Fantastic!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Poor Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty invites herself and some friends over to his house for a Thanksgiving dinner celebration but Charlie and his sister Sally are suppose to be going to their grandmother's house for day. Some quick thinking on Linus' part and with the help of Snoopy the Thanksgiving dinner will take place in a very cute short movie.Who in the heck wouldn't want Snoopy around to help out - and with his best little buddy Woodstock?! I love the quick little last minute holiday meal they whip out for the gang: toast, popcorn, jelly beans and pretzels - I might have to try it one year just for the sheer fun of it. lol.A very cute film - great for the entire family - so much fun and brings back some great memories for me. :) 10/10

A Thanksgiving classic about Peppermint Patty inviting herself, Marcie and Franklin over for Thanksgiving, forcing Charlie Brown to recruit Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock to prepare a big holiday dinner. Tenth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip PEANUTS. Won an Emmy Award in 1974. You can count on it to be aired every November on ABC, usually back-to-back with the first episode of THIS IS America, CHARLIE BROWN "The Mayflower Voyagers". Like a lot of childhood staples, this has sentimental value to those who grew up with it, but this segment is too brief and dated to really grip those who were introduced to it too late.**½ (out of four)

"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" was the tenth prime-time animated television special that was based on the popular comic strip "Peanuts",created by Charles M. Schulz. This annual holiday special first originally aired on the CBS-TV network on November 20, 1973,and won the Emmy in 1974 for best animated television special. From 1973 until 2000,CBS has aired this special annually every November until 2000 when all of the Charlie Brown/Peanuts annual prime-time television specials switched networks from CBS to ABC,where it has been shown ever since.The special opens with Lucy enticing Charlie Brown to kick the football she is holding. Charlie Brown at first,refuses,correctly suspecting that Lucy will pull it away as always;but Lucy convinces him that kicking the football is a Thanksgiving,and that being asked to do so is an honor. Charlie decides that Lucy would never pull her trick on a national holiday,and ends up getting deceived and landing flat on his back once again(Lucy makes no further appearances in this episode.) Meanwhile,Charlie Brown and his sister Sally are preparing to go to their grandmother's place for Thanksgiving when Charlie gets a phone call from Peppermint Patty,who invites herself over to Charlie Brown's house for the holiday dinner. Two quick subsequent phone calls add Marcie and Franklin(the only African-American to appear in this episode)to the guest list,and since Charlie Brown cannot get a word in edgewise with Patty,he quickly finds himself in a quadary with no easy solution-at least not until his good friend Linus shows up.Linus suggests to Charlie Brown that he could have two dinners:the first one for Patty and her friends,and the second one at his grandmother's house forcing Charlie Brown to admit that all he knows how to make is "cold cereal and toast". Regardless,Linus recruits Snoopy(Charlie Brown's faithful and resourceful Beagle),and Woodstock to set up ping-pong tables and chairs in the backyard(setting the table has its own problems when Snoopy goes toe-to-toe with an uncooperative folding deckchair that is as hilarious as it gets).Snoopy and Woodstock set the table,then help Charlie Brown and Linus with the food. When the food is readied,Snoopy and Woodstock changes clothes and dress up as pilgrims.The guests arrive,and they all make their way to the backyard for the feast. Linus leads the group in prayer,and Snoopy serves the food,throwing the plates to each guest Frisbee-style. The food that was served here is as hilarious as it gets. At first Patty is shocked,but her stock quickly turns to outrage,and she angrily bereates Charlie Brown for the "meal". Embarrassed and dejected,Charlie Brown timidity leaves the table and goes back in the house. Patty's tirade with Charlie Brown continues until Marcie gently reminds her that Charlie didn't invite her to dinner,since Patty invited it herself-along with Marcie and Franklin. Realizing that Marcie was right,Patty comes to her senses and begs Marcie to go and apologize to Charlie Brown on her behalf. Marcie reluctantly does so,but Patty soon follows her and apologizes to Charlie Brown herself.In the midst of the quasi-feast,Charlie Brown loses track of time. The clock strikes four,reminding him and his sister Sally that they're supposed to be over at grandmother's house for dinner and an half-hour. So he calls his grandmother,reminding her that they're going to be a little late and to explain the situation that he has his friends over at his house and none of them haven't eaten yet. His grandmother suggests that he bring all his friends with him for Thanksgiving dinner,and the idea is welcomed with cheers from everyone. After they leave,Snoopy and Woodstock go to the doghouse and cook up their own traditional Thanksgiving meal that includes a Turkey with all the trimmings(they pull apart the wishbone,with Woodstock getting the bigger piece). At the end,Snoopy and Woodstock devour a large piece of Pumpkin pie with Woodstock ending up full. THE END.

I have watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for many years and of all the Peanuts specials that I have watched and reviewed for this website, this is my favorite. The opening scene where Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown always cracks me up. If you watch it on DVD or tape it off the TV, play back the football scene in slow motion to see Charlie Brown in mid air.As for the rest of the cartoon, I thought Peppermint Patty was bossy and rude to Charlie Brown, inviting herself, Marcie and Franklin to Charlie Brown's for Thanksgiving dinner, monopolizing their phone conversations and even worse, complaining about the nontraditional cuisine. She was also flirtatious toward Charlie Brown. There were also outstanding sight gags involving Snoopy and Woodstock and the scene where they get the food ready for the feast that's set to "Linus and Lucy." It proves that cartoon scenes can work well without dialogue.I also liked the scene near the end when the kids are in the car and they sing "Over the River and Through the Woods" en route to the Brown's Grandma's condo for a real Thanksgiving dinner. Before or after you go over the river and through the woods for your holiday feast, watch this cartoon. You'll even learn about the holiday in Linus' Thanksgiving prayer.