Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City was the second of six special produced tv movies. It came out a year after the original during 1981.
This special was written by Romeo Muller, produced by Muller and Buzz Potamkin, and directed by Hal Silvermint.
During this special's events, Strawberry Shortcake is invited to a baking contest, but her journey gets ruined and she wonders if she'll succeed when the Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak lays down a set of traps to ensure his own victory. However, Strawberry meets some new friends who help her.
Strawberry Shortcake In Big Apple City - 1981
Summary[]
Strawberry Shortcake goes on a trip to Big Apple City to take part in a baking contest. But her journey may be in jeopardy when the Peculiar Purple Pieman -her only competition- tries to keep her away. With the help of her new friends will Strawberry be able to make it to the contest in time and beat the Pieman?
Plot[]
As Mr. Sun welcomes the viewers to another wonderful day, Strawberry is revealed to have been awake -bright and early like usual- and has been putting up new wallpaper when a loud whistle causes her to fall off of her ladder. At the door, Escargot hands her a special letter; only to explain that it's six weeks late because he couldn't get there any faster. As it turns out, Strawberry has been selected for the upcoming baking contest being held in Big Apple City. The prize is a gazebo, something she is sure that she and her berry friends will enjoy playing with- but unfortunately the contest is taking place today and she won't be able to make it in time. Custard joins her at the door with a suitcase, much to her surprise.
Mr. Sun takes a moment to bring up that Strawberry is one of two contestants; the other being the Purple Pieman. At this moment, the Purple Pieman is shown to have dropped his own invitation and is hurriedly rushing to Big Apple City.
Before heading out, Strawberry goes over a checklist to make sure she's done all of her chores, including washing her face, cleaning up, booking plane reservations, locking her door, and a handful of other things. As she takes off, her friends follow to wish her luck as she boards her plane: a large butterfly. Strawberry is saddened as she waves goodbye, but before they can leave the Purple Pieman startles them with a giant net, keeping them in place. Strawberry is disappointed in him, saying that she thought he reformed, but he claims he wouldn't allow that before making his exit, using a metal teapot for transportation.
Worriedly, the butterfly assures Strawberry that he is very strong though, and if he continues to think happy thoughts then he can become even stronger. With more positive thought, he allows them to break out of the net and they follow after the Purple Pieman.
Things worsen when, upon arrival, Strawberry learns that her reservations weren't kept. She tries to explain to the man at the front desk that she made them, but he claims they don't have it. She asks where she could possibly sleep while there, but he points out that they won't have any room for at least a week, causing the distressed berry girl to leave in tears. The man then pulls off his disguise to reveal he is none other than the Peculiar Purple Pieman.
Strawberry continues to cry until she comes across Sentimental Park and gets distracted by the many, pretty flowers. She soon hears someone who requests that she moves, because she got in the way of their painting, and curiously, Strawberry finds a girl behind the canvas. She introduces herself as Orange Blossom and moves aside when Strawberry asks if she is an artist, only to remark that the painting doesn't match the scenery at all. Orange Blossom explains that this is only a part of her process though; she forgot her paint last week and couldn't paint the sea shore, so she kept that in her memory and is working on that. Next week when she goes to the mountains she will be painting the flowers.
Strawberry takes a liking to the quirky Orange Blossom and they begin to bond, becoming fast friends. (At this time, the song Let's be Friends plays.) Strawberry acts super giggly around Orange, acting like a school girl with a crush. Orange brings Strawberry to a nearby pond and bring up that she lives at Spinach Village, along with a lot of other artists. She offers Strawberry a place to stay while here and she accepts, but she isn't used to the berry busy city and struggles to keep up until coming to a light that refuses to change. As it turns out, the Purple Pieman reveals that he sabotaged the cities traffic lights, because he will do whatever he can to make sure Strawberry leaves.
Suddenly, the girls are surprised when a Mexican mole appears from underground and asks to know of his location. After filling him in, he isn't sure what to do now because this was not where he was going. Orange Blossom gets an idea and explains what is going on with Strawberry, and together the trio dig through his tunnels, making them large enough for travel to Spinach Village.
Frustrated, the Purple Pieman grabs a bunch of balloons from a nearby person and uses them for a quick exit and to give himself time to think up a brand new plan.
Upon arrival, Orange Blossom shows Strawberry and the mole around the village, bringing them to the first home that belongs to Lemon Meringue. However, she ignores them in order to finish primping for her plans. As she continues to knock on the door, Orange explains that Lemon is a model, and once Lemon gets an opinion -from herself no less- she finally answers. She offers a picture to Strawberry under the assumption that she is a fan, and brings up how she's given them to her mother, brother, and aunt Edna.
Seeing that Lemon isn't the best of help, Orange Blossom quickly leads Strawberry to the next resident: T.N. Honey, a girl who comes from London England and is a scientist. She then moves on to Apricot, a younger child who only knows a few words -only big ones- but is very smart. Before they go, she also meets Apricot's pet bunny.
Strawberry expresses a desire that all of her new friends could join them for the bake off, and to her delight it turns out that they have all decided to come. With that, Orange Blossom calls for Horseradish (as a peppy song plays and they sing along during the trip) and they quickly arrive to meet Mr. Coco Nutwork, a one man filming crew. Coco does everything on his own: he handles signals and cards, he narrates his programs, and he even turns on equipment.
With the program beginning, he introduces himself and how he will be the judge of the competition today, and he goes on to excite the audience before warning the contestants to check their ovens before they begin, to make sure they're working. Strawberry is shocked to find her oven entirely covered in ice and Coco Nutwork overlooks it, determining that a scientist would be beneficial to help them. The Purple Pieman seriously doubts they know any though, only for T.N. Honey to volunteer and look at it. But by the time T.N. Honey finishes fixing it, the Purple Pieman has already gotten most of his cookies made and in the pan. As Strawberry prepares to start, she finds that someone has tampered with her ingredients and the Pieman proceeds to mock her over it: instead of milk she's been given chalk, instead of butter she got axle-grease, and in place of flour is plaster. Lastly, she also got bubblegum instead of strawberries.
As she worries over how to fix this, her brand new friends rush to the nearby supermarket to get the right items. As soon as they return she gets to work, despite knowing she's far behind. The Purple Pieman sees this as a problem and he hypnotizes Coco Nutwork in order to make him hate her dessert.
When Strawberry finishes her shortcake, Coco Nutwork refuses to even try the cake and automatically claims the Pieman is the winner. He runs off stage and returns -now dressed up as a woman- to present the prize.
While Strawberry is depressed over her loss and aware of him cheating, she tells her friends that it doesn't matter. But Lemon argues that Coco didn't even try the Pieman's cookies, and he realizes she has a point and takes a bite of one; only to recoil in disgust and quickly accepts Strawberry's shortcake when she offers it to him. He enjoys it enough to reconsider and announces that she is the winner, causing everyone to cheer. He goes on to offer Strawberry her own television show, and while she is quite delighted, she refuses because she wants to return home. She is surprised when her new friends decide they want to join her in Strawberryland, and she sees that Coco Nutwork is disappointed that he can't join them too. She explains that he works here though, giving him the idea to pass the job to someone else. He hands it over to the Peculiar Purple Pieman, who didn't want it at all, and they quickly return to Strawberryland.
Cast[]
- Russi Taylor as Strawberry Shortcake
- Joan Gerber as Blueberry Muffin, Apple Dumplin', Apricot
- Julie McWhirter as T. N. Honey, Huckleberry Pie
- Bob Holt as Coco Nutwork, Escargot
- Diane McCannon as Orange Blossom
- Robert Ridgely as The Peculiar Purple Pieman
- Romeo Muller as Mr. Sun
Uncredited Voices:
- Raspberry Tart
- Plum Puddin'
- Lemon Meringue
- Tamale
- Horseradish
- Flitter-Bit
Songs[]
- Let's be Friends (When Strawberry Shortcake and Orange Blossom meet)
- The Purple Pieman's Theme (At certain points when the Peculiar Purple Pieman makes his presence known. No lyrics. Remixed as part of Going To The Bake-off! near the middle.)
- Going To The Bake-off!
Quotes[]
- Coco Nutwork: Call a doctor! Call an ambulance! Call the marines!
- Tomale: Call a mole!
---
- Mr. Sun: It's that misanthropic fathead with the skinny physique.
----
- Strawberry: Are you an artist?
- Orange: Uh huh.
- Strawberry: Are you famous?
- Orange: My name's Orange Blossom. Ever heard of me?
- Strawberry: Nope.
- Orange: Hmm... Then I'm not famous!
----
Trivia[]
- Big Apple City is based off of New York, while Times Pear is based off of Times Square, and Spinach Village is based off of Greenwich Village.
- Kolhrabi is a word for German turnip, meaning the Peculiar Purple Pieman made German Turnip Cookies.
- This was Plum Puddin's last appearance as a male, two specials from now, he returned as a female due to his lack of popularity as a boy character.
- Starting with this special, the Peculiar Purple Pieman would remain the series antagonist.
Goofs[]
- At various points in the movie, Apricot's hair is discolored.
- The same also applies to the fabric beneath Lemon's collar.
- As Strawberry cries leaving the hotel, the back of her skirt changes color.
