Animal Farm (1954 film)

Animal Farm is a 1954 British adult animated political satire film based on the 1945 novel by George Orwell, which satirizes the October 1917 Russian Revolution, it retells the story of the farm animals had dominated Manor Farm into Animal Farm, as they battle against humankind for their peaceful survival, to unite their culture, by obeying their policy that animals are created equal. However the pigs, led by Napoleon, decline in following their own rules after dethroning the dominion (that being fellow pig Snowball) to exchanging the humans’ shadows, by turning back against other fellow animals.

Although the film was given a 'U' rating (suitable for all ages) by the British Board of Film Censorship, it is often debated to be an animated film for family audiences, on account of some very lighthearted scenes, or one that is suited more to adults only, on account of its dark subject matter and political themes (the likes of which were unprecedented in Western animation at the time).

Directed and produced by Halas and Bachelor and co-written with Borden Mace, Philip Stapp and Lothar Wolff.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. Taglines

Dialogue

Narrator: To the world we all know, which may or may not be the best world possible, once again, Springtime had come. But all the magic of Spring was not enough to conceal the misery of Manor Farm. Once thriving and fruitful, the farm, and its owner, Mr. Jones, had fallen on evil days. Beset by problems of his own making, Mr. Jones had turned to drink. And for his misery, he had found poor company. On the evening our story begins, it was later than usual when Mr. Jones came home from his drinking to make his rounds.

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Narrator: And so, almost before they realized it, the animals had fought and won. They had casualties to mourn, and those who died left children to be cared for. [The animals find the Farmdog dead, along with her puppies looking out the window, yelping and crying] But Manor Farm was theirs, and they lost no time in destroying everything that reminded them of hateful Mr. Jones.

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Narrator: The animals had all agreed that Jones's house was no place for them. All, that is, except Napoleon. Meantime, Snowball led the other animals in organizing a new society, which they now named Animal Farm. So that all might see and agree the laws of Animal Farm were inscribed in a prominent place to be remembered and obeyed forever.

[Snowball reads the laws of Animal Farm to the other animals]

Snowball: No animal shall sleep in a bed . No animal shall drink alcohol . Four legs good, two legs bad.

[The chickens get angry]

Squealer: Wings count as legs.

[The chickens realize that Squealer is right]

Sheep: Four legs good, two legs bad. Four legs good, two legs bad.

Snowball: [Continuing the reading of the laws] No animal shall kill another animal. All animals are equal.

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Narrator: That summer, the animals, without any help or any interference, made a going proposition of Animal Farm. The fields yielded richly, and they were cut and gleaned with diligence and devotion. With the harvest safely home, the animals had time to think of the future and, at a meeting in the big barn, many resolutions were put forward. It was always the pigs that made the resolutions.

Snowball: Comrades, our first five months' plan is a farm-wide triumph. And the time has come to spread the glorious news, so that our downtrodden comrades on other farms will break their chains and join the Animal Revolution. [The animals cheer but Benjamin is quiet] Go! Tell the wonders of Animal Farm to the world!

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Napoleon: [Overhearing the animals’ sad song] The revolution is now complete. We have no more use for that song. Singing it is now forbidden... under penalty of DEATH.

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Narrator: And that night the pigs drank to Boxer's memory, in the alcohol they had bought with Boxer's life. Years passed, the seasons came and went. The short animal lives fled by. The completed windmill stood as a monument to its builders' fate and sacrifice. But the animals' revolution was only dimly remembered. Outwardly, Animal Farm appeared prosperous, but the animals themselves were no better off, with the exception of the pigs, and their supreme leader, Napoleon. This pig-run enterprise now had many of the frills of real civilization. And one fine day, pig delegates from far and wide arrived at Animal Farm to celebrate the coming of a new era.

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Napoleon: Loyal followers, on farms owned and operated by pigs, there is order and discipline. Our lower animals do more work and eat less than on other farms. [Presents three medals, and places each on three fellow pigs ' chests] With this, we encourage you to make your lower animals work even harder and eat even less! To a greater Animal Farm! To peace and plenty under pig rule!

[Benjamin, outside imagines Napoleon's face assimilating that of Jones; he suddenly sees through the resemblance, recoiling as his vision clears to see Napoleon's and the pigs' faces back to normal]

Napoleon: To the day when pigs own and operate farms EVERYWHERE. [pigs clapping and cheering, as Benjamin had already left the window]

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[Last lines]

Narrator: [Last line of the film] To the animals, it now seemed that their world, which may or may not some day become a happy place to live in, was worse than ever for ordinary creatures, and another moment had come when they must do something about it...

Taglines

• He's got the world in an UPROAR!
• All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Cast

• Maurice Denham as All Animals
• Gordon Heath as Narrator

External links

• Animal Farm quotes at the Internet Movie Database