Here Comes Peter Cottontail 1971

Peter Cottontail is a young, enthusiastic Easter Bunny who resides in April Valley, a lively and colorful place where all Easter rabbits work diligently preparing for the holiday. From making delicious Easter candy, sewing decorative bonnets, to painting and delivering beautifully decorated eggs, Peter dreams of one day becoming the Chief Easter Bunny. His chance comes when Colonel Wellington B. Bunny, the retiring chief, officially designates Peter as his successor, filling him with pride and excitement.

However, lurking in the shadows is January Q. Irontail, a mischievous and cunning rabbit with a grudge. As a child, Irontail suffered an embarrassing incident where a little kid accidentally roller-skated over his tail, leading him to wear a prosthetic iron tail. Filled with resentment, Irontail devises a plan to become the Chief Easter Bunny so he can ruin Easter for children everywhere. He demands that Colonel Bunny hold a contest to see who can deliver the most eggs, according to the rules set by April Valley’s Constitution. Peter eagerly accepts the challenge, eager to prove himself.

On the day of the contest, Peter stays out partying with friends and, although he instructs his rooster to wake him at 5:30 a.m., Irontail intervenes by sneaking into Peter’s house and feeding the rooster magic bubblegum, which seals his beak shut. As a result, Peter oversleeps and misses the official start, while Irontail manages to deliver only one egg. In contrast, Peter delivers none, which ironically secures Irontail the victory and the title of Chief Easter Bunny. With his new power, Irontail passes terrible laws, intending to sabotage Easter altogether—he orders eggs to be painted in dull colors like brown and gray, insists on making chocolate spiders and octopuses instead of bunnies and chicks, and even replaces traditional bonnets with impractical Easter galoshes.

Feeling deeply ashamed of his foolishness and irresponsibility that led to such chaos, Peter leaves April Valley. His journey of redemption begins when he encounters Seymour S. Sassafras, an eccentric inventor and vendor who supplies the vibrant colors used by the valley’s egg painters from his Garden of Surprises. Sassafras introduces Peter to his Yestermorrowbile, a magical time machine operated by a lively French caterpillar named Antoine. Their goal is to go back in time, to Easter, where Peter can deliver his eggs, participate in the contest properly, and ultimately defeat Irontail.

Unfortunately, Irontail finds out about Peter’s plan and maliciously sends his spider accomplice to sabotage the time machine, preventing them from returning to Easter itself. Instead, Peter and Antoine are pushed into alternate holidays like 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Despite their efforts to deliver eggs during these celebrations—painting them patriotic colors for Independence Day, gifting eggs to Madame Esmeralda, a friendly witch, on Halloween, and sharing heartfelt Valentine eggs—they continually face setbacks, mainly due to Irontail’s sneaky interference.

On Halloween, Peter manages to exchange eggs with Madame Esmeralda, but Irontail’s bat, Montresor, steals them. Later, Peter and Antoine try to return to Christmas Eve, where Peter, dressed as Santa Claus, attempts to distribute eggs in deserted streets. He encounters Bonnie, a forlorn Easter bonnet who left April Valley long ago because nobody appreciated her. Moved by her story, Peter offers her his Christmas eggs in exchange for her company—only for Irontail to grab them again. During a chase, Irontail and Montresor crash into Santa’s sleigh, leading Santa himself to return the eggs just before they are left behind.

After missing New Year’s Day, Peter and Bonnie land on Valentine’s Day, where he shares a Valentine egg with Donna. However, Irontail once again intervenes, casting a spell that turns the eggs green, both inside and out. Undeterred, they then arrive at St. Patrick’s Day, where Peter finally succeeds in giving away his eggs successfully, learning the importance of responsibility and honesty along the way.

Through perseverance and a newfound sense of honesty, Peter finally wins the contest and is crowned the Chief Easter Bunny. The story concludes with Antoine returning as a cheerful butterfly, Peter leading a joyful parade in April Valley, and Irontail working as the valley’s janitor, his schemes thwarted. The film emphasizes themes of redemption, responsibility, and the true spirit of Easter, with Peter transforming from a carefree dreamer into a dependable and noble leader of Easter celebrations.

“Every Easter is a new beginning,” Peter realizes, understanding that true happiness comes from honesty and effort—not just winning a competition.