The Ugly Duckling and Me! is a 2006 animated comedy drama film directed by Michael Hegner and Karsten Kiilerich. Intended for a family audience, it is a modern adaptation of the 1843 fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen. The Yorkshire Post described it as a "feel-good" film for family audiences. The film follows a rat named Ratso who strives to become a famous showman. His life changes when an egg falls out of its nest, revealing an ugly duckling with bushy grey wings, and he is forced to become a father. It also won an award at the China International Cartoon and Digital Art Festival. The film initially premiered in Denmark on 6 April 2006.
Contents
Plot
Ratso, a success-starved city rat impresario, dreams of becoming a famous showman, despite his terrible shows. His assistant is a worm named Wesley, whom he passes off as the "longest worm in the world" by sticking him through a straw. Ratso plans to drag Wesley, despite his protests, to a “carnival” where his pen-pal cousin Ernie boasts of hosting the most celebrated shows in the animal world. They are chased by rats, Phillis and her two brothers, whom Ratso is on the run from.
After riding on a train, the two tumble into a bird’s nest just as an egg begins to hatch, knocking them out. Wesley ends up trapped inside a tequila bottle, while Ratso lands in a yard full of chickens and ducks, still holding the egg. Accused of theft, Ratso claims it is his, saying his “wife” was a duck from the yard, with a friendly duck named Daphne vouching for him. The egg hatches into a strange-looking bird, assumed to be a duckling, who immediately sees Ratso as his parent. Stuck in the duck yard, Ratso spends months digging a tunnel to escape. He has Ugly perform as a distraction, intending to ditch him and find Wesley, but when the crowd laughs at Ugly’s odd moves, Ratso decides to take him along instead. Meanwhile, when questioned by Philis and her brothers, Wesley reveals where Ratso is heading.
Following a map to Ernie’s carnival, Ratso and Ugly make their way through the woods. After Ratso helps Ugly practice his dance moves, they run into a fox repulsed by Ugly. They rescue a goose named Jessie from the fox and spend the night in an abandoned Volkswagen Beetle. By morning, Ugly has suddenly grown into a teenager. He argues with Ratso, and Jessie joins them, instantly catching Ugly’s eye. Trying to cross a frozen river, Ratso ignores a nearby bridge and is attacked by a pike, prompting Ugly to save him. When the pike sees Ugly, it spits them out safely on the other side.
As they continue, Ugly dances for Jessie, but her unintended laughter makes Ugly push her away. Jessie discovers Ratso’s true motives and makes an unsuccessful attempt to stop him from publicly humiliating Ugly on stage. When they arrive at the carnival—an abandoned amusement park populated by gulls—they are ambushed by Phillis and her brothers, then attacked by a tabby cat, revealed to be Ernie, who’s carrying a living hand puppet named William. Seeing Ratso is now under Ernie's protection, Phillis schemes to draw him out.
Just before the show begins, Ratso starts to have second thoughts, but Ugly decides to go onstage anyway to help Ratso and prove he’s more than just his appearance. The crowd laughs at Ugly, and he believes that Ratso set him up to look foolish for fame. Heartbroken, Ugly returns to Jessie, leaving Ratso behind. Meanwhile, Philis takes over the duck-yard, captures Ugly, and tells Ratso to meet her there. Ratso, Jessie, Ernie, and William arrive to save him, but they all get caught by Philis and her family. While imprisoned, Ugly forgives Ratso, who confesses he’s not actually his father. Still considering him as a father figure, they both share a heartfelt embrace.
The next day, Ratso is brought to Phillis. Fearing for his life, Ugly suddenly transforms into an adult swan, escapes, freeing Phillis’ captives. Phillis admits she’s been pressuring Ratso to marry her because he’s the last single rat in the city. When she learns that Ratso adopted Ugly as his son, she furiously slaps him, leading Ugly to hurl her into the wedding cake. Ratso wakes up in Daphne’s arms just as a flock of swans arrives, inviting Ugly to join their migration. After a heartfelt goodbye, Ugly reluctantly goes with them, having always admired swans. Realising they care more about appearances than love, he goes back to his adopted family. To keep the celebration going, Ratso allows Ugly to propose to Jessie, and the wedding continues.
Voice cast
Morgan C. Jones as Ratso, Frank
Paul Tylak as Wesley
Anna Nugent as Phyllis (credited as Anna Olson)
Gary Hetzler as Stan
Danna Davis as various duck-yard chickens
Barbara Bergin as Esmeralda
Michelle Read as Peep Olga
Hilary Cahill as Daphne
Justin Gregg as Ugly
Kim Larney as baby Ugly
Hillary Kavanagh as Pox
Laurann Rabbitt as Lou
Aoife Murray as Emmy
Liz Lloyd as Fox, Swan #2
Aileen Mythen as Jessie
Drew Lucas as Ernie
Hope Brown as William
Rod Goodall as Preacher
Patrick FitzSymons as Swan #1 (credited as Patrick Fitzsymons)
Max Hafler as Swan #3
TV series
The same year, there was a TV series based on the movie. It takes place during Ratso and baby Ugly's stay in the duckyard.
The TV series' voice cast
Patrick Van Wagenen – Ugly/Lou/Chick Bully #3
Christiana Anbri – Egg
Lloyd Floyd – Ratso
Emma Weaver – Hen
Aileen Mythen – Chick Bully #1
Gracie Sisto – Daphne
Gabriella Malek – Emmy
Becca Lish – Brown Hen #1
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2006. The film was released in Denmark on 6 October 2006, in Germany on 21 December, in France on 14 February 2007, and in Ireland on 6 July 2007.