The Devil and Daniel Mouse
The Devil and Daniel Mouse is a 1978 Canadian animated Halloween television special, based on the 1936 short tale The Devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benét. The Devil and Daniel Mouse is the second television special co-produced by the Canada-based studio firm Nelvana Limited
Nelvana's iconic polar bear logo made its first appearance at the end of the special. The polar bear was eventually used as an in-credit logo later in their specials from 1979 to 1980 and from after 1980 to 1988.
Plot
Two struggling mouse folk musicians, Daniel and Jan, are fired from their latest gig because their music is deemed too old-fashioned and not with the times. While Daniel goes to pawn off his guitar, Jan declares that she would give anything to be a big star. She is approached by a shifty reptilian character in a white suit who introduces himself as "B.L. Zebub", a record producer.He and his weasel assistant, Weez Weezel, offer her fame and fortune in exchange for signing a contract in her own blood. Jan does not read the fine print and trusts B.L., signing herself over to his record production company. Little does she know that B.L. is none other than the devil himself, and at midnight at the height of her fame, he will return to collect her soul. To assist her, Weez conjures three band members from thin air, a rabbit, a beaver, and a praying mantis.
As the lead singer of "Funky Jan and the Animal Kingdom", Jan is soon the most popular rock star on the planet, while Daniel is left out in the cold. When B.L. comes for her soul, a distraught Jan goes to Daniel for help. A trial is held in the woods over Jan's soul, with Weez as the judge, a jury of ghosts of shady music industry creatures, and Daniel acting as Jan's attorney. As an additional stipulation, the Devil states that should Daniel lose the trial, his soul, as well as Jan's, will be taken as payment.
At first, the trial seems hopeless, considering Daniel has no education as a lawyer and cannot present even the beginnings of a reasonable argument to release Jan. Having nothing else to offer, Daniel begins to sing a heartfelt song. Jan joins in, as do her three heretofore unhelpful band members. The other animals watching the trial begin to sing and clap along to the tune along with Weez and the rigged jury. Enraged, the Devil attempts to summon forth demons to stop the heroes, but the spirits he conjures also fall prey to the sway of Daniel's music. Weez declares that Dan and Jan have won their case and the jury agrees.
A frustrated Devil finally leaves, returning to Hell and taking Weez and all of his other minions with him. The two mice embrace one another as the film ends. The final frame repeats the story's moral: "A song from the heart beats the Devil every time."
Cast
- Annabel Kershaw as Jan Mouse
- *Valerie Carter, credited as "Lauren Runn", provides Jan's singing voice.
- Jim Henshaw as Daniel Mouse
- *John Sebastian provides Daniel's singing voice and voices a rock emcee.
- Chris Wiggins as B.L. Zebub
- Martin Lavut as Weez Weezel and a pawnbroker
- Dianne Lawrence as an interviewer
Songs
- Look Where the Music Can Take You performed by John Sebastian & Valerie Carter
- I've Got a Song to Sing performed by Valerie Carter
- Roxy Marathon Concert Medley performed by Valerie Carter
- Can You Help Me Find My Song? performed by Valerie Carter
- Look Where the Music Can Take You performed by John Sebastian & Valerie Carter
- Look Where the Music Can Take You performed by John Sebastian & Valerie Carter
Merchandising