Staring: Steve Coogan, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Anthony Sher Nocl Williamson, John Cleese, Stephen Fry,
Bernard Hill, Michael Palin, Nigel Planer, Julia Sawahia, Victoria Wood
Director: John Goldstone
Production company: Allied Films
Music by: John Duprez, Andre Jacquemin Terry Jones, Dave Howman
Release: 2005
Content: Youth


Plot: Mole's underground home is caved in when the meadow above is crushed by a steam shovel, driven by the Weasels, who are demolishing it for a new location. Mr. Toad, had sold the land to finance his latest obsession: caravanning. Mole finds the Water Rat for solace. Seeing Mole's pain, Rat takes Mole to see Toad. Toad encourages them to join them in his newly bought horse-drawn caravan. A speeding motor car frightens the horse, tipping the caravan over. Toad instantly discards the cart and becomes infatuated with motoring. He is a terrible driver and funds his cars with loans from the Weasels. Their vindictive Chief blackmails him to sell Toad Hall.

After Toad's uncontrollable drive into the Wild Wood destroys a seventh motor car, Toad, Rat, and Mole are lost in the unwelcoming lair of the Weasels. The Weasels attempt to coerce Mole into stopping his friends from interfering with their plans. Toad is also attacked by the Weasels. The three end up in Mr. Badger's underground house. Badger, a close friend of Toad's late father who feels protective of Toad's inheritance, attempts to end Toad's love of motor cars. However, Toad refuses to listen to Badger and is ultimately arrested for stealing and crashing a motorcar outside a pub. During his trial, Toad's defense lawyer is no help at all due to Toad's obnoxious attitude. Furthermore, the Weasels are dominating the public box. The Chief Weasel poses as one of the rabbits in the Jury and manipulates the Jury to give a guilty verdict. After Toad insults the Court and makes a botched escape attempt, the Judge gives him a hundred-year sentence in a castle dungeon.

Back in Toad Hall, Rat and Mole are evicted by the Weasels, who have taken Toad Hall for themselves. Rat and Mole tunnel under the castle to free Toad, but he is helped by the kindhearted Jailer's daughter and her sardonic Tea Lady Aunt. Toad escapes, disguised as the latter. Having left Toad's wallet in his cell, Toad, Rat, and Mole board an Engine No. 592, which is coupled to four coaches and pulls out, thanks to the engine driver's help of letting them ride on the footplate. The police, who have stowed away on the carriages behind the engine, demand that the train be stopped by waving furiously at Ratty, Moley, and the driver on the engine, much to Toad's fearing terror. As the engine goes to see what the police want and tries to stop the train, Toad confesses the truth and begs the driver to help him evade his captors about arresting him for stealing motorcars. Feeling sympathetic of what Toad says is true, the driver agrees to help as the police shoot the paint on his engine. Angered, he tosses coal from his engine's tender at the police, but fails to dodge a mail catcher, which catches him and ends up holding him from his train. Toad takes control of the train by pulling the accelerator to speed the engine up, and as Mole accidentally uncouples the coaches, he and Rat are left far behind with the coaches as the police hit a tunnel and hold on for dear life, Toad eventually derails the engine, and having survived the accident from the wreckage of the engine, sets off again, but is abducted by the Weasels.

Review: The Wind in the Willows has been a wonderful classic children's story enjoyed by many generations. This adaptation of the book brings the characters to life with fun filled frolic. Follow the three close friends, Ratty, Mole and Badger, as they work to keep the always over the top Toad of Toad Hall under control. Quick to embrace the latest fashion and fad, Toad becomes obsessed with sports cars. Which leads to a string of unhappy events for poor Toad who must muster his courage and ingenuity to survive.

All the while the weasels have over run Toad Hall and have some wicked plans for the stately mansion to make them rich and well fed for a very long time. Will Toad ever regain his family mansion? Will the three friend be able to help him and get him to see reason and common sense? You'll need plenty of popcorn as you enjoy this family friendly film.

M J Flack