The Wind in the Willows (1987 film) The Wind in the Willows (1987 film) The Wind in the Willows is a 1987 American animated musical television film directed by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass. It is an adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame. Set in a pastoral version of England, the film focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters (Moley, Ratty, Mr. Toad, and Mr. Badger) and contains themes of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie. The film features the voices of Charles Nelson Reilly, Roddy McDowall, José Ferrer, and Eddie Bracken. The screenplay was written by Romeo Muller, a long-time Rankin/Bass writer whose
The Wind in the Willows (1987 film) meets Ratty, who invites him to come along on his river cruise ("Wind in the Willows"). All too soon, Toad returns and recklessly overturns Ratty's boat, nearly drowning Moley, but Ratty saves him and pushes him along to shore. Ratty resolves to have it out with Toad, and he and Moley paddle down the river together ("Messing Around in Boats"). On the way downriver to Toad Hall, they pass Badger (voice of Jose Ferrer), who is tending his land on the riverbank. Despite their friendly greetings, Badger gruffly reminds them that he is not the most social of animals and