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IMDbPro

A Wish for Wings That Work

  • TV Movie
  • 1991
  • TV-G
  • 23m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Michael Bell, John Byner, and Frank Welker in A Wish for Wings That Work (1991)
SatireAdventureAnimationComedyFamilyFantasy

Opus the Penguin struggles to achieve his seemingly impossible dream to be able to fly.Opus the Penguin struggles to achieve his seemingly impossible dream to be able to fly.Opus the Penguin struggles to achieve his seemingly impossible dream to be able to fly.

  • Director
    • Skip Jones
  • Writer
    • Berkeley Breathed
  • Stars
    • Michael Bell
    • Joe Alaskey
    • John Byner
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Skip Jones
    • Writer
      • Berkeley Breathed
    • Stars
      • Michael Bell
      • Joe Alaskey
      • John Byner
    • 11User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos46

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    Top cast9

    Edit
    Michael Bell
    Michael Bell
    • Opus
    • (voice)
    Joe Alaskey
    Joe Alaskey
    • Truffles
    • (voice)
    • …
    John Byner
    John Byner
    • Bill the Cat
    • (voice)
    Tress MacNeille
    Tress MacNeille
    • The Chicken
    • (voice)
    Andrew Hill Newman
    Andrew Hill Newman
    • Santa
    • (voice)
    Robin Williams
    Robin Williams
    • The Kiwi
    • (voice)
    • (as Sudy Nim)
    Alexaundria Simmons
    • Ronald-Ann
    • (voice)
    Frank Welker
    Frank Welker
    • Santa Claus
    • (voice)
    Dustin Hoffman
    Dustin Hoffman
    • Milquetoast the Cross-Dressing Cockroach
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Skip Jones
    • Writer
      • Berkeley Breathed
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Berkeley Breathed was exceptionally displeased with the quality of the final product. In an exchange published in The Washington Post he said to a person trying to find the VHS or DVD version, "Hopefully (you will find it) in the rubbish pail. We can do better than that, and we will with an eventual Opus film, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I presume your family was on speed when they watched it. I would imagine it helps." In a later interview, Breathed explained that the production of the special was very difficult, and that he was constantly at odds with the director, who wanted to include more crude and vulgar jokes.
    • Goofs
      The cockpit window in the Lost Horizon dream doesn't match the cockpit window that is inside Opus' cockpit.
    • Quotes

      George the Kiwi: So what if they're small? Some women prefer small wings. What does Delores want, quantity or quality? She want's 'em big? MARRY THE SPACE SHUTTLE, YOU SHREW!

      The Chicken: Space shuttle? Watch it!

    • Crazy credits
      After the credits, we see Truffles yelling up at Opus "Don't get cocky up there!" before Opus' prothstetic buttocks falls on him.
    • Connections
      Featured in Familiar Faces: Familiar Faces #46: The 12 Forgotten Animated Christmas Classics (2010)

    User reviews11

    Review
    Review
    Featured review

    A beautiful fairytale

    Based on Berke Breathed's popular cartoon Bloom County, A Wish for Wings that Work is sure to amuse and enthrall every audience, from youngest to oldest. Wings is the story of Opus the penguin, whose greatest wish is to fly. But alas, penguins are not meant to fly no matter how hard some of them try. Throughout the movie Opus' misadventures entice the watcher to both laugh and cry, before, as befalls a good fairytale, it ends happily albeit with a twist.

    Although I am no great fan of cartoons I really enjoyed Wings. It has a charming quality to it, an ability to make people feel like children again. Making it even better is the fact that it has a number of rather adult jokes (such as Elvis turning up or the Toy and Gun store being named after Norman Schwarzkopf).

    In all I strongly recommend A Wish for Wings that Work, whether you are a Bloom County fan or not.
    • CPol
    • Sep 29, 1999
    • Permalink

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Wish for Wings That Work: An Opus Christmas Story
    • Production companies
      • Amblin Television
      • Universal Animation Studios
      • Universal Cartoon Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      23 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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    Michael Bell, John Byner, and Frank Welker in A Wish for Wings That Work (1991)
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