You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown - NR

A toe-tapping song-fest for the whole family.

Rating: NR for not rated Studio: Paramount Pictures Running Time: 48 minutes Release Date: 01/01/1985 Genre: Family and Kids

Common Sense Note

Snoopy speaks for the first time in this animated version of the 1967 stage musical of the same name. In well staged, short sequences, Charlie Brown and friends ponder various aspects of the world around them, often in song. The songs are memorable, the characters lovable and the lessons poignant and funny. It's a great video for the whole family. Little kids will enjoy the short and lively musical sequences. Snoopy and the Peanuts gang appeal to grammar school kids, but don't expect preteens to buy into much of this story.

Families who watch this video may want to use it to encourage their creative children to create songs about the little things in their lives. Also, you might ask them what they would do if they were in Charlie Brown's shoes. Or, which character do they most identify with and why?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Common Sense Media

From the title song, when Lucy and the others regale Charlie Brown's "wishy-washiness," to Lucy's hilarious wooing of an oblivious Schroeder ("Someday We'll Get Married"), to Charlie Brown's wrestling with a kite ("The Kite"), a kid's eye view is expressed through tuneful songs.

During "Some Little Known Facts," Lucy sings facts about the natural world. Linus listens, aghast, as she explains that snow grows up from the ground, and is blown around by the wind. "Team", an ode to baseball, ends with Charlie Brown losing the game for his team because he's trying too hard to impress the little red-haired girl. The anthem "Happiness," lists all the things that make life worthwhile.

It's not surprising that every small theatre group from Maine to Mississippi has put on You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. One of the most widely performed musicals of all time, it's rife with memorable songs and lots of funny scenes that bring the Peanuts gang's quirks and characteristics to center stage.

The world according to Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and Sally is revealed through kid-friendly songs. Clark Gesner's lyrics and music are a good match to Charles Schultz's simply drawn yet expressive images. Over the years, different actors have voiced the characters. The voice actors used here are a good match to Charlie Brown and friends, with the jarring exception of Snoopy.

The beagle speaks for the first time, and it's hard to imagine what sort of voice kids will expect from him. An 8-year-old Snoopy fan was initially disturbed by the rather manly voice emerging from the beagle, but he quickly got used to this odd choice and enjoyed the rest of the video.

For another musical excursion into the world of Peanuts, try Snoopy, the Musical.

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