Jack and the Beanstalk : The Real Story Jack and the Beanstalk : The Real Story was a two part TV - movie inspired by the " Jack and the Beanstalk " that aired on CBS in December 2001 . The film , produced by The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment , was directed by Brian Henson and featured effects by the Jim Henson Creature Shop . The first half of the film aired on CBS as a 2 - hour television event on Sunday December 2 , 2001 ( 9 - 11pm ET / PT ) ; the second half aired on Tuesday , December 4 , 2001 ( 9 - 11pm ET / PT ) . The film was released on video and DVD immediately following the television premiere . Production was based as Elstree Studios in Borehamwood , England . Location shoots took place at Belvoir Castle , Windsor Great Park and Leighton Buzzard in England . Plot . Part 1 . Jack Robinson is a wealthy business man with no time for much of anything aside from work . However , a family curse is looming over him - no man in the Robinson line has lived past the age of forty for roughly 400 years . When a beautiful and mysterious woman , going only by the name of Ondine , corners Jack in a restaurant , she alleges that the Robinson family empire is not built on the blood , sweat , and tears of his ancestors , but on the feathery back of someone named Gallaga . In an ominous tone , she warns that his time is almost up , and unless he rights the wrongs of his ancestors , he too shall suffer their fate . Jack is confused and stunned , but nonetheless interested . However , the young beauty vanishes as quickly as she appeared . However , Jack has bigger problems on his hands - the latest project for Robinson Enterprises has run into a bit of a " hiccup . " While digging the foundation for a new casino , the workmen have stumbled upon some enormous bones in the ground - and they don ' t belong to any dinosaur . Jack goes to see an old relative ( whom he previously believed to be dead ) Willy , and she tells Jack the ancient fairy tale of " Jack and the Beanstalk " - about a poor boy who steals from an evil and greedy giant . She also reveals that the fairy tale is true , but that the version of it they all know may not be . Jack learns that he is a descendent from the Jack in the story . Willy gives him a necklace , which she says is the key to Jack ' s salvation . Ondine appears again to tell Jack that she is from the giant world and was sent to retrieve the stolen goose and harp that Jack ' s ancestor stole years ago . When Jack says he doesn ' t know where they are she warns that she is supposed to bring him back with her if she cannot find them . Before anything can be done , however , she pulls out two glowing objects and warns him ( as well as the police , who ' ve just arrived ) to stay back . By smashing the objects together , she is transported away in an ensuing explosion , leaving a stunned Jack behind . Jack runs off into the woods to think . He finds a bean inside the necklace Willy gave him and he plants it . Jack then falls asleep only to awake to a giant beanstalk where the bean was planted . Jack decides to climb the beanstalk . . . Part 2 . When Jack reaches the top of the beanstalk he finds himself in the land of the giants . He soon comes across Ondine but Jack is arrested and taken to stand trial for his family ' s crime . Jack learns that the story of Jack and the Beanstalk we know is distorted , warped and bias and is told the real story . The Giant , Thunderdell , was a kind and peaceful creature - in fact he was one of the nicest giants there ever was . He had a biological son named Bran and took Ondine in as his foster daughter . Ondine then showed Jack ( the one being Jack ' s ancestor ) where the goose and harp were kept . Later , Jack greedily betrayed Thunderdell ' s warm hospitality and friendship . He stole the goose and harp which were needed to keep the land green and alive ( even as Thunderdell pleaded with him to give it back and promised him more golden eggs ) - without it the land would die . Jack murdered the giant out of greed with no regard of the repercussions of his actions on the innocent and friendly people of the land in the clouds . It is also revealed that the first Jack was the love - interest of Ondine , only to desert her when he betrayed her people . The giant court sentences Jack Robinson to death to repay the crimes of his family . Ondine , however , has been feeling sympathy towards Jack and realizes she may be falling in love with him . At first she tries to deny it , but Bran kindly tells her it ' s all right . After asking if he would ever betray her , she takes the prisoner back to Earth in an attempt to find the goose and harp – but they must hurry as the giants will soon be coming after them to kill Jack . After Jack returns to his world , he learns that Willy was the First Jack ' s mother , who had been cursed to live to see her son , and his son , and so forth , die , because she was the one who decapitated Thunderdell after he fell to earth . As time passes differently on Earth than in the giant ' s world , years have past since Jack climbed the beanstalk and Jack Robinson has been long declared dead . " Siggy " , the former Chief Operating Officer , has taken Jack ' s place . With no other Robinson ' s left , Siggy has inherited the entire fortune and will do anything to guard the goose and harp . Jack and Ondine break - in to the company vaults and take back the goose and harp to return to the giants . After much pursuit , from both Siggy ' s security and the giants , Jack returns the harp and goose to the giant ' s world . The harp once again plays its song , the goose can lay its eggs and the world becomes rejuvenated and green once again . Then peacefully , Willy dies , Siggy has been sent to a mental hospital , and Ondine is allowed to spend a giant week ( seven years ) with Jack . Home Video . The telefilm was release was released on both VHS and DVD by Hallmark Home Entertainment in December 2001 . The 184 - minute feature was the complete 2 - part telefilm edited into a single continuous full length movie . The DVD version of the film was presented in the original 16 : 9 anamorphic widescreen ( unlike the TV airing ) . The DVD also included both a 5 . 1 Dolby Digital audio mix and a 2 . 0 Dolby Digital audio mix in addition to 2 featurettes ( " " and " " ) , detailed production notes , 11 - chapter scene selection and interactive animated menus .