The Wind in the Willows – 1983 | 79 mins | Animation | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Cosgrove Hall’s accomplished stop-motion animated adaptation of Kenneth Grahames’ The Wind in the Willows is probably the definitive screen version of the much-loved children’s tale. The film features most of Grahame’s beloved humanistic animal characters some of whom occasionally burst into song; specifically Toad voiced by Only Fools and Horses star David Jason, Rat voiced by film comedy stalwart Ian Carmichael, Badger voiced by character actor Michael Horden and Mole voiced by TV regular Richard Pearson.

The story revolves around Toad’s obsession with excitement. He invites his friends Mole and Ratty along for a summer ride in his new horse-driven caravan but after they are forced from the road by a motor car Toad is smitten by the exhilarating new mode of transport. And thus Toad purchases an automobile, but regrettably he’s not the world’s finest driver and creates havoc on the country lanes before crashing one car after another. Eventually his friends decide he must be stopped, and Badger, Ratty and Mole lock Toad in his bedroom until he shakes off the speed bug – but Toad gives them the slip and immediately after escaping Toad Hall steals a car.

Unfortunately, Toad’s latest escape lands him in court and the judge sentences the road hog to a spell behind bars, but once again he escapes his captors and makes good his escape on a train masquerading as a washerwomen. When Toad finally arrives back at The Riverbank he discovers Toad Hall has been invaded by the evil Weasels in his absence and he’ll require his friends help to liberate his home. Can they return Toad to Toad Hall and is the mischief maker finally over his love of danger?