The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow is a 2000 American animated musical fantasy film, written and directed by Brian Nissen and Richard Rich, and based on the Nathaniel Hawthorne short story "Feathertop" and the Percy MacKaye play The Scarecrow. The film was released straight-to-VHS by Warner Bros. under their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label. It is also available for digital download, although it has not been released on DVD as of today. Plot The film opens with an elderly woman named Ms. Bee Bee, who reveals herself to be a kindly witch, telling the audience about the town of Grisham Heights, owned by the selfish and dance-obsessed Count Grisham. She explains that she was Grisham's dance teacher, until he chased her into hiding when he accidentally discovered that she was a witch, and was forced to live in an abandoned house far outside of the village, with only her magic broom Bristles for company. She then goes on to explain the town's workhouse mill, which is where all orphans and debtors are sent to work off their debts, and that it takes thirteen pieces of silver to buy your freedom. Ms. Bee Bee then introduces the audience to Polly, an orphan girl who has been living in the mill nearly her whole life, but has been saving her silver coins and hiding them at the foot of her scarecrow (without realizing that Ms. Bee Bee lives at the house). Because she is lonely, Ms. Bee Bee decides to bring her scarecrow to life after Polly leaves, using a magic feather to do so, which also allows a pessimistic mouse, Max, who lives in the Scarecrow's pocket, to talk. As the years pass, Scarecrow begins to fall in love with Polly after her constant visits. It's shown by Ms. Bee Bee that Polly had already earned her required amount of silver a long time ago-(6 years prior), but decided to stay when three new orphans, Cooper, Farley, and Gretchen had arrived at the workhouse, and wished to help them so they could all leave together. Seeing that Scarecrow is in love with Polly, and worried she'll be discovered and chased away again, Ms. Bee Bee leaves the village, telling Scarecrow that she will miss him and teaches him how to dance.