What is Who Framed Roger Rabbit about?
Quick answer
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 comedy mystery film directed by Robert Zemeckis that blends live action with animated cartoon characters. Set in 1947 Hollywood, it follows detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) as he helps cartoon star Roger Rabbit clear his name after being framed for murder.
Key facts
- Released
- 1988
- Director
- Robert Zemeckis
- Producers
- Touchstone Pictures (Disney) and Amblin Entertainment (Steven Spielberg)
- Based on
- Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (1981), a novel by Gary K. Wolf
The plot (no big spoilers)
In this version of Los Angeles, cartoon characters called “Toons” are real and live in a district called Toontown. Down-on-his-luck private eye Eddie Valiant, who hates Toons since one killed his brother, is hired to investigate Roger’s glamorous wife, Jessica Rabbit. When a businessman is murdered, Roger becomes the main suspect, and Eddie reluctantly helps him while facing the sinister Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd).
The cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Bob Hoskins | Eddie Valiant |
| Christopher Lloyd | Judge Doom |
| Joanna Cassidy | Dolores |
| Charles Fleischer | Voice of Roger Rabbit |
| Kathleen Turner | Speaking voice of Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) |
Why it’s famous
- Groundbreaking animation: Animators led by Richard Williams hand-drew characters over live film, matching light, shadows and movement.
- A rare crossover: For the first time, Disney and Warner Bros. characters appeared on screen together, including Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny sharing a scene, and Donald Duck and Daffy Duck playing a piano duel.
- Awards: It won three Academy Awards, for film editing, visual effects and sound effects editing, plus a Special Achievement Award for Williams’ animation direction.
- It was one of the biggest box-office hits of 1988.
For another classic film character people still quote, see the Joker’s “Why so serious?”. Or explore Doctor Who, another long-running mix of fantasy and mystery.
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