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Snoopy, Come Home
SnoopyComeHome.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bill Melendez
Produced by
Written by Charles M. Schulz
Starring
  • Chad Webber
  • Robin Kohn
  • Stephen Shea
  • David Carey
  • Johanna Baer
  • Hilary Momberger
  • Chris De Faria
  • Linda Ercoli
  • Linda Mendelson
  • Bill Melendez
Music by
Editing by
  • Robert T. Gillis
  • Charles McCann
  • Rudy Zamora
Distributed by National General Pictures
Paramount Pictures (Current)
Release date(s) August 9, 1972 (1972-08-09)
Running time 80 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1 million
Money made $245,073

Snoopy Come Home is a 1972 American animated musical comedy-drama film directed by Bill Melendez and written by Charles M. Schulz based on the Peanuts comic strip. The film marks the on-screen debut of Woodstock, who had first appeared in the strip in 1967. It was the only Peanuts film during composer Vince Guaraldi’s lifetime that did not have a score composed by him. Its music was composed by the Sherman Brothers, who composed the music for various Disney films like Mary Poppins (1964), The Jungle Book (1967), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). The film was released on August 9, 1972 by National General Pictures, produced by Lee Mendelson Films and Cinema Center Films (in the latter's final production). Despite receiving largely positive reviews, the film was a box-office bomb, grossing only $245,073 against a production budget of over $1 million.

Plot

Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang go to the beach for the day. Once there, Snoopy promises to go back to the beach the next day to meet up with Peppermint Patty. After Charlie Brown has gone home to play Monopoly with the others, he notices Snoopy is late and remarks he is tired of Snoopy being late. Charlie Brown vents his frustrations at Snoopy, who silences him by taking off his collar (because of how much it cost Charlie to buy). The next day, Snoopy is thrown off the beach due to a new "No Dogs Allowed on this beach" rule (thus setting a running gag in the film), leaving Peppermint Patty to think he stood her up (as she still thinks he's just "a funny looking kid with a big nose"). Then Snoopy gets thrown out of a library due to his disruptive behavior and another "No Dogs Allowed in library" rule. He then takes out his anger by getting into a fight with Linus over his blanket, and later beats, and kisses Lucy in a boxing match.

Later, Snoopy receives a letter from a girl named Lila, who has been in the hospital for three weeks for unspecified reasons and needs Snoopy to keep her company. Upon receiving the letter, Snoopy immediately sets off with Woodstock to go see her, leaving Charlie Brown completely in the dark as to who Lila is. Linus decides to do some investigating, and discovers that Lila is Snoopy's original owner; Charlie Brown faints upon hearing this.

En route to see Lila, Snoopy and Woodstock are forced to face the challenges of a world full of signs declaring "No Dogs Allowed". Each instance - on a bus, a train, and elsewhere - is musically accented by the deep tones of Thurl Ravenscroft. The pair are briefly adopted as pets by an animal-obsessed girl (identified as Clara in the theatrical poster, the soundtrack album's back cover and label, and closed captioning), and she ties Snoopy up. Then Clara locks Woodstock in a cage while he's trying to save Snoopy. Clara's mother lets her keep the beagle; Clara is so excited to have Snoopy (whom she calls "Rex") as her "sheepdog". She bathes him (and he tries to escape, but fails) and dresses him up. Clara starts a tea party, but Snoopy escapes Clara's clutches and tries to call for help, but Clara catches him, takes his dress off, and ties him up again. Then Clara tells Snoopy, "Mom says, if I'm gonna keep you, I gotta take you to the vet for a check up. You probably need about a dozen shots." Clara walks Snoopy to the vet and when they get there, he causes a fight and escapes. He returns to Clara's house and frees Woodstock, but Clara returns and a chases ensues until she ends up with a full fishbowl stuck on her head, prompting their escape. Later that evening, Snoopy and Woodstock camp out, play football and make music while preparing dinner.

Snoopy finally reaches the hospital, but again no dogs are allowed inside. To add further insult, the hospital does not allow birds to enter either. Snoopy is foiled in his first attempt to sneak into Lila's room, but his second attempt is successful. He then keeps Lila company for the rest of his stay. Lila tells Snoopy that his visit helped her to get better. She then asks Snoopy to go home with her, but he has doubts about this idea. Snoopy decides to go back home to Charlie Brown. However, when he sees Lila watching him tearfully from her hospital window, Snoopy finds that it's too hard to leave her and he runs back to her, which she takes as a sign that he wants to live with her. But first, he needs to return to "settle his affairs" and say goodbye. Snoopy writes a letter directing that certain items of his will be given away: Linus is given his croquet and chess sets, while Schroeder receives Snoopy's record collection. Despite Charlie Brown's status as Snoopy's owner and master, all he receives from his dog is Snoopy's best wishes for the future.

The kids throw Snoopy a large, tearful going-away party, each one bringing a gift. The kids closest to Snoopy get up to say a few words in his honor. But when it is Charlie Brown's turn to speak, he is overwhelmed to the point of silence. After giving Snoopy his present, he finally wails out in pain with Snoopy doing likewise. The rest of the gang, even Lucy, eventually follows suit when Schroeder plays "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" on his piano.

After Snoopy leaves, Charlie Brown is unable to sleep or eat. When Snoopy arrives at Lila's apartment building the next day, he sees a sign next to the front door that says, "No dogs allowed in building." Snoopy is overjoyed that this gives him an excuse to return to Charlie Brown. Lila arrives and Snoopy is reluctantly introduced to her pet cat. Snoopy shows Lila the sign, and Lila has no choice but to allow Snoopy to leave. Snoopy leaves Lila behind and joyfully returns to Charlie Brown and the others.

Back home, the children are overjoyed to see Snoopy return, carrying him on high to his dog house. Once there, using his typewriter, Snoopy demands that the kids return the items he had given them before he left, turning their feelings to annoyance. Charlie Brown reads his document and tells the gang, "Mine says, that since he gave me nothing, I owe him nothing." Lucy then snaps, "That does it, Charlie Brown! He's your dog and you're welcome to him!" The gang then leaves Charlie Brown and Snoopy together, then Charlie Brown walks crossly away. The film ends with end credits being typed out by Woodstock as Snoopy dictates.

Cast

Patty, Pig-Pen, Violet, Franklin, Shermy, Roy, and 5 appear but had no lines.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Snoopy, Come Home para niños

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