of Pennsylvania state is.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: It's buried ''quite deeply'' in [[YouDirtyRat Templeton]]'s gluttonous body in the film adaptations.
* LyricalDissonance: At one point, Charlotte sings Wilbur a lullaby about "the dung and the dark." It's appropriately sweet, soothing, and just happens to incorporate the fact that Wilbur sleeps in literal cow manure.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Regarding the 1973 version: What happened to Jeffrey, the gosling that wanted to be a pig?

** Another scene from the book that didn't make it in the animated adaptation is when Wilbur busts out of his pin with the geese urging him to be free. Though it did eventually end up in the live-action adaptation (along with the Dorian scene).

* ParentalBonus: In the animated film, the "I got lucky" facial expression Templeton has on his face when he and his mate and his offspring walk by. The satisfied chuckle he gives just ''screams'', "Behold, the evidence of my conquest!"