A Close Shave

Lore & Background

In the film, Wallace and his dog Gromit operate a window cleaning service. Wallace falls for Wendolene Ramsbottom, owner of a local wool shop, who is an unwitting accomplice in a sheep rustling operation run by her malevolent dog, Preston. One rustled sheep follows Wallace and Gromit home; Wallace names him Shaun and cleans him using his Knit-o-Matic machine. Preston steals the blueprints, frames Gromit for the rustling, and Gromit is arrested. Wallace frees Gromit with the help of the sheep, and they chase Preston to a dog food factory, where Preston is defeated, Gromit is exonerated, and Preston is revealed to be a real dog, not a robot.

Reader's Guide

A Close Shave is significant as the third Wallace & Gromit film, continuing the series' tradition of stop-motion animation and comedic storytelling. It received critical acclaim, holding a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews. Critics such as Roger Ebert and Stephen Holden praised its charm and inventiveness. The film's introduction of Shaun the Sheep led to a spin-off television series that premiered in 2007, expanding the franchise's reach. The production involved simplifying the script to keep the film to 30 minutes, and director Nick Park modeled Wendolene's mannerisms after actress Anne Reid without having met her until after completion. The film's legacy includes its Academy Award win and its influence on subsequent Aardman projects.

Did You Know?

• A spin-off television series based on the character Shaun, Shaun the Sheep, premiered in 2007.
• Director Nick Park had not met actress Anne Reid until after completing the film and was astonished at how similar her mannerisms were to how he modeled the Wendolene figure.