Charlotte's Web (1973 movie) facts for kids

Charlotte's Web Poster

Charlotte's Web is a beloved animated musical movie from 1973. It is based on the famous book written by E. B. White in 1952. The movie was created by Hanna Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions. Paramount Pictures released it in theaters on March 1, 1973.

This film is special because it was one of the few Hanna Barbera movies not based on their popular television cartoons. The songs and music for the movie were written by the famous Sherman Brothers.

Charlotte's Web has stayed popular for many years. People watched it a lot on television and VHS tapes. In 1994, it became one of the best-selling movies of the year. This was 21 years after it first came out! No other non-Disney animated musical movie has become so popular again later on.

Because of its lasting popularity, a direct-to-video sequel called Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure was made. Paramount released it in the US on March 18, 2003. Later, a live-action movie version of E. B. White's story was released on December 15, 2006. The original movie was recognized with a Pulitzer Prize in 1985. This was the same year the author, E. B. White, passed away.

The Amazing Story of Wilbur and Charlotte

The story begins on a farm owned by the Arable family. A mother pig gives birth to 11 piglets. One of them is very small and weak. The farmer, John Arable, decides he must get rid of the tiny piglet. But his daughter, Fern Arable, hears about it. She bravely tells her father it's not fair to kill a helpless piglet just because it's small.

John agrees, and Fern is allowed to keep the little piglet. She names him Wilbur. Fern and Wilbur become the best of friends. Fern takes Wilbur everywhere, even in a baby carriage, and gives him baths.

However, after only six weeks, Wilbur grows much bigger. John Arable tells Fern it's time for Wilbur to be sold. Fern is very sad to say goodbye. Wilbur is sold to her uncle, Homer Zuckerman, who lives down the street.

When Wilbur arrives at the new farm, he feels lonely. He tries to play with a lamb, but the lamb's father says sheep don't play with pigs. He explains that pigs are usually raised to become food. Wilbur gets very scared and starts crying, saying he doesn't want to die.

Suddenly, a kind voice from above tells him to "chin up." Wilbur feels a little better and goes to sleep. The next day, the voice sings a song about being brave. The voice belongs to a friendly spider named Charlotte.

Charlotte becomes Wilbur's best friend. She promises to save him from being turned into food. Charlotte comes up with a clever plan. She starts writing special messages in her web, right above Wilbur's pen. She calls him "terrific" and "some pig."

These amazing messages get a lot of attention. News reporters and neighbors come to see Wilbur. Everyone is amazed by the "miracle" web. Because of all the attention, the Arable and Zuckerman families decide to keep Wilbur. He is safe!

Eventually, Charlotte lays her eggs. She knows her life is ending. After her babies hatch, most of them float away on the wind. But three of Charlotte's baby spiders decide to stay on the farm. For many years, they keep Wilbur company. Even though Wilbur loves them, they can never truly replace his first amazing friend, Charlotte.

Who Are the Voices?

Many talented actors lent their voices to the characters in Charlotte's Web. Here are some of them:

When Was the Movie Released?

Charlotte's Web first came out in theaters in the United States on March 1, 1973. Before that, it had a smaller release in a few theaters in New York City on February 22, 1973.

The movie was also released in other countries:

• West Germany: March 30, 1973
• Sweden: August 11, 1973
• Japan: August 25, 1973

Songs from the Movie

The movie features many memorable songs that help tell the story. The music and lyrics were written by the famous Sherman Brothers.

Here are some of the songs:

• "Chin Up"
• "I Can Talk!"
• "Zuckerman's Famous Pig"
• "A Veritable Smorgasbord"
• "We've Got Lots In Common"
• "Mother Earth and Father Time"
• "There Must Be Something More"
• "Deep In The Dark/Charlotte's Web"

"Chin Up" is the first song Charlotte sings to Wilbur. She sings it when they first meet in the barnyard. She wants to cheer him up and help him feel better about his situation.

"I Can Talk!" is sung by Wilbur. He had never been able to speak before! The Goose helps him realize he can talk. Wilbur gets so excited about his new skill that he wakes up the other farm animals with his happy singing.

"A Veritable Smorgasbord" is a fun song introduced by the Goose. It's also sung by Templeton the rat. It's about all the different kinds of food they can find.

"Zuckerman's Famous Pig" is the main song about Wilbur becoming famous. It's sung in a classic barbershop quartet style. This song celebrates how Wilbur was saved from being killed. The song was even covered by The Brady Kids!

"We've Got Lots in Common" is sung by Wilbur to a new baby goose named Jeffery. Jeffery, like Wilbur, is a runt. Wilbur shares a lesson Charlotte taught him: that even if you're different, you can find things in common with others. The other barnyard animals join in the song too.

"Mother Earth and Father Time" is a thoughtful song sung by Charlotte. She sings it at the end of her life. It talks about life and how things change over time. Many people find this song very touching.

"There Must Be Something More" is sung by Fern to baby Wilbur. It shows how much she loves him and how she learns about life through him. The song covers the first few weeks of Wilbur's life with Fern. Later, Wilbur sings it again when Fern starts to grow up and spend more time with a boy named Henry Fussy. Charlotte explains to Wilbur that this is a natural part of life.

"Charlotte's Web" is the main song of the movie. It's often sung right after "Deep In the Dark." In the movie, Charlotte sings "Deep In the Dark" to help the barnyard animals fall asleep. The title song, "Charlotte's Web," has been covered by other artists, including The Brady Bunch.