Communication Received

CHARLOTTE'S WEB

Directed by CHARLES A. NICHOLS and IWAO TAKAMOTO

Screenplay by EARL HAMMER JR.

Sirs: I must explain at the outset that this full-length cartoon version of the book in which I first found fame was of great interest to me. As the presumed villain of the piece--although, I always thought, a heartily personable one--I was eager to see what Hollywood had done to my image and that of my old friends. Even a rat hears stories of the mangling of classics, and certainly Mr. E.B. White's narrative is a work of such stature.

Well, it has been tampered with a little, and slicked up with songs I find rather resistible. In the main, however, I must admit my fears were groundless. Mr. White's fine story shines through. The movie is beguiling. The children will love it. And, if I may say so, I think I steal the show.

The heroine of the piece, you'll remember, is Charlotte A. Cavatica, the helpful spider who saw Wilbur the pig through some pretty rough times. She saved his life and also taught him to understand and accept death. It is a very important lesson, one I was particularly glad to see the movie people had not altered for the sake of a happy ending. Physically, however, my friends and I look different from Mr. Garth Williams' definitive illustrations in the book. We have been made cuter, which I suppose is nothing to complain about.

It is hard to think of Debbie Reynolds as Charlotte, but remember, we only hear her voice. She has the same strong, clear, warm tones that Charlotte had, so I must applaud the choice. Henry Gibson sounds just as slow and foolish as Wilbur himself. Paul Lynde portrays me. I understand he has a weekly television show, and he certainly is funny. I have always thought, however, that I sounded much more like Laurence Olivier.

The script makes several errors of fact. For one, Wilbur never had a gosling chum named Jeffrey. I can also assure you that Charlotte was far too intelligent a lady ever to say "Chin up, chin up, everybody loves a happy face," much less sing it, as she is made to do here. Last and most important, I do not have a wife and family. I do have a more than adequate social life, one that I am hoping Mr. White will write about one day. If he ever does, I will keep a careful eye on the movie sales.

TEMPLETON

Zuckerman's Farm

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