A Wish for Wings That Work

Name: A Wish for Wings That Work
Released: 1991
Duration: 25 min

30/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 30 ↓

Not BBFC rated25 min · TV special
Family · Animation

A half-hour cartoon about a penguin who wants to fly, and mostly about the ducks, the pig and the therapy…

Plan this film night ↓Can the kids watch? ↓

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Explore this film 3 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

A different kind of Christmas.

Five ingredients make the Festive Factor.
Open an ingredient to find out more.

Christmas in the storyChristmas is the deadline.15/30

What we ask: Take Christmas out. Does the plot survive? Worth up to 30 of the 100 points.

A world dressed for ChristmasVisibly Christmas for the final act.5/20

What we ask: How much of the running time is visibly Christmas? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

The little seasonal details1 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.2/15

What we ask: How many kinds of Christmas icon turn up on screen: trees, lights, snow, carols and the rest? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

A Christmas heartHow far the ending rests on goodwill, family and belief: incidentally.5/20

What we ask: Does the ending depend on what Christmas means: goodwill, family, redemption, belief? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

A returning traditionNiche at Christmas (under 25,000).3/15

What we ask: Is it actually watched at Christmas in the UK? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

55/100

Cosiness Rating Rating

Mostly warm in tone. Moderate threat. A content ending.

How we score →

What do these scores mean?

Festive Factor measures how Christmassy a film is. Five ingredients add up to 100: story (30), setting (20), seasonal details (15), emotional heart (20) and returning tradition (15).

Cosiness is a separate score for warmth of tone, sense of safety, visual comfort, a reassuring ending and how easily you can settle into it.

How the Festive Factor works →

The story

About A Wish for Wings That Work

Opus, a penguin who cannot fly, writes to Santa asking for wings that work. The other animals tell him it is hopeless, a trio of ducks mock him, and a support group for flightless birds is no great help. Then on Christmas Eve Santa falls from the sky and lands somewhere nobody can find him. Opus, the one bird at home in the water, is the only one who can pull him out of trouble. A half-hour animated special adapted by Berkeley Breathed from his own picture book.

The CineClaus verdict

A half-hour cartoon about a penguin who wants to fly, and mostly about the ducks, the pig and the therapy group that tell him he can't. Christmas arrives late, when Santa drops out of the sky and the penguin turns out to be the one bird who can help.

It is odd, episodic and gently melancholy, closer to a newspaper strip than a festive special. The ending is kind rather than triumphant. Worth a look if you grew up on the strip, less so if you want tinsel.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

Not BBFC rated

Our take: fine for most children, though a dream about a plane crash and Santa falling from the sky may worry the very young, and the ducks are unkind.

Content advice & accessibility

Not BBFC rated: The BBFC has no classification for this film, so it has no UK certificate. Our age guidance above is editorial, not an official rating.