You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (NR, 1985)

The world according to Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and Sally is revealed through kid-friendly songs in YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. 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. Clark Gesner's lyrics and music are a good match to Charles Schultz's simply drawn yet expressive images. 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.