The Timeless Message of IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN and Why It's a Beloved Classic
The Halloween season just wouldn't be complete without watching the beloved animated classic It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Not a year goes by that I don’t watch this movie because it perfectly captures the spirit of the season. It’s a timeless classic with one universal theme that runs through the film, which makes it so special.
The storyline of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown may seem deceptively simple, with a child believing in the existence of The Great Pumpkin, who supposedly emerges from a pumpkin patch to deliver toys to good children around the world. Linus Van Pelt, the central character in the story, whole-heartedly believes that The Great Pumpkin is real and sets out to wait for the mythical figure in a local pumpkin patch, forsaking the typical Halloween trick-or-treating with his friends.
Linus's unwavering faith in The Great Pumpkin is at the heart of this classic tale. As the night progresses, Linus falls asleep in the patch, but the elusive Great Pumpkin never appears. He is eventually taken home by his older sister, Lucy Van Pelt, and tucked into bed.
The film's one secret, however, isn't about the existence or appearance of a fictional character; it's about the power of belief and unwavering hope in the face of adversity. According to Karen Johnson, Director for the Charles M. Schulz Museum, this core theme is what endears the story to people:
"From a philosophical and emotional point of view, people attach to that and the whole sweetness of it. That's about friendship and loyalty to each other and believing in something bigger than yourself. Those are the universal appeals of it."
The film's origin story, as shared by Jean Schulz, Charles Schulz's wife, reveals that her husband found the idea of a young child mixing up all the fall and winter holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas – amusing.
She told SF Gate it started with “Sparky [her husband’s nickname] with his kid thinking going on.” But it was the basic story of unwavering hope in the face of adversity that became the most important aspect of the movie.
Schulz believed in highlighting the notion that things don't always go as planned, but one must endure and keep going. Lee Mendelson, Schulz's professional partner, explains, "You don't always get what you want or dream about, but you endure. You keep going, and you don't give up. Which is the point of Linus saying, 'He'll be here next year.'"
It was the success of A Charlie Brown Christmas that paved the way for the creation of this iconic Halloween special. As The Washington Post reveals, "CBS called and said: 'We need another holiday blockbuster.' It was prompted by the network because they wanted another holiday hit." This request led to the decision to focus on Halloween, which was not as obvious a choice as Thanksgiving.
It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown made its debut on October 27, 1966, and half the nation tuned in to watch it on the night of its first airing. It went on to receive three Emmy award nominations in 1967, and became an instant classic.
The Halloween special is also charming for Charlie Brown's hope for candy during trick-or-treating, which is met with one disappointment after another as he keeps getting rocks instead. Then who could forget Snoopy's epic showdown with The Red Baron in a five-minute flying sequence in his trusty doghouse!
Today, this classic Halloween special is available for streaming exclusively on Apple TV+.
Source: SF Gate