Determined to bring back his beloved son Carlo, Geppetto, a pained father and excellent carpenter, cuts down a tall, solitary pine tree to fashion it into a marionette: the spitting image of his lost boy. And as the compassionate Blue Fairy grants Geppetto his wish, christening the wooden creation Pinocchio, the freshly carved puppet comes to life to heal Geppetto's broken heart. However, with Benito Mussolini having Italy under his thumb, minuscule guardian Sebastian J. Cricket has his work cut out for him, keeping Pinocchio on the straight and narrow. Now, an exciting world of possibilities opens up. Will wide-eyed Pinocchio stay on the right path and become a real Italian boy?—Nick Riganas