Willy The Sparrow.... REVEALED!

Okay, onto the next one, and it is "Willy The Sparrow".


Originally released in Hungary as "Vili a vereb", this one, as you may have already guessed, had also gotten the boot of edits when released in English under FFFF, though probably not as many as "The Seventh Brother".

Long story short, it tells the story of a mischievous young boy named Willy with a wild imagination. One day, he is pretending to shoot at sparrows which catches the attention of Sparina the Sparrow Guardian. He comes into his bedroom and confronts him about his ways. As a test to see if he can change his ways, she turns him into a sparrow. In this form, Willy learns to help his new friends in the sparrow world, even helping them free their barnyard hangout from a nasty black cat, and teaches an elderly sparrow named Cipur how to read and learn, and Cipur teaches Willy how to be a sparrow.

It's not real easy for me to point out the changes made to this movie, so I'm gonna try to make this as detailed as possible.

Now probably the first thing I'll point out is that the opening was slightly longer. (Notice a pattern emerging here?)





Yeah, you've probably figured out the differences for yourself, but we're just getting started.

Remember when Willy gets a BB gun and looks for some birds to shoot at? Well, in the original Hungarian version, before Vili (Willy) finds the Sparrow Guardian and the sparrows, he is scanning the park looking at various people.

I don't know they left that part out in the American FFFF release, but I don't even want to assume that it was the old "it was unnecessary" excuse.

Anyhow, remember when Willy was pretending to shoot at the sparrows which drove them away? Well, in the original, Vili (Willy) actually shoots a BB at the sparrows which drives them away.

I guess they were afraid that:

1. it might intimidating for younger kids
2. certain kids might start getting the wrong ideas about using BB guns (although we did see Ralph use that Red Ryder BB Gun in "A Christmas Story", but I guess they made that look less intimidating)

So Sparina catches Willy scaring her sparrows and confronts him in his room.

(Now just a quick note here before we go on: those of you who grew up watching this movie probably recall, during the scene where Sparina talks to Willy in his room, that at one point, Willy says "Right, and I'm Batman!" They let that slide into the FFFF release of this movie, yet they took the shadow-of-certain-famous-cartoon-character part out of "The Seventh Brother". Guess Batman wasn't heavily copyrighted around the time of this movie.)

Seeing how Willy does have some potential deep inside him, she decides to put him to a thorough test. She takes out her can of dream mist and sprays it on Willy. At first, she turns him into a mouse, but knowing that she doesn't like mice, she turns him into a sparrow.

For those of you watching the original, you'd probably know that before she turned him into a mouse, she turned him into an alligator/crocodile. I have a theory about why that was scrapped in the FFFF version, but I'll talk about that later.

Eventhough Willy is now a sparrow, he hasn't learned to fly. Sparina intends on spraying an extra dose on him to give him the ability to fly, but she's out of dream mist. She reminds him that he shouldn't be amused, as the world looks a lot bigger in the eyes of a sparrow. She sets him on the window sill to wait while she goes to get some more of that magic stuff. Just then, Willy's cat Sissy comes in and advances menacingly on him.

If you've watched the FFFF version, then you may know that Sissy knows that Willy is now a sparrow and wants to give him a taste of his own medicine. But in the original, Sili (Sissy) saw Vili (Willy) as a meal. Now according to Wikipedia, there's a scene in the original where Sili (Sissy) is about to devour Vili (Willy) which we don't see in the FFFF version because the American producers thought that it might be too frightening for younger audiences.





In the FFFF cut, it cuts right to Willy's sister Tanya coming in and stopping Sissy from eating Willy.

So after Willy is saved, Tanya unwittingly sets Willy outside the window and shuts him out. Sissy follows Willy outside (via an airduct) and is about to pounce on him once more when Willy lands in a tree and meets two sparrows named Red and TJ. TJ is the one with the blue hair and Red is obviously the one with the red hair (such a no-brainer!). Both are skeptical about Willy's inability to fly, and when Willy tries to explain the whole situation, they think he's crazy. Nevertheless, they get an elderly sparrow named Cipur to help Willy. Cipur agrees to teach Willy to fly like a sparrow and Red, TJ, and Cipur manage to carry Willy to safety, right before Sissy, who has followed Willy into the tree, pounces on them.

Those of you who grew up watching the English dubbed FFFF cut may not know that the tree scene was somewhat different in the original. For instance, Cili had sort of an evil expression which theoretically might have been cut because it was either too scary for American younger audiences or so it wouldn't effect Sissy's motives.

(Now there's a face I wouldn't want to see in a dark alley!)

Also, the first time Vili (Willy) meets Spagyi and Csures (Red and TJ; they were also adults in the original), he gets into a physical spat with them and punches one of them onto another limb (I can't really tell which one which!). Guess they didn't want American kids getting the wrong ideas when they scrapped that scene. In the FFFF release, with Willy's physical fight with Red and TJ cut, the scene is recut this way (if you're watching the original version, you'll be able to tell the difference):

Moving along here, Cipur takes Willy to a nearby attic where he built his nest. Willy explains that Sparina the Sparrow Guardian turned him into a sparrow for a test that he has yet to understand. Cipur, who happens to know all about Sparina, decides to see if Willy really is human by handing him a scrap of paper to read.


For those of you who watched the original and are Shakespearean experts, the passage that Willy reads is "Speak the Speech" from Shakespeare's "Hamlet":

"Speak the speech I pray you as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it as many of your players do, I has as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand thus, but use all gently..."

It's then and there that Cipur decides to offer to teach Willy to fly if he teaches him to read. Willy gladly accepts.

Meanwhile, Sparina and Sissy are still looking around for Willy. Now here's one of most interesting parts: while Sparina's looking around, she steps on an open manhole, on air!


Yeah, I know Sparina is magic, but still, that part never ceases to amaze me!

Also, you may remember that a woman behind Sparina is looking up as Sparina is, wondering what Sparina's looking for. The woman behind Sparina bumps into a pole (You ever heard of watching where you're going?).

Sissy runs into several cats along the search, who each somehow point out the direction of Willy's whereabouts. (They must have seen a lot of things!)





In the attic, Cipur gets started on teaching Willy how to be a sparrow and do the things that sparrows do. Unfortunately, Sissy finds them and another chase ensues. At one point, Sissy gets covered in black soot, which I have yet to understand what that was all about. Cipur distracts Sissy so that Willy can get to safety. As soon as Sissy is gone for now, Cipur takes Willy back to the nest where Cipur now wants to know about cars, but Willy is now fast asleep. So Cipur decides to get some sleep as well and wait till morning.

The next morning, Willy wakes up and assumes it was all a dream. However, once he gets a second look at his new surroundings, (look for some product placement here!) he manages to put two and two together. (In other words, he realizes that it wasn't a dream at all and that he really WAS turned into a sparrow.) Willy then starts to itch and scratches himself. Cipur wakes up and explains that it's lice, which is what all sparrows have.

Red and TJ fly in with some breakfast (a bread crumb and an acorn) for Willy and Cipur, though according to Red: "A full stomach makes a bird lazy." Red and TJ are anxious to see how Willy's doing on the flying lessons, but Cipur reminds them that it may take a week for Willy to learn everything there is to know about being a sparrow. Red scoffs and claims that on the day he was born, he flew in the morning and went hunting in the nighttime. TJ adds that he (TJ) went in the afternoon. Cipur sends Red and TJ back out to get some fruit.

Willy is curious as to why Cipur keeps his papers hidden, and Cipur secretly explains that some sparrows don't like sparrows who are different and sparrows who are different can get sent away. Cipur reminds Willy that soon he (Willy) may have to learn together with other sparrows. Cipur asks Willy about cars, and Willy explains that engines help make the cars go, and that engines are spark plugs and pistons, etc. Cipur points out that when one is old as he is, one learns to appreciate learning. Willy and Cipur go back to the attic to resume practicing. Willy proceeds to teach Cipur how to read while simultaneously practicing flying.





Song cue here, of course. Now I should point out that one of the more minor changes to the movie when released by FFFF here in America is, well, though the melodies of the songs remained MOSTLY the same, when the English words were written, there were some minor alterations to certain parts in the songs.



Pretty soon, just as Willy has learned to fly, Cipur has started to learn to read. In the evening, Willy tells Cipur that engines are sort of like letters, meaning that you always have to start from the basics.

The next day, Willy teaches Cipur how to spell his (Cipur's) name. Willy even goes on to explain that "Cipur" spelled backwards is "Rupic", and that words spelled backwards have either the same meaning or a different meaning altogether. Cipur has to leave the attic for a while and tells Willy to stay in the attic while he's gone. However, once Cipur is gone, Willy decides to go outside and fly around some more, hoping that Cipur won't mind. Willy manages to avoid another pounce from Sissy and soon finds himself curious about other things, such as how deep chimneys are (which took place BEFORE Sissy pounced).

Cipur arrives back at the attic with some cherries and finds Willy gone. Cipur starts to get worried, as the cat (presumably Sissy) might attack again at any moment. Or in some cases, hawks. So Cipur decides to go out and look for Willy.

Red and TJ return with some new friends: Specs, Stubby, Tubby, Julie, and Amy. (I think the two girl sparrows like Willy!) Red and TJ are quite astonished that Willy has mastered flying thanks to Cipur. Soon, they all fly to park to look for some worms, but then, after an argument, a change of plans: the gang decides to show Willy the barn where they used to hang out, with Sissy following behind below.





Another song cue. Now again, the melody is MOSTLY the same as in the original version, but in the original, the song is much more lively. In case you don't believe me:



Willy and the other sparrows arrive at the barn, and Red warns them of Blacky the Cat who ran them out long ago when they (the sparrows) used to hang in the barn. As they make it into the barn, though, a devious mouse notices and informs Blacky about the birds, and Blacky proceeds to attack them. The first one to get knocked down is Amy, though she is still pretty much alive, and before Blacky can devour her, Willy unbolts a lightbulb which crashes down on Blacky's head, allowing Willy, Amy, and the other sparrows to escape. Sissy comes along and Blacky starts to show an interest in her. Sissy points out that she's involved in catching Willy, too, and she and Blacky decide to become a pair.

Later, Willy is all alone as the sun sets in the sky. Suddenly, he remembers about Cipur and worries that he (Cipur) may be upset about him (Willy) leaving the attic. Willy then starts to head back to the nest, but, being tired of flying, decides to take the subway and various other vehicles for a while. Willy then remembers that he can understand signs and decides to follow them as well.

As a side note, I'm quite stunned that FFFF didn't even bother to change the Hungarian words into English words! No offense, FFFF.

On the way back to the nest, Willy stops by his home for a minute, where his sister Tanya is still on the phone, and leaves his family a reminder note stating that he'll be back soon. (Hopefully, his family will buy it!)

Willy heads back to the nest, what follows here is probably, in my opinion, the most pivotal scene in the whole movie. Willy finds Cipur tearing up his "books" and, much to Willy's dismay, Cipur declares that he is done teaching Willy. Cipur is upset, not only because Willy flew out, but mainly because Willy had failed to tell him about the "elixir of knowledge" and that some folks had told him (Cipur) at some point that that's how humans learn. Willy is skeptical as to what the "elixir of knowledge" is and tries to explain to Cipur that nothing MAKES him smart and that the only way to learn is to keep reading and studying, but Cipur thinks Willy's still lying and apoplectically drives Willy out. ([referring to Cipur] What a d*ck!) Willy starts to wonder who told Cipur about the so-called "elixir of knowledge" and decides to follow him and see what he's talking about.

Honestly, I find myself quoting that scene occasionally, but in my own way, which I feel sounds more reasonable:

WILLY: Cipur, I'm back! (flies inside to see Cipur tearing up pieces of paper) Wow! What happened here? What are you doing?
CIPUR: None of your business.
WILLY: You're tearing up your books! What's wrong?
CIPUR: What do you mean "what's wrong?" Where have you been?
WILLY: Oh, you're upset because I flew outside. I'm sorry.
CIPUR: I told you to stay in the attic.
WILLY: I promise it won't happen again.
CIPUR: You bet it won't happen again, because as of right now, I'm done teaching you. You're on your own now.
WILLY: (stunned) But why are you done teaching me? I've been practicing my flying and everything else you taught me. Why are you upset?
CIPUR: I think you know darn well why.
WILLY: Look, I'm sorry I flew outside.
CIPUR: Well, it's too late for apologies now. From now on, you can do whatever you want whenever you want.
WILLY: Wait, I think something else is in order.
CIPUR: (sarcastically) Oh, my! Very good, Willy. I always knew that you were clever, but I guess cleverness and honesty don't mix.
WILLY: What's really wrong, Cipur?
CIPUR: I'll tell you what's really wrong: you failed to tell me about the elixir of knowledge.
WILLY: "The elixir of knowledge"?
CIPUR: The elixir that makes it easy for humans to get knowledge. Well, I've met some folks who say that that's how humans learn, and they'll give me some later. I'm disappointed, so don't act like you don't know.
WILLY: There's nothing that makes you smart. You go to grade school, then to junior high, then to high school, then you go to college. There's lots of teachers who give you a lot of stuff to read, and there's grades and tests. Cipur, learning takes a long time, and the only way to learn is to keep reading and studying.
CIPUR: I think you're lying to me.
WILLY: I'm not lying to you, honest I'm not! I don't know anything about the elixir of knowledge.
CIPUR: Willy, you're a great kid, but you've been making up a big story to try to fool me.
WILLY: Well, how do you think I ended up a sparrow? It's not everyday a boy becomes a sparrow and goes on an adventure. Besides, Sparina's the one who did all this to me, and I have yet to know why she did so, what her test is on me, and why she loves sparrows so much.
CIPUR: So that's it, isn't it? You're trying to make fun of a wonderful lady like Sparina and an old Sparrow like me? I'm not only disappointed, Willy, I'm amazed!
WILLY: I'm not trying to make fun of anybody!
CIPUR: Enough, Willy. I've had enough of you.
WILLY: But...
CIPUR: No buts! Go, now! I've had enough! Scram! Scram!
(Willy flies outside)
WILLY: (thinking) "Elixir of knowledge"? I wonder where he heard that? There's no such thing, it's impossible. Of course, I was turned into a sparrow and that's impossible. Maybe I'd better follow him and see what he's talking about.





Alright, getting back to the story, Willy follows Cipur into a bar, where a couple of rats have convinced him (Cipur) at some point that liquor is the elixir of knowledge. Cipur informs the rats about Willy and that Willy says that there's no such thing as the "elixir of knowledge". The rats convince Cipur further that Willy is just trying to trick him (Cipur) (though we know that Willy really isn't trying to trick Cipur at all) and persuade him (Cipur) to start drinking from the "elixir of knowledge", which, in reality, is indeed liquor. Sure enough, Cipur, and Willy, who's been watching and eavesdropping on Cipur and the rats at this point here, realizes that the "elixir of knowledge" is fake and that liquor makes you feel bad.

In the original version, Cipur and the rats are willfully drinking alcohol without any satire on Vili's (Willy's) part, thus making Cipur's reasons for being upset with Vili (Willy) in the original a mystery.

Now supposedly, there's a cut scene, which we never see in any version, with Cipur meeting the rats before he is upset with Willy. It's just a theory so I don't really know for sure, but if there is, then why was it cut out? Probably because they didn't want a giveaway.

Anyways, moving right along, Willy offers to help Cipur back to the nest, but Cipur refuses Willy's assistance, since he's (Cipur's) still upset at him (Willy) for leaving. (Talk about ungrateful!) Unfortunately, Cipur gets stuck on the front of a car and Willy has to fly him to safety. Willy flies Cipur back to the nest, but he (Cipur) still doesn't want to see him (Willy). (Still ungrateful!) Willy flies out and sees Amy, who informs Willy that Red thinks that he (Willy) caused Blacky to attack them (the sparrows). Willy points out that it was the mouse's fault, and soon he and Amy take shelter from the storm. (Interestingly, the wind in the original Hungarian cut sounds similar to that of the twister in "The Wizard of Oz"!) Willy and Amy seek shelter in a nearby nest where they settle in for the night. (They might as well get comfortable, if you know what I mean...)

The next morning, Willy worries that Red might be waiting, so he flies over to the tree, only to find the other sparrows pi$$ed at him for presumably getting them in trouble and keeping Red, who is dripping wet, waiting. As Red is about to deliver Willy's punishment, Willy truthfully protests that it wasn't his fault that Blacky attacked them and that it was the mouse's fault. Willy and Red get into a physical spat which ends with Willy punching Red aside. Sissy and Sparina both notice this and start to get back on track with Willy.

Okay, disregard my last theory about Vili's (Willy's) fight with Spagyi and Csures (Red and TJ) being cut from the beginning of the film. I guess they were trying to save Willy's fight with Red for toward the end of the film. (On a side note, the music that plays during the fight between the two sparrows here in the original version is kick@$$!)

The sparrows, except for Red, want to make Willy their new leader, but Willy says he can't stay very long. The sparrows protest, until Red decides to make Willy their new leader because Willy is different from the rest of them. In other words, Willy is smarter. Red coaxes Willy into helping them ridding the barn from Blacky. So they cook up a plan. Sparina, on the other hand, wants to change Willy back, but Willy chooses to help his sparrow friends first. Willy and his friends fly back to the barn with Sparina and Sissy following behind below. Sparina and Sissy decide to take a taxi, since Sparina is tired of walking.

Upon arriving back at the barn, Willy and his friends discuss their plan and proceed to carry it out. Red and TJ trap the mouse while Willy and the others tie Blacky up in a cloth.





Meanwhile, Sparina runs into a porter and asks if she can borrow his broom. At first, he refuses, as he's got work to do, but then agrees to lend her the broom after she pays him.

Okay, remember my theory at the beginning about the part with Vili (Willy) getting turned into an alligator/crocodile getting cut out? Well, I think the time has come here to explain my theory. For those of you watching the original cut, you'll probably know by now that after Verbena (Sparina) claims the broom, she starts flying on it like a witch. Now why was that taken out? Well, I guess FFFF was being pretty sensitive about the extensive use of "witchcraft". Same may apply to Vili (Willy) being turned into an alligator/crocodile.

(Yeah, I put the word "witchcraft" in quotes for the sake of those who don't really think of it as witchcraft.)

Oh, and you may notice in the original that Verbena (Sparina) uses her magic mist to open the gate. That part is absent in the FFFF cut, but we still see the gate open when it changes from the sparrows celebrating to Sparina talking with the porter, so it's quite safe to assume that Sparina used her magic mist there, too.

Anyways, Sissy arrives at the barn and frees Blacky, thus allowing him to attack the sparrows once more. The sparrows try to escape, but Blacky blocks the exit. Willy convinces his friends to work together so they can try to defeat Blacky. Unfortunately, Blacky overpowers Willy's friends, so now it's to Willy to take care of Blacky. Fortunately, Cipur, who appears to have regained his trust in Willy, comes by in the nick of time to help Willy out. A moment later, Sparina arrives and beats Blacky with the broom, driving him out of the barn.

And, now... well, I think I'll let this dialogue take it from here:

SPARINA: (to Willy) Now, young man, your time is up. I have to change you back to a young boy.
WILLY: Great! Can I ask you a question?
SPARINA: No. To whatever it is you're going to ask, no. This is cutting it too close as it is.
WILLY: Will you change Cipur instead of me? He wants to be human so bad and he deserves it more than anybody.
CIPUR: Willy, thank you, but no.
SPARINA: Well! This is quite interesting! It puts a whole new light to things and you are right. Cipur deserves the honor, but I can't do it, Willy. I only have enough dream mist for one more spray and I was saving it for you.
WILLY: (flying up to a perch) Then I'm not going! I'll stay a sparrow!
SPARINA: Willy, Willy, Willy, come down here right now. Listen to me, you've done very well, eventhough I never had time to explain how you were going to be tested. You've shown love, compassion, and dedication to new friends, but your family loves you and misses you. I have to change you and only you.
CIPUR: I understand perfectly, madame. Just change Willy back into a little boy and leave me as a sparrow. Thanks to Willy, I can read. I'd never be as brave as the young lad anyway.
SPARINA: Perhaps not, but through your example, you've shown Willy how to help others and ultimately to sacrifice everything for a good cause. Willy could only learn to be like you if he had others to look after as much as you have done all your life. He was extremely lucky to have you as a teacher. Maybe there is a solution to this.
WILLY: (flying down) Great! I knew it! (lands on Sparina's finger)
SPARINA: It means a great deal of responsibility on your part, Willy.
(Willy lands on the floor)
SPARINA: You'd have to be persistant and loving, using all the things you've learned about sparrows.
WILLY: I'll do my best.
SPARINA: I believe you will! You've done well, Willy. You've shown wisdom beyond your age and great courage in trying to help the flock get rid of that awful cat. How would you like to be sparrow guardian?
WILLY: Me? The sparrow guardian?
CIPUR: Oh ho, Willy, that's quite an honor!
SPARINA: Yes, it is, Willy. I'm getting old, certainly too old to be chasing cats around with brooms. You could do a better job, and since both of you are small, I might have enough mist if you stand together. So what do you think?
WILLY: Well, maybe. What about Cipur?
SPARINA: If you accept the job of sparrow guardian, my work is done, and that creates room for Cipur in the human world. Any other questions?
WILLY: No, but I'm afraid, what if I'm not good enough?
SPARINA: Courage is knowing you're afraid of something but doing it anyway because it's right. You have made some good friends in the sparrow world and you've certainly proven that you can be a wonderful kind leader. You can do it, Willy! I'll bet Sissy knows you can do it, too!
(Sissy tries to wake up Willy's sparrow friends who had been knocked out by Blacky)
SISSY: (adlibbing) Come on, wake up!...
SPARINA: So let's get on with it. I, Sparina, change you Willy back to a boy, and you, Cipur, to the human man you deserve to be.
(Sparina uses her mist on Willy and Cipur, changing them into human)
SPARINA: And it shall remain thus!

Yep, that pretty much says it all. (And did I mention that Cipur looks good in human form?)





So Willy is now the sparrow guardian and Cipur, escorted by the now retired Sparina, decides to head out into the world to learn everything there is to know about everything. Sissy, who has now had a change of heart, reconciles with Willy and the two head for home, followed by Willy new sparrow friends.

And that's the end of the story. Not much else to point out here, except that the ending credits are different. In the original, the credits are shown against a red screen with some pictures of some of the characters, while in the FFFF version, the credits are shown against a black screen with no pictures of any of the characters. Plus, the song that plays during the end credits in the original is called "Aki tunderekre var", roughly translated as "Waiting for faeries". Oddly enough, as I've managed to discover, its words express how apparently there are no real miracles in the world, our months and years are passing by in grayness, and the best we can do is pretend that our dreams are real. It is replaced in the FFFF version by a reprise of the flying song.

And that about wraps up this in-depth review of "Willy The Sparrow". I hope y'all have gained some knowledge yourself from reading all this. So until we fly on back here again, this is Taylor Kerekes signing out, with a suitable tune! Auf wiedersehen!