Review of The Wind in the Willows

While the story does drag in places, this is a lively and cute animated cartoon based on a truly great book. It mayn't be the best adaptation of the book, that goes to the animated film with Rik Mayall as the voice of Toad, but it is so worthwhile. It is for one thing lovingly animated, with some beautiful backgrounds and lovely colours. The music is also terrific, with some lyrical, rousing and fun themes that are certainly memorable. The story while understandably condensed is still effective, and the scripting is good. The voice acting is very expressive, with Basil Rathbone who I best know as Sherlock Holmes brilliant as the narrator and Eric Blore a lot of fun as Toad, who is just as rascally as he is in the book. I also liked Badger, the gruff and firm character who in the book tries to make Toad change his ways and Cyril, the horse. Plus the courtroom scene is hilarious. Overall, a fun and worthwhile cartoon. 9/10 Bethany Cox