Barnyard adventure 'Home on the Range' is corny and, doggone it, cute
But whether or not you appreciate Gracie Allen homages, "Home on the Range" is a pleasant enough diversion, rarely rising above cuteness but nonetheless enjoyable for its young audience. (Rent the 1937 comedy "A Damsel in Distress," which also features Burns and Fred Astaire, for a delicious dose of the real Gracie.) In angular, wildly colorful animation, the film tells the story of how three cows team up to save their idyllic home, a dairy farm called Patch of Heaven, from the auction block. As always with Disney films, teamwork, friendship and sweetness prevail.
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The most interesting aspect of "Home on the Range" (other than its bouncy, country-flavored score) is the voice casting of its three lead characters. The off-the-wall combination of Barr, Tilly and Judi Dench (who voices Mrs. Caloway, a ladylike cow who wears a fetching straw hat with a daisy) seems like genius or madness — think how much more memorable "Charlie's Angels" might have been with this trio. They blend nicely together, though the screenplay (by co-directors Will Finn and John Sanford) never lets the characters extend their repertoire beyond one note: Maggie, a former "show cow" newly arrived on the farm, is brash; Grace is dingy; Mrs. Caloway always seems ready for a spot of tea.
(Political trivia buffs may wish to note the casting of former Texas governor Ann Richards, who enthusiastically lends her gravelly voice to the small role of saloon keeper Annie. Is this, perhaps, a possible solution to the chronic problem of finding gainful employment for former state governors? Gary Locke, take note.)
Relentlessly sunny in its depiction of farm life (the chickens at Patch of Heaven merrily do-si-do), "Home on the Range" agreeably zips through its brief running time, complete with breakneck chases, a yodeling villain and a few memorable one-liners. ("Hogwash," says the curmudgeonly goat to an audience of piglets. Maybe it was just the early hour, but I giggled.) It's a far cry from the brilliance of a "Finding Nemo," but it'll keep the kids happy until the next Disney film comes along.
Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com