The Night the Animals Talked

I've been looking for a copy of this for years! I vividly remember seeing it on TV among all the other Christmas specials(must have been about seven years old at the time), and to this day can recall certain scenes. I remember my sister and I watching avidly, and crying because we were so touched by the animals' plight as they tried to share good news. Over the years, I've searched the net.... have even rung TV stations to see if they had any details about it in their archives. This site is the first time I've tracked down any useful information. It would bring back a lot of happy memories if I could ever secure a copy of this film to watch with my family. A true little gem - considering how much junk is displayed on TV at this (and every other!) time of year, it's a great pity that this has never been shown again on Australian television.

This special was broadcast at least four times on ABC: December 9, 1970; December 17, 1971; December 15, 1972; December 15, 1973.

It is a pity that that THE NIGHT THE ANIMALS TALKED isn't shown much any more (though it has appeared on PBS and USA Network in recent years). It is a unique and gentle tale, one that gets its message across without preaching to the viewer. Along with Charlie Brown, the Grinch and Rudolph, it is one of my all-time favorite Holiday specials. It is a true Christmas classic.

This may be pathetic, but twenty-five years after the last broadcast of this cartoon, my brother and I still 'baaaa' at each other like goats every Christmas Eve.

This truly beautiful piece of holiday animation combines two of the most cherished genres in the world: namely (and no offense to non-Christians), Christmas and talking animals. And it mixes these two genres in a touching, intelligent way.

It's the story of one night when all the animals in a stable discover that they can speak. With this "gift" comes conflict, provoked mostly by the arrival of two (soon to be three) unwanted guests to their stable. Each animal has a differing and fitting personality and a differing stance on whether to allow the guests to stay. The eventual resolution is not only heart-warming, but, dare I say...haunting.

You will never forget this.

I was only five years old when my brother and I sat in front of the TV, mesmerized by this cartoon with so much feeling and such a beautiful, loving message. I would like to have a copy of this movie for my children to experience. I would like to know if it is going to be shown this holiday season. There are certain experiences that leave marks on our memories and hearts and this movie is one of them. I am not sure why the TV stations would not want to show this cartoon. I don't understand how they could show The Drummer Boy and not show this cartoon afterall, there is Christ in Christmas-that's what it is all about!

I saw this as a child when it was first shown in 1970, and was so moved I cried...and when I found it on the USA Network in 1998 I watched it again, to see if my five-year-old tears held up--and sure enough, it choked me up again.

Not the greatest of animation...but the storyline and climax will hook you in, and never let you go. A forgotten Christmas classic that deserved much more than its single 1970 showing on network TV--search for it during the holidays...it's worth it.