Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) (1980) User Reviews

Charlie Brown Goes Continental

[directoroffantasies · 6/10 · 30 October 2004]

In addition to dozens of half-hour television specials, Sparky Schultz made a handful of attempts to translate his comic strip to the big screen. "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown" is the most interesting of these because of its departures from the "Peanuts" formula.

There is no interaction between adversarial couples Linus and Lucy and Charlie Brown and Lucy in this film, because Lucy van Pelt is present only to wave goodbye to the group of exchange students. (Exchange students at the elementary school level?) A number of adults are portrayed and given voices. (No muted trumpets here). Schroeder the piano man and Pigpen the human dust storm are left behind on American soil.

This film was a labor of love for Schultz, who passed through Normandy after D Day and at one point was billetted at a manor house which could have passed for the Chateau of the Bad Neighbor. The geography is completely accurate, down to the villages adjoining the Andelle River.

The more successful Peanuts adaptations are those in which the clever storyline outweighs the limitations of kiddie voice-over acting. This is one such, the cast including students at a French-language school in San Francisco. There is also an unusually large quantity of "dialogue" spoken by Snoopy's voice, director Bill Melendez. The beagle's impressions of a British toff and a crabby French driver are priceless.

the last Peanuts movie that Charles Schulz worked on

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 11 September 2018]

I did not like this one as much as A Boy Named Charlie Brown because it seemed to lack some of the Peanuts charm. The adults in this film not only had faces, but they talked! It seemed to ruin some of the magic. However, in true Peanuts fashion, a group of children, a dog, and a bird fly unaccompanied to France and England. They also even rent a car with Snoopy producing a driver's license! Snoopy is also a member of the famous Wimbledon Tennis Club where he has a hilarious John McEnroe inspired tantrum at losing his match.

Marcie, who up until now has pretty much been Peppermint Patty's whipping girl, actually has a bit of a "thing" with the French boy who is hosting the Peanuts characters in France. This movie had a lot of Linus being preachy and not enough of my favorite character Lucy, who is only seen at the beginning telling Charlie Brown that she hopes he doesn't come back. Some of the scenes were fun, but overall, this movie wasn't as good as the Peanuts efforts in the 1960s and the 1970s.

Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown

[Coxer99 · 9 August 1999]

The magic created by Charles Schultz comes to the screen with the return of the always charming "Peanuts" gang. This time, they're headed for France for culture, but as always, this crowd finds some way to get into trouble. One of the better movies based on the famous comic strip.

"We've only been here two minutes and already he's embarrassing us."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 23 November 2015]

Fun Peanuts movie that has Charlie Brown going to France as a foreign exchange student, along with Linus, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie. Of course Snoopy and Woodstock come along. There's a lot of fun to be had with the gang exploring another country's culture. There's also a subplot involving a mysterious letter Charlie Brown received back in the States from a little French girl. The animation is solid with some especially nice backgrounds for the French countryside. Love the colors in this. I also liked the atmosphere in the scene where the boys arrive at the château on a rainy night. The voice work is excellent. The adults actually speak intelligibly in this one, as opposed to the usual "wah wah wah." The music is good with some song snippets here and there. It's a very enjoyable cartoon with lots of laughs and likable, relatable characters. Some really funny Patty moments involving a French boy named Pierre. Not my favorite Peanuts film but a fun one nonetheless.

Great movie, why no DVD?

[nicholas-vidoni · 10/10 · 21 November 2005]

This is by far the best of the Peanuts movies. The artwork is pitch perfect without some of the characteristic sloppiness built into the other movies; the soundtrack, marvelous; and the plot expertly crafted. It's truly a shame that Paramount has failed to release this gem on DVD. It is a classic that far outperforms the Holiday films and still gives us the imaginative exploits of the Peanuts gang. If you haven't seen this one, go out and find some way to watch it. The storyline adds depth to the characters, with Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Marcy, Linus, and (of course) Snoopy all heading to France for a student exchange program. For some purists the absence of the other characters may seem disappointing, but it offers the viewer a sharp focus on the characters who are in the movie. The cultural comparisons provide some of the drive for this movie, but there are also the Gothic overtones with mystery and a "forbidden secret," as well as romance (of course—they're in France!).

So in short, see this movie, and tell Paramount to release the DVD. Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/Snoopy/petition.html .

Hadn't watched this since I was a kid

[GreyHunter · 7/10 · 2 February 2020]

Not quite how I remember it, but, really, how many things from childhood are?

It was a fun watch, though nostalgia played a large part. Despite the novelty of the setting, it didn't seem to be as good as other Peanuts specials and movies from the era. One problem was the relatively frequently repetition of the same jokes over and over, presumably to pad out the run-time. And I'm not on board with inserting actual adult representations and adults speaking comprehensibly -- the jokes and plot development could easily have been done with a bit of rewriting to keep the focus on the kids.

One part that did weird me out -- Peppermint Pattie going on and on about giving Pierre "a tumble." Given that the term comes from "a tumble in the hay" i.e. sex, it seemed a little off that a six or seven year old girl is talking about the possibility of giving the kid one. Eeesh.

A timeless classic

[Atreyu_II · 10/10 · 1 July 2007]

This is the 4th of 4 Peanuts specials and is precisely the coolest and best of them. As a great Peanuts fan, I must say that this is Peanuts at their best! Together with "Snoopy Come Home" and "Race for your life, Charlie Brown", this is a true Peanuts classic. I cross my fingers so that this film's petition for a DVD release works out because this movie deserves! "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and don't come back!)" isn't just another Peanuts stuff. This one takes the Peanuts gang (Charlie Brown, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Snoopy and Woodstock) to the travel of their lives: they go to England and France as foreign exchange students. At the same time, they live the adventure of their lives in France.

The Peanuts gang first arrive to London and travel a bit in that city (including in a London bus with 2 floors and in a London Cab). After London, they go to France in a hovercraft and, before going to their student missions, they travel around France with the loyal company of their rental car, an old Citroen 2CV (the historical "deux chevaux", one of my all time favorite cars), leading to many hilarious moments and together they live many adventures, some of them extremely comical. By the way, it must be really cool to travel in a hovercraft. It's an interesting and different type of boat and I know that thanks to this movie.

This Peanuts classics has a dark atmosphere carried with suspense, which is quite notorious in many ways. The Château du Mal Voisin (which means "Château of the Bad Neighbor") gives the feeling of being a spooky and dangerous place, especially at night, combined with the rain, lightning, the mysterious feeling about it, the background music and the Baron himself. The Baron is only shown as a shadowy figure, which accents that creepy feeling, combined with his threats and the way he's described by Pierre (who is a cool chap). The kind Violette is so different from her uncle Baron.

Ah yes, the "Fire at the Château" sequence has strong suspense. Darkness and suspense are unusual on Peanuts shorts or movies, but that's one of the things that makes the difference in this one.

The dark atmosphere is brilliant and the artwork here is spectacular. Everything is so well designed, painted and perfect, which isn't very common on Peanuts. This movie has such a great combination of light humor, suspense and darkness which, together with the fact that it takes place in England and France, makes it a unique and distinguish Peanuts classic, as well as a favorite for many.

This great movie is also very humorous because comic gags are a strong point. Peanuts are usually funny, but this movie is funnier than usual on Peanuts. For example, the whole tennis sequence is simply hilarious. Other funny gags are, for example, the entire loaf of bread sequence; the car's wipers sequence; Snoopy saying "words" to a taxi-driver who speaks with a cockney British accent on his "typically Snoopy" language; both sequences of the cars's crash; Snoopy drinking root beer; whenever Woodstock gets grumpy; Linus getting furious when Charlie Brown falls asleep; Charlie Brown embarrassing Linus because of the passport; the noise of the car's dodgy transmission; and much, much more...

The entire soundtrack is amazing as well, including a slower version of James Bond's theme and the relaxing song "I want to remember this". The lines are all excellent too, as much as the actors's voice talents.

Adventure, comedy, darkness, suspense, classic humor, great characters, wonderful animation, amazing artwork, unforgettable moments, fabulous music... it has everything one can wish in an animated classic movie! This one has also the coolest ending credits ever. No other movie (before or after this) has such imaginative and creative ending credits like this.

It's a nostalgic movie that brings wonderful memories from childhood. The whole movie is awesome. I wouldn't change anything about it in any way. There's nothing wrong about it. I could even ask how can anyone not love this movie. I'm not afraid to say and I even dare to say that this and the early mentioned 3 Peanuts classics leave absolutely nothing to be desired comparing to the finest Disney classics. More than that, they are even superior to many Disney classics.

This should definitely be on Top 250.

nice Peanuts European trip

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 15 February 2016]

Peppermint Patty calls Charlie Brown to brag about being sent to Europe as a foreign exchange student with Marcie. To her dismay, Charlie Brown and Linus are also going. Snoopy and Woodstock join them. Everybody says "Bon Voyage" and Lucy yells "and Don't Come Back!". Charlie Brown receives a letter from Violette Honfleur inviting him to stay at the Château du Mal Voisin (The House of the Bad Neighbor). They fly to London and take the train to Dover crossing the channel on the boat.

This doesn't have the childhood isolation of other Peanuts stuff. The adults talk. The gang is reduced to the six characters. Going to France is going to another world. This is still a nice journey outside of the strictly traditional Peanuts world. It has the great childish wonder. I just wish the whole gang is there with them.

Very enjoyable .

[Rectangular_businessman · 9/10 · 30 April 2007]

Even when the animation of the Charlie Brown movies isn't incredible ,all of them are very enjoyable and entertaining ,with the classic characters living a lot of new adventures .

I think that the best of that movies is that all (at least those what I've seen ) respect the style of the original cartoon,being gentle and clever , and also respect the personalities of the characters .

"Bon Voyage ,Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back " )" follows that line ,and works very well from beginning to end . The plot is very simple ,but the result is very good . Bill Melendez made a great job with his adaptations . This movie is good for all the family .

Charles Schulz's Sloppy Vanity Project

[Better_Sith_Than_Sorry · 6/10 · 8 May 2023]

Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, once spent a good deal of time in France during World War II when he was in the U. S. Army. For some reason, he decided that recreating a few of the small towns and a chateau in which he stayed would make for a good Peanuts film. The results are decidedly mixed.

Plot In a Nutshell: Charlie Brown and some of the gang visit France as exchange students, with Charlie and Linus being invited to stay at a mysterious, secluded old mansion. Who invited him, and why? Snoopy and Woodstock come along and provide most of the comedy relief.

Why I Rated It a '6': One of the main reasons people found Charlie Brown & company so enjoyable over the years was the setting Schulz used. Most Peanuts fans celebrated Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving, so making TV specials for those holidays, especially if they were good, is going to have a lot of appeal. Other topics, like the kids playing various sports, or Charlie having a crush on a little red haired girl, are again things to which most people can relate. But what is the appeal of some nondescript tiny French village no one's ever heard of? It seems the village and the chateau in the film were faithfully recreated from when Schulz was there in the 1940s, but who cares? They don't mean anything to anybody. Only to Schulz. No one's even heard of them, unlike if he chose to set part of the story near a famous landmark like the Eiffel Tower. But he didn't. So this comes across as something of a vanity project, which doesn't lend much to its appeal.

Even worse, this has to be the sloppiest Peanuts film I've seen so far. I wonder if the producers were under some sort of deadline to get this out on time. There are several pretty egregious mistakes here. Many of them are documented in the Goofs section, but here are a few examples. When Linus announces that Charlie and he will be going to France, many of their classmates congratulate him. Peppermint Patty is clearly spotted amongst the crowd. Charlie then goes home and gets a phone call from PP. She tells him she is going to France, and when he tells her that he's going as well, this is news to her. So who was the girl who looked exactly like PP in the classroom?

On the dinner menu Snoopy reads on the airplane, one of the entries is for "lamp" instead of lamb. At one point Linus is suddenly wearing a wrist watch, which he uses to declare they'll be late for school. He then puts his arm down, and when he raises it again, the watch is gone! Another scene shows the group heading through a metal detector at the airport, and Lucy (who is not going on the trip) is among them, and Marcie is missing. In the next shot, after Snoopy goes through, Marcie now appears and Lucy is gone. Sloppy, man.

The film is not all bad. I am a fan of Peanuts and there is enough of the Peanuts charm here to make it at least palatable. The interactions between Snoopy and Woodstock go a long way here. Outside of those two, though, much of the rest of the story is almost straight-up drama. Charlie really doesn't do anything in this one that usually got him in trouble, like buying the wrong tree or misspelling 'beagle.' He just goes on the trip and wonders who sent him the letter. That's it. It's a bit of a departure from what made Charlie who he was. So it's not all that surprising that Schulz didn't make another feature-length film after this. It doesn't really hold up to the Peanuts' relatively high standard.

6/10. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: Maybe someday but not anytime soon.

One of my ALL-TIME favourite films! Must have been a real world wonder to see this in the theatre!!!!

[thunder-beam · 10/10 · 20 June 2013]

Airplane!, American Gigolo, Friday the 13th, The Elephant Man, The Shining, Caddyshack, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. A good year for film indeed :D

This is the 4th and last theatrically released movie based on Peanuts to date. As much as I loved the other 3 movies and how different each one were this is by FAR my #1 pick. I would rate this much higher than a 10 but nevertheless the message is clear :) What can I say; I LOVE Peanuts and I LOVE this movie! The title just shouts different and that is what I love about the two other Peanuts movies (Snoopy, Come Home!! and Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown!!) Because it sounds so expressive and inviting. Bon Voyage Charlie Brown is not only my favourite Peanuts movie; it's one of my ALL-TIME favourite films!

I guess the best place to start is the plot of the story. The opening starts in France at a local bar when a man (the Baron) with a cane comes out to his car and drives home to an old creepy looking château; we then see a girl in the château writing a letter. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock, Linus, Marcie and Peppermint Patty (my favourite Peanuts character) are chosen to go to France for two weeks as foreign exchange students representing their schools. Charlie receives the letter from the girl named Violette only to have no idea what it says. Marcie, having learnt a bit of French, reads the letter saying he has been invited to stay at a château called "home of the bad neighbour". This makes him uneasy of course. The gang rents a car that Snoopy drives (of course, he can do everything!) Marcie and PP stay with a boy named Pierre and Charlie, Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock go to the château but strangely they cannot go inside and have a suspicion they were not invited by the Baron. This sets the mood for confusion, and mystery, something very different for Peanuts. The artwork and backgrounds are subtle and peaceful to look at. And when the animation is good, it's REALLY good. Ed Bogus and Judy Munsen rock the soundtrack; one of my favourite scenes is when Judy Munsen sings the beautiful "I want to remember this" as the kids travel by train to Dover from Victoria Station in England, gazing upon the gorgeous landscapes and towns' only Europe has and Snoopy's interaction with an English cab driver is both funny and in my opinion, the best animated scene in the movie. The feel and atmosphere of the movie has a well-thought-out mixture of bright light hearted scenarios and dark haunting back drops of night, the Baron and the château. Peppermint Patty is her usual funny and boisterous self as she sleeps in class, gets answers wrong and also develops a crush on Pierre but hilariously never notices that Marcie and he are romantically involved. The music for the climax is strangely placed. Near the end of the movie the château is engulfed in flames with only Linus and Violette trapped inside and Snoopy is pulling an old fashioned fire hose across the river to the château and Woodstock is sprayed out and plays a violin while all this is going on! It's funny but strangely placed.

In closing, Bon Voyage Charlie Brown is Peanuts animation at its best; with the exceptions of "She's A Good Skate, Charlie Brown," and the sequel to Bon Voyage "What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown." With American animated movies coming out today, with all its CGI, fast pace, celebrity casted, popular music and rhetoric writing, this film is a real breath of fresh air and an animation treasure. I picture watching this in theatres must be like walking in a luscious meadow during a cool spring evening. A delightfully soothing motion picture Charles Schulz and Bill Melendez were best at, from a time when pacing was appreciated.

European Charlie

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 25 November 2019]

Like Walt Disney and Jim Henson, Charles Schulz created a wonderful and lasting creation. Charlie Brown is a permanent fixture from my childhood.

The Charlie Brown T.V. specials and movies weren't as good as the Disney and Muppet shows and movies, but that's OK. Even this short film wasn't great, but it was fine for me as a kid. It was an animation, it had distinct characters, and it wasn't that long.

Probably the weakest of the theatrical Peanuts films

[cte18 · 5/10 · 21 January 2023]

Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back) is the final theatrically released movie based on the Peanuts comic strips and television specials until The Peanuts Movie 35 years later. Compared to the previous films and even some of the television specials I didn't find this one as enjoyable. I love Peanuts and I think Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang are a timeless creation by Charles Schulz as I've admired his work for more than a decade.

So this movie takes an approach on the Peanuts gang going on an adventure as they travel to France since Charlie Brown, Linus, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie are being exchange students for a few weeks with Snoopy and Woodstock tagging along. And as they make it there with Charlie Brown receiving an invitation, him and Linus end up wondering who it was inviting the gang to the chateau.

This is not a bad premise for Peanuts especially with them returning to the silver screen. It's exciting to see Charlie and the gang travel somewhere overseas for the first time. However this movie doesn't really have a story until after half way through the runtime. The entire first half of this movie is just seeing the Peanuts gang traveling to France with different transportation every few minutes, not to mention they stop at England which contributes nothing to the plot. There's a lot of filler and the conflict isn't even hinted until they arrive at France in the second half. I will say by the third act the story really gets good though. The climax of the house being on fire was honestly the best part of the movie and puts a nice dramatic effect to everything. But that's the only time I really enjoyed this movie, the rest is just boring. It is nice to see the adults appear on screen who also speak words instead of just hearing the trombone sound effect for the first time and there are some funny gags here and there. I wasn't a fan of the exaggerated accents though. This movie does feel a little theater-worthy still, it just lacks a well told story for all 3 acts of the film.

Charlie Brown has a decent motivation in this movie wanting to make it to his destination for the school and finding out who invited him to the chateau. Pierre is a cool kid who gives us an introduction to the cultures of France. Peppermint Patty on the other hand is really annoying as she constantly gets on Charlie Brown's nerves without any thought of her actions and assumes Pierre likes her when he doesn't at all. She's the least I could understand in this movie since the characters barely develop. Linus makes a good supporting companion to Charlie Brown especially in the climax. Snoopy and Woodstock are fun as they bring comedic effect to the movie. And Violette turns out to be the one behind the invitation but isn't on screen for very long. A lot of the other characters like Schroeder, Lucy, Sally, and Patty only appear in the very beginning of the movie with reduced roles which is disappointing especially since they had exchange students at their school in America. I think an opportunity was really missed there. We could've gotten to know who they were while Charlie and his gang were on their way to France.

Additionally the animation is on par for Peanuts. I really admire the background work for this movie and definitely gave it a big-screen vibe. The soundtrack is okay, it doesn't compare to the talent of Vince Guaraldi or even the Sherman Brothers from Snoopy Come Home but it's fine for what it is.

Overall, this movie could've been much better if the story didn't feel rushed and the characters had more bonding with each other, nobody really learns anything and only 1/3 acts felt completed. I can kind of see why there wasn't another theatrical Peanuts film a few years after this one since it barely accomplished its goal. It has some fun moments for a Peanuts film but nothing truly special or memorable.

The best of them, but not for every little kid

[jdollak · 8/10 · 5 January 2005]

Peanuts has become a staple of American culture, so the jokes have a hard time coming across as fresh nowadays. The pleasure I get from watching these films is not due to it being laugh-out-loud funny, but it's from the jokes reaching a nostalgic point. I remember liking this one when I was younger, but I think I found it too complicated, in comparison to Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown. Now, I think this one stands up the best in comparison to Race... and Snoopy Come Home. Some of the other comments have hit on that this one does not obey the normal formula rules as other Peanuts features. This is exactly what makes it noteworthy. Rather than being aimed more squarely at a family audience, there's a tiny bit of creepiness to the music, which could probably scare the youngest of children. The writing in this is far more entertaining and clever, less gags are recycled from the comic strip, and as such, it will be more deserving of your attention than the other features.

Charlie Brown rules.

[PIST-OFF · 3 July 1999]

Charlie Brown, he was born to lose. This is the best peanuts gang movie. I loved it as a kid and I love it now. Am I the only one who notices that Snoopy flicks people off a lot in this. And why is the dog driving anyways?

My personal favorite Charlie Brown movie

[emasterslake · 8/10 · 7 December 2005]

This is one of my personal favorite of the Peanuts Movies.

What's cool about this one is Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the others get to go to England and France as Foreign exchange students.

While Charlie Brown tries to find out who sent him a letter from France. And what connection does he have with that person.

There's plenty of gags and at least one laugh in most of the scenes.

The best part is when Snoopy goes to a bar and plays Table Soccer with WoodStock.

It's a very good and a memorable Peanuts movie.

Highly recommended to those who like the Peanuts a lot. And deserves to be in any Peanuts collection.

possibly remembered most in my mind from a kid, even through its breaks of Peanuts conventions

[Quinoa1984 · 8/10 · 30 March 2006]

I remember as a kid watching this special several times, and taking to it as a fan of animation (and maybe as a casual Peanuts fan too) with plenty of interest. In retrospect I think I must have really responded to its break from some of the conventions of cartoons, and even from what usually goes with the Peanuts. There are adults, they speak dialog on camera, and (this was a factor of interest) they speak French a good lot of the time; even Marcie speaks French, as in the traffic scene. The special has some mystery to it, as to the mysterious Château that Charlie Brown and Snoopy stay at in their stay in France, and lots of good jokes too mixed in with the suspense. Before the big finale comes around, with a fire sequence that, in its own way, is Schultz and team's closest equivalent to an action scene in one of the classic Disney films, there are also lots of funny, impressionable scenes for children interested. Maybe it was an off-key fascination, but the sequence with Snoopy and Woodstock getting their kicks at the French pub is fantastic, and I have a fond memory that gives me a grin of their vaudevillian playing off each other and the scenery. And the bit with the French bread is awesome as well. Interesting enough the only bits that aren't up to snuff are some of the drawn-out talks from Peppermint Patty, however these are overshadowed by the fun that's to be had. It may not be for all Peanuts fans out there, but even for those that aren't it might provide some interest.

Charlie Brown and pals take a trip to Europe.

[Aaron1375 · 8/10 · 12 March 2010]

This was by far my favorite of the Charlie Brown and Peanuts movies. Most likely due to the fact I always love a good traveling movie and the more exotic the location the better. "Snoopy Come Home" was also rather good too, though that travel movie was on a smaller scope than this one was. This one has Charlie Brown, Linus, Peppermint Patty and Marcie all headed to France for reasons that I can not remember. I know Charlie was invited by some girl, but I can not remember why Peppermint Patty and Marcie went along. I do know they did not stay at the château along with Charlie Brown and Linus so perhaps they were just you normal exchange students. Snoopy and Woodstock also come along for the ride as well, and it is a good thing seeing as somehow Snoopy has the ability to drive cars and rent them as well. The movie moves at a good clip and for the most part it is very funny watching them on their travels. The movie is not quite as good once they arrive at their destination a mysterious château in France, but it is nice to see them try to uncover the mystery (even if in the end it is not all that exciting a mystery). It is nice to see the cast parred down a bit too, as to often you have to many of the Peanuts gang and the film suffers. I never really liked Lucy all that much so I am glad to see aside from a farewell scene at the beginning that she is a no show. I am not wild about Linus either, but he is Charlie Brown's best friend so it makes sense he come along for the ride. And what a ride it is, lots of sites and sounds and comedy.

You wont come back to see this movie.

[salieri2121 · 1/10 · 25 September 2002]

I saw this movie and was bored out of my mind! I am a fan of Peanuts, but I can't understand why Charles Schultz let this disaster be made! Spoilers ahead.

I can't believe Snoopy would let his friends sleep on the ground outside in a dangerous situation and go out to a bar and swig a few cold ones without standing watch! The story was complete nonsense, even for comic strip characters. It takes them toooo long to get to France, plus once they get to France I had a feeling that the writer (I still can't believe it was Schultz) didn't know what to do once they got there.

Peanuts is best made in 30 minute episodes, not 80 minute movies.

Go home Charlie Brown, you are at your best there.

Why are they visiting the château again? Below average PEANUTS adventure

[mamamiasweetpeaches · 27 June 2004]

The PEANUTS are at their best when they are celebrating a holiday or going to camp. Unlike the great PEANUTS classics RACE FOR YOUR LIFE CHARLIE BROWN and SNOOPY COME HOME, this PEANUTS outing is a little on the murky side. Due to a student exchange program Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy, stow-away Woodstock, peppermint Patty and Marcy are sent to Europe to go to school in France. Coincidentally, Charlie gets a letter from a little French girl who invites him to visit her familys château there. When the PEANUTS land in London and venture to France there would be plenty of observations that could be made on the cultural differences....however the big find here is "Hey...they eat French bread in France!". This special also shocks by breaking a PEANTUS cardinal rule: grown ups talk! And they don't just say "Mwah mwah mwah"...they actually speak in English and address the children! When Charlie and Linus head off to the château a little French boy named Pierre tells Marcy and Peppermint that a horrible Baron lives there who hates everyone, would never allow guests, and that if they attempt to stay there harm will come to them. (The "harm" is not explained...although there are two references to getting "mugged" in the film). when the boys get to the château and aren't allowed in they sleep on the cold wet ground instead of re-tracking back to the nice warm house Marcy and Patty are staying in. Snoopy spends most of his visit in a bar drinking root beer and crying over American show tunes. I've seen this film more than once and my mind just doesn't grasp WHY they were invited to a place they weren't allowed to go in and who exactly the baron was, why he was such a bastard and if he WAS such a bastard why he Doesn't actually hurt them. I think the plan was to get PEANTUS to Europe and have them have an adventure...but the storyline here is a little on the murky side. Also worth noting is that key characters such as Lucy, Sally and Schroeder remain in America and are sorely missed. This is not a Must Own PEANUTS collector (neither is the newer adventure ITS THE PIED PIPER CHARLIE BROWN....grown ups speak in that one too!....although my 5 year old actually prefers that one to this one.

Charlie Brown and friends in

[Terryfan · 10/10 · 9 August 2015]

Charlie Brown and the Peanut Gang I grew up with them and still remain a fan even today.

This film is just right for fans of the Peanut Gang. It still has the humor that the Peanut Gang is known for but also have a good character driven story this time

The film's plot has Charlie Brown, Linus, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie travel to France as foreign exchange students. Also along is Snoopy and Woodstock. As the story unfold we soon learn there is more to the story than we are lead to believe but I'll keep the plot secret for you to see.

The animation for this film is very smooth and very clean as you can always expect for Charlie Brown and Peanuts movie. Also this is one of the few films that allow the adults to be seen.

The music is one of my favorite parts of this Peanuts film it is just perfectly done and it matches the story for the film.

The voice acting is pretty entertaining as well and of course the gang does a good job.

The Peanut Gang always draw on emotion and this film does a very good job with bringing out the drama and emotion out of you it just one of those special films of Peanuts that you can't help but enjoy and feel WOW from.

Seriously this film just does a lot of things right it should not be miss by a true fan of Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts.

With great animation, wonderful music and a character driven story you must see this film and whoever holds the rights please release this film on DVD

I give Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!) an 10 out of 10

This is an underrated Charlie Brown classic that I would strongly recommend

[kevin_robbins · 9/10 · 29 September 2021]

Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) (1980) is a movie I recently watched with my daughter on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a foreign exchange program of sorts where the Peanuts gang is sent to visit family's in France. For Charlie Brown he received a strange invitation from a mysterious chateau. Who was behind the request and why do they specifically want Charlie Brown? This movie was codirected by Bill Melendez (A Charlie Brown Christmas) and Phil Roman (A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving). The animation style for this is classic Charlie Brown and a fun mixed bag of still pictures with craft camera work and simple animation. However, the animation, settings and depictions of the characters are very fun. The dialogue is hilarious as the friends pick on each other and Peppermint Patty was annoying and Snoopy was awesome as always (though I was hoping there would be a classic battle with the red baron). I did love "the Baron" mystery and plot that gave this movie an edge of sorts. I also liked how they played off the European clichés. Overall this is an underrated Charlie Brown classic that I would strongly recommend and score a solid 8.5/10.

A joyful little ride

[n-mo · 8/10 · 23 April 2020]

'Bon Voyage Charlie Brown' was, as has been noted, a labor of love for Schulz, who had been in Britain and France as an American soldier during World War II. Charlie Brown, his alter-ego in the strip, steps in to make the pilgrimage back to those stomping grounds, some 35 years on, and while generations have been swapped little has changed: this works, if only unintentionally, for verisimilitude, as most of the provincial areas of France had changed little from 1945 to 1980.

Not that there is no suspense of disbelief required: children of that age are unlikely to be going on an exchange program to a country in which they speak not the language, and if anyone is going to be chosen for such an adventure it is not the decidedly un-studious Peppermint Patty. Snoopy's game is stepped up, as it tends to be in many (but not all) TV specials: in the comic strip his "human" side is portrayed as more of a Walter Mitty complex, so he wouldn't be seen driving an actual car and any references to flying first-class would be ambiguous about the "fantastical" aspect (the Wimbledon bit is maybe up in the air, considering his athletic prowess and tournaments with Molly Volley).

Not to be too nit-picky. Snoopy's and Woodstock's antics, oscillating between the ridiculously competent and the blissfully clueless, are as amusing as ever. For an American such as myself whose hobbies long included planning for and fantasizing about travel throughout Europe (eventually this fantasy turned into a permanent move and I have lived in Paris for 12 years now), this is a fun little travelogue. I saw this movie when I was 10 or 11 and always imagined I'd have the same "feels" of the gang's initial discoveries of England and France when someday I went over there. When I finally came over here ten years on, I largely did.

And while the mix of Charlie Brown, Linus, Peppermint Patty and Marcie in France seems unlikely, the foursome's respective personalities bounce off and complement each other quite well, generating just the right mix of conflict and cooperation to face the real challenge. The stakes, however, are higher here than they usually are in the simplistic, closed childhood world the characters inhabit in the script. I won't spoil the ending except to say that the tone may surprise those for whom 'Peanuts' canon is first and foremost its eponymous comic strip, but there's enough nuance and letdown to "keep it real."

'Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown' is among the better animated adaptations and it is certainly the best of the feature-length films, first of all for the fairly intelligent subject matter and for striking the right balance between staying true to the strip's world and characters while changing what needs to change to bring a "big" story from intro through action into conclusion ('Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown' got this latter right; sadly, 2015's 'The Peanuts Movie' leaned too far away from the source and was rather thin plot-wise). Older children and adults who like travel and have fond memories of 'Peanuts' will get right into this.

Great Film - Very Fun

[Rainey-Dawn · 9/10 · 12 February 2022]

I really liked this film - it's not your typical Peanuts story. Here Charlie, Linus, Marci, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy and Woodstock head to France as foreign exchange students and leave the rest of the gang in America.

Worth watching if you like Peanuts or animations in general.

9/10.