The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)
| The Wind in the Willows | |
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UK DVD front cover
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| Directed by | Terry Jones |
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| Screenplay by | Terry Jones |
| Based on |
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame |
| Starring | |
| Music by | John Du Prez |
| Cinematography | David Tattersall |
| Edited by | Julian Doyle |
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Release date
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Running time
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87 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £9.75 million |
| Box office | £1.303 million |
The Wind in the Willows (released in the United States as Mr. Toad's Wild Ride) is a 1996 British children's comedy film written and directed by Terry Jones, and produced by Jake Eberts and John Goldstone. The film stars Steve Coogan, Eric Idle and Terry Jones. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 18 October 1996. The film is based on the Kenneth Grahame's classic novel of the same name.
Mole's (Steve Coogan) underground home is knocked in when the field above it is bulldozed by the Weasels; the field was owned by Mr. Toad (Terry Jones), who has sold it to finance his latest fad: caravanning. Mole flees to the river and meets the Water Rat (Eric Idle), who is preparing to embark on a picnic. Seeing Mole's distress, Rat decides to take Mole to see Toad. Toad encourages them to travel with him on the open road, in his newly bought canary-coloured cart. Disaster strikes when a pair of joyriders in a motor car knock over the cart. Rat calms Toad's horse instead of Mole. Toad, however, instantly discards the cart and becomes obsessed with motoring. He is a reckless driver, however, and ends up needing more money from the Weasels. Their volatile Chief (Antony Sher) tries to persuade him to sell Toad Hall.
The Chief has three main cronies. Clarence (Keith-Lee Castle) and Geoffrey (Richard James) are his henchmen, though Clarence and Geoffrey passionately hate each other; and St. John (Robert Bathurst) attempts to suck up to the Chief, but his bumbling stupidity always rubs the Chief the wrong way.
During a crazy drive into the Wild Wood, resulting in the destruction of another car, all Toad, Rat, and Mole are lost in the inhospitable lair of the Weasels. The Weasels attempt to coerce Mole into stopping his friends from interfering with their plans. Toad, after fleeing when Rat, arrives and also runs into the Weasels. Toad, Rat, and Mole end up in Mr. Badger's underground abode. Badger (Nicol Williamson), a close friend of Toad's late father who feels responsible for Toad's reckless conduct regarding his inheritance, decides to end Toad's obsession with motor cars.
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