Home on the Range (2004)

Home on the Range is a 2004 American animated western musical slapstick comedy film based on the original idea made by Mike Gabriel, the film is screenplay and directed by John Sanford and Will Finn. The 45th animated film by Walt Disney Feature Animation, continuation of the traditionally animated movie from Disney until Winnie the Pooh (2011) was the last film. The film follows a generic three diary cows who suggests the villainous contract named "Alameda Slim" who is intelligent cowboy of the vengeful outlaw and three cows must stop the villain in the cowboy's farm in order to Rico seeks the glory for himself. The film stars Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Charles Dennis, Charles Haid, Randy Quaid, Carole Cook, Richard Riehle, and Steve Buscemi. Home on the Range is convenient development in the 1999 under the working title as Sweating Bullets before changing title in the 2000 after Gabriel and Michael LaBash was leaving the project by the persistent story problems. The film score was composed by Alan Menken with Glenn Slater was joining Menken as the producer and lyrics, creating the original song for the film. The film was released on April 2, 2004 by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States. The film received mixed reviews from film critics. But the audience score was negative, giving it a 29% score in Rotten Tomatoes and was bombed at the box office. 
== Plot ==
In the Old West of 1889, Maggie is the only cow left on the Dixon Ranch after Alameda Slim, a wanted cattle rustler capable of stealing 5,000 cattle in a single night, stole all the rest of Abner Dixon's cattle, causing his farm to go in auction. Abner has no other choice than to sell Maggie to Pearl Gesner, a kind, aging woman who runs a dairy farm called Patch of Heaven. However, there is little to rejoice because Pearl is being pressured by debtors. Sam Brown, the local Sheriff arrives to tell Pearl that she has to pay the bank $750 in three days or her farm will also be auction off. Hearing this, Maggie encourages other cows on the farm, Grace, a happy-go-lucky character, and Mrs. Calloway, who acts as a de facto leader, to attempt winning prize money at a fair. Arriving in the town of Chugwater, Buck, the Sheriff's horse who dreams of being a hero, clarifies at the cows they can't persuade for more time and need to find an efficient way to make money fast. A bounty hunter named Rico, whom Buck idolizes, drops an outlaw off and collects the reward. Stating he needs a replacement horse to go after Alameda Slim while his own horse rests, he takes the cocky Buck. When Maggie finds out the bounty for capturing Slim is exactly $750, she convinces the other cows to try to capture him to save Patch of Heaven.
The cows got carried away with a foreign carrier due to a fight and misunderstanding. On the road, they pass by Dixon Ranch seeing it brought to the highest bidder, Yancy O'Dell. That night, they hide among a large herd of steers, when Slim and the Willie brothers appear. As Maggie tries tackling him, Slim begins a yodeling song which sends all the cattle (except Grace, who is tone deaf) into a trance that makes them to dance in order fashion and follow Slim anywhere. Grace is able to bring Maggie and Mrs. Calloway back to their senses just before Slim closes the path behind him with a rock-slide to stop Rico and his men from chasing him. As Rico discusses with his men what his next move will be, Buck starts talking with Maggie, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway as old friends and miming actions. This has Rico to believe Buck is frightened by cows, so he sends Buck back to the Sheriff. Buck flees, strongminded to capture Slim for himself to prove his worth.
Maggie, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway continue their search for Slim, to pass Buck and get to Slim first, but then they have a fallout when they lose the trail in a flash flood. Mrs. Calloway accuses Maggie of wanting to go after Slim only as a personal vendetta, arguing that she and Grace are better off without Maggie. The three spend the night under a large rock, with Maggie deciding to leave afterwards while Grace and Mrs. Calloway decide to return to Patch of Heaven to say their final farewells. The next morning, however, they are awakened by a peg-legged jackrabbit named Lucky Jack, who has also lost his home, an old mine, to an outlaw revealed to be Slim. Maggie decides to go after Slim with Lucky Jack in tow. Grace is still willing to help, and Maggie bribes Mrs. Calloway she'll leave Patch of Heaven forever. Lucky Jack leads the three cows to Slim's lair in Echo Mine. At the mine, it is revealed that all the cattle Slim been stealing were being sold to his client, Mr. Wesley. In doing so, when his former patrons can no longer afford their land, Slim buys the land once it is auctioned off, under the guise of the respectable-looking Yancy O'Dell, using the very money he gets from the selling cattle as a way to rule all West: All this because Slim felt repeatedly unappreciated for his talents. He finds Patch of Heaven is the last farm he has yet to attain.
After arriving at Slim's lair, Junior the buffalo only allows the cows (and Lucky Jack) in and not Buck. Rico was on the lookout and then Buck scares off his horse leading him and Junior going after Slim whom the cows managed to tie up. A chase went on throughout the mine trying to recover Slim, and stop after colliding with the steam train. Slim, enraged, ropes up the cows; has his accomplices ship them on the steam train. Buck decides to help the cows after finding out Rico is working for Slim. The animals fought and lock up Rico and the others while setting the cattle free, but Slim already left way ahead of them to Patch of Heaven. Slim dons his Yancy O'Dell costume and he attends the auction. Before he can sign the ownership contract, the cows arrive hijacking the train to the farm and expose Slim. Grace shuts up Slim from singing yodel. Slim is arrested by Sam, and Patch of Heaven is saved thanks to the reward money. Maggie, thought to have left, is allowed to stay as Mrs. Calloway has a newfound respect for her. Pearl is made on newspaper along with Maggie and the rest of the farm for their heroism. A few weeks pass, and at the county fair, most of the livestock on Patch of Heaven have won prizes. Lucky Jack moves in with Jebb the goat, and two steers, including Junior arrive unexpectedly to live at Patch of Heaven, expanding the farm.
==Cast==
* Roseanne Barr as Maggie. Chris Buck served as the supervising animator for Maggie.
* Judi Dench as Mrs. Caloway. Duncan Marjoribanks served as the supervising animator for Mrs. Calloway.
* Jennifer Tilly as Grace. Mark Henn served as the supervising animator for Grace.
* Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Buck. Michael Surrey served as the supervising animator for Buck.
* Randy Quaid as Alameda Slim. Dale Baer served as the supervising animator for Slim.
* Charles Dennis as Rico. Russ Edmonds served as the supervising animator for Rico.
* Charles Haid as Lucky Jack. Shawn Keller served as the lead animator for Lucky Jack.
* Carole Cook as Pearl. Bruce W. Smith served as the supervising animator for Pearl.
* Joe Flaherty as Jeb the Goat. Sandro Cleuzo served as the supervising animator of Jeb.
* Steve Buscemi as Wesley. Mark Henn served as the supervising animator for Wesley.
* Richard Riehle as Sam the Sheriff. Sandro Cleuzo served as the supervising animator of the Sheriff.
* Lance LeGault as Junior the Buffalo. Dale Baer served as the supervising animator for Junior.
* G.W. Bailey as Rusty. Mark Henn served as the supervising animator for Rusty.
* Patrick Warburton as Patrick
* Estelle Harris as Audrey the Chicken
* Sam J. Levine as the Willie Brothers. Russ Edmonds served as the supervising animator for the Willies.
* Ann Richards as Annie
* Edie McClurg as Molly, a pig and Ollie's wife.
* Peter Siragusa as Clem, a vulture.
Category:2004 films
Category:2000s American animated films
Category:2004 animated films
Category:American animated films
Category:American films
Category:Disney animated features canon
Category:Female buddy films
Category:Films about cows
Category:Films featuring anthropomorphic characters
Category:Walt Disney Pictures films
Category:Western (genre) comedy films
Category:Films
Category:Films without opening credits
Category:Films with multiple vocal credit songs
Category:Standalone films
Category:Box Office Bombs
Category:Films with opening only narration
Category:Walt Disney Theatrical
Category:Films set in Wyoming
Category:Films about horses
Category:Films about pigs
Category:Films about animals
Category:Directorial debut films
Category:Films starring Jennifer Tilly
Category:Films starring Steve Buscemi
Category:Films starring Estelle Harris
Category:Films starring Roseanne Barr
Category:Films starring Judi Dench
Category:Rated PG
Category:Slapstick films
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