Edgar Soberon Torchia It took me the long route to learn that this animation was conceived as a propaganda film, sponsored by the US Office of Policy Coordination, which was under the direction of the Department of State and Defence and housed by the CIA. I was curious that the film credited a "Joseph Bryan III" as screenwriter, while his name was omitted in many reliable sources, and instead Philip Stapp was credited. I began searching for Bryan and his bio seemed too military-inclined to link his name to a film project... But then I found Tony Shaw's book "Hollywood's Cold War" where he tells the whole story. Bryan was hired by OPC to create the Psychological Warfare Workhop, an "unorthodox unit, made up almost entirely of Princeton alumni" to devise "unconventional schemes to undermine the solidarity of the emerging Eastern bloc and to sharpen the Americans' anti-communist publicity techniques". How the rights of the book were sold to Louis de Rochemont, how he was connected to the OPC and how this unit financed the film, amount to a fascinating tale of espionage. Then I found out that the whole story is told In Wikipedia, although not with all the details Shaw provides. This story will most probably have little or no effect on your feelings about the movie, but it helps to understand why so many changes were made to Orwell's original and why the list of screenwriters is so long (and possibly longer). As for the directors John Halas and Joy Batchelor it is claimed that they knew nothing about nothing, just as Leni Riefentahl knew nothing about the Nazis. In any case here it is just for the record.

ofpsmith Animal Farm by George Orwell, is one of my favorite novels of all time. It's brilliant allegory of the rise of the Soviet Union is expressed greatly in it. This movie does a fairly good job of that. The animation is great. The voice acting is great, and the story is great. But as with many film adaptations, the book is better. One thing I don't like about the movie is it's alternative ending, which has Benjamin (Maurice Denham) staging another revolution against Napoleon (Denham). In Orwell's book it just shows the animals looking back and forth at the pigs and humans, being unable to determine which is which. Can I recommend this movie. Yes, but only if you've read the book first, as the book is undoubtedly better.

Julia Arsenault (ja_kitty_71) At first I wasn't sure if I should read George Orwell's controversial novel, because my sister studied it in school and she didn't like it much. But I had read it and I find it excellent; so is this film. As in the original novel, the story follows a farm animal revolution which at first was successful until Napoleon the corruptive Berkshire boar took matters in his own "trotters."I find this film from England's Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films really well-done and I don't consider is "Disney-ish" as some think with the dark, violent content that's in it. Also I really must commemorate on the one-man performance by Maurice Denham, the Mel Blanc of British radio. So overall, I love this beautifully animated film. Though I would advise you folks not to show the film to your children around 7 to 10 years old.

preppy-3 Saw this ages ago on video and have never forgotten it. It's an animated film about animals taking over a farm. They're supposed to all be equal to each other...but the pigs slowly change things and start taking over.I had read the novel before I saw the movie so I know they changed the ending. I heard it was because of the CIA but considering it's a British movie that's unlikely. Let's face it--the book is VERY depressing and this was done in 1954. A faithful ending would have been too depressing. The fate of the horse in this one bothered me...and I saw it as an adult! But the animation is excellent and the message still comes through. NOT for small children but junior high on up should see it.