The Wind in the Willows (1983)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Wind in the Willows (1983) – M. Hall & C. Taylor

Stop-motion animation version of Kenneth Graham’s 1908 book featuring rascally Mr. Toad and his stalwart and more sensible friends Mole, Rat, and Badger.  We watched this immediately after reading the book and, although the film takes some minor liberties with the novel (mostly excluding the more poetic and bucolic chapters), the central story of Toad remains mostly intact (if abbreviated).  If you don’t know, Mr Toad develops a fetish for motor cars, steals one and ends up in jail, later to escape only to find his house has been taken over by weasels; fortunately his friends help him to secure it back and he promises never to be such a naughty fellow again (as if!).  The film captures the wistful tone of the book, casting its kino eye lovingly over the countryside and the contents of each house (Toad Hall, Mole End, the Rat’s homely abode), beautifully rendered in paper maiche (if not clay – it is hard to tell!). The kids’ attention may have wandered a bit (just as it did with the book itself) but I found the film quite enjoyable and it would probably be quite nostalgic if I had originally encountered it as a kid myself on British TV.