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Annabelle's Wish is a 1997 animated Christmas special that revolves around a young calf who aspires to learn to fly and become one of Santa's reindeer. It is narrated by Randy Travis and stars Jay Johnson, Jerry Van Dyke, Jim Varney, Rue McClanahan, and Cloris Leachman, as well as veteran voice actress Kath Soucie. It was made for the Make A Wish Foundation and was sponsored by Discover Card and American Airlines. Proceeds from the video sales went to the charity. It made its televised debut on FOX shortly afterward, and was re-aired annually on Cartoon Network through 2004 and later on ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas in 2005 and Toon Disney in 2008. Animated at the Baer Animation Company, it was nominated for a 1998 Golden Reel Award for Best Music Editing in a TV Movies of the week. It gave special thanks to James Deering, author Dan Henderson, and Cherie Alexander.

Synopsis

Annabelle is a calf born on Christmas Eve in a farm in Twobridge, Tennessee. Her elderly owner, Charles Baker, is the legal guardian of his mute grandson, Billy. While taking Billy and his best friend, Emily, out for a drive, Charles' truck sputters out in front of the Holder Farm, and Bucky and Buster rush out to mock Billy for his muteness; while Emily defends him and Charles tries acting as a mediator, Bucky and Buster's father, Gus, comes out and orders them off his property.

In the city, Billy's wealthy Aunt Agnes is preparing for her "perfect" Christmas but realizes that something is missing. She decides she wants a child, but when Billy's parents died, she gave up all rights to guardianship of him. She demands her lawyer to find a loophole that would make her Billy's guardian. At the farm, Charles reminisces about the stormy night when a bolt of lightning set fire to the barn; Charles managed to save Billy, but his parents perished in the blaze and a doctor later stated that he would never be able to speak again.

Later that evening, Santa arrives and dusts the animals with magic powder, something he does every year, giving them the ability to speak on Christmas. Upon meeting him, Annabelle becomes fascinated with his reindeer and their ability to fly, and she wishes to fly herself. Santa leaves, reminding the animals that their speech ability must be kept secret.

On Christmas morning, Agnes arrives and gives gifts to Billy, which he doesn't like. He then learns that Annabelle is Santa's gift to him. When he sneezes in the barn, he's surprised to hear her say, "Bless you," revealing their secret. The animals convince him not to tell anyone, leading to Annabelle's shock of his inability to speak. Before leaving, Agnes makes it clear to Charles that she wants Billy to live with her.

Later, Billy and Emily play with her new snow sled, which they tie to Annabelle, who pulls it with them on board, but they crash into the Holders' fence. Gus smugly wonders how Charles is going to pay for the damages and feed Annabelle, and then calls the sheriff. At the barn, Annabelle's mother, Star, recounts the incident that rendered Billy unable to speak. Annabelle then decides what she wants to do when she meets Santa next year.

The next morning, the animals lose their ability to speak, which makes Billy wonder if he imagined the whole thing. The sheriff and the Holders arrive, with Gus demanding the money to repair his fence. Knowing that Charles doesn't have it, he takes Annabelle away, to Billy's devastation; the sheriff, sympathetic to Charles and Billy, promises that if they can get the money within 24 hours, Annabelle will be returned. Charles decides to sell a music box that belonged to his daughter, even though it's the only thing he has left of her. The next morning, he sells it, and the sheriff allows them to keep Annabelle.

Billy, Annabelle, and Emily spend the year together as friends. Winter comes again, and the holidays are upon the community. As Billy and Emily head home for Christmas vacation, Bucky and Buster appear and bully them; when the bullying becomes physical, Annabelle retaliates by knocking them into the snow. They try to feign innocence, but the sheriff hears the real story from the school bus driver who saw the entire thing and then tells Gus about it. He is furious about what Bucky and Buster did and sends them to their room as punishment. The sheriff also calls him out on his own attitude, pointing out how it turned them into lying bullies. He also reveals that Charles sold the music box to get Annabelle back and ends his speech with how Gus should understand what it's like to lose a loved one, as he lost his wife years ago. After hearing all of that and thinking it over, Gus feels extremely ashamed of his actions.

Meanwhile, Agnes returns, showing Charles that she has a court order granting her to be Billy's legal guardian until he is able to speak, and if Charles interferes, she'll call the police. The animals, overhearing this, push her car into a pond, delaying her plan until the next day. Charles and Billy are happy that they will at least spend one more Christmas together.

That evening, when Santa arrives and once again gives the animals the ability to speak, Annabelle whispers a wish into his ear. On Christmas morning, Billy opens a box from Santa; it turns out to contain the magic dust that Santa used on the animals, giving him the ability to speak again. No longer mute, he tells his aunt that he'd rather continue living with Charles, ultimately nullifying her plans. He then goes to see Annabelle and is shocked to discover that she can only moo now. Star explains to him that she permanently gave up her voice so he could regain his, saying that hearing him speak again was her true wish.

Gus eventually comes by to Charles' farm to apologize for his poor treatment of him and gives him a Christmas present: the music box that he'd sold off previously. Gus explains that after the sheriff told him what Charles did to pay for the damages to the fence and get Annabelle back for Billy, he felt so ashamed about it that he bought the music box to give it back to Charles. Later on, Agnes meets Gus and his sons, setting them on the road to becoming a family.

Years later, Billy and Emily are grown and married, having taken over the farm after Charles' passing. On Christmas Eve, Billy discovers Annabelle, now an old cow nearing the end of her life, wandering outside in the snow and goes after her. She collapses from exhaustion, but then Santa arrives and grants Billy's wish for her to become a reindeer. She is transformed into a youthful reindeer, even regaining the ability to speak, and flies off with Santa and his other reindeer. Billy looks on happily, wishing her a Merry Christmas.

Songs

  • "If You Believe" (Santa's Version)
  • "The World from Way Up There"
  • "Friends Like Us"
  • "If You Believe" (Kevin Sharp's version)
  • "Tiny Dreamer" (Callie's Song)

In addition, a couple scenes have someone singing a few lines of the chorus of "Deck the Halls".

Home media releases

Cast

Voice actor/actress Character(s)
Randy Travis Billy Baker (adult)
Jay Johnson Ears
Jerry Van Dyke Charles Baker
Jim Varney Gus Holder
Rue McClanahan (speaking)
Laura Lively (singing)
Scarlett
Cloris Leachman Aunt Agnes
Aria Curzon Emily (young)
James Lafferty Buster
Charlie Cronin Bucky
Jennifer Darling Star
Clancy Brown Sheriff
Lawyer (uncredited)
Stu Rosen Doctor (voice only)
Jerry Houser Slim
Brian Cummings Brewster
Mary Kay Bergman
Tress MacNeille
Hens
Kay E. Kuter Santa Claus
Kath Soucie Annabelle
Steve Mackall Owliver
Hari Oziol Billy Baker (young)
Beth Chapman Emily (adult)
Frank Welker Special vocal effects

Aria Curzon was nominated for a 1998 Young Artist Award for Best Voiceover Actress in a TV Movie.

External links

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