The Wind in the Willows, released on video in the U.S. as Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, is a 1996 adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic novel The Wind in the Willows (which shows the ever changing world of the British countryside through the eyes of animals), although it differs substantially from the novel. It was also notable in that it starred John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin (all of whom were previous Monty Python members).

Plot

Mole's (Steve Coogan) underground home is knocked in when the field is bulldozed by Weasels; the field is owned by Mr. Toad (Terry Jones), who has sold it to raise money to finance his latest hobby: motor-cars. Mole flees to the river and meets Rat (Eric Idle), who is getting ready to embark on a picnic. Seeing Mole's distress, Rat decides to take Mole to see Mr. Toad. Toad, completely engrossed with motor cars, is not responsive to their appeals, but instead falls further into the lures of the Weasels. There are four main weasel characters in the film. Their leader is the villainous Chief Weasel (Antony Sher), who is always accompanied by three main henchman- Clarence (Keith-Lee Castle) and Geoffrey (Richard James), who both passionately hate each other, and St.John (Robert Bathurst), whose attempts at sycophancy always go disastrously wrong. The Weasels are planning to take over Toad Hall, but the full extent of their plan is unknown.