 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
A Cricket in Times Square
- Review Date: July 11, 2005
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1973
Common Sense Media says
A paltry adaptation of a classic book.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that they have nothing objectionable to worry about in this video, unless you count a weak script, poor animation and dreary music. Still, the message of helping others is a good one.
What's the story?
Chester, a Connecticut field cricket, accidentally hitches a ride in a picnic basket to New York City, where a boy named Mario gives him a home at a failing Times Square newsstand. There Chester meets Tucker the mouse and his sophisticated cat friend Harry, who convince the homesick cricket to stop pining for the country and give the city a try. Chester stays, and learns that he has a special talent. By rubbing his wings together like a bow to a violin, he can play back any tune he hears on the radio. Subway patrons stop to listen, awed by his perfect pitch. Soon the little newsstand is thriving, but fame can't silence the voice within that calls Chester back to the fields of home.
Is it any good?
Because George Selden's classic children's book is so warm and endearing, one would expect that Chuck Jones, the master behind How the Grinch Stole Christmas as well as some of the truly great Warner Brothers cartoons, would work magic on the story. Sadly, he didn't. A CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE lacks visual flair -- surprising, considering the source. The whole thing feels rushed, and unreasonable sacrifices are made in story and character development in order to squeeze it into a too-tight half-hour timeframe.
The animated characters are far less engaging than they are in their original literary form. The cat, Harry, serves no purpose at all, and Chester the cricket is an altogether bland creation, with a weak voice and a face made up of two dots and a curved line. With no one in the story to really care about, hardly any action to propel them, and very little humor to distract from its other failings, this program doesn't offer children much to get excited about. Even the altruistic gesture it all leads up to falls flat.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why Chester does what he does? How can you use your talents to help others? Why is that important?
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| Studio: | Artisan Entertainment |
| Director: | Chuck Jones |
| Cast: | June Foray, Les Tremayne, Mel Blanc |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 30 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 1, 1973 |
| DVD release date: | August 31, 1999 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | not rated |
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