Babes in Toyland (1934)

Ollie Dee and Stanley Dum try to borrow money from their employer, the toymaker, to pay off the mortgage on Mother Peep's shoe and keep it and Little Bo Peep from the clutches of the evil ... See full summary »

Directors:

Gus Meins, Charley Rogers

Writers:

Frank Butler (screen play), Nick Grinde (screen play),

Stars:

Virginia Karns, Charlotte Henry, Stan Laurel

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Virginia Karns	...	Mother Goose
Charlotte Henry	...	Bo-Peep
Felix Knight	...	Tom-Tom
Florence Roberts	...	Widow Peep
Henry Brandon	...	Barnaby (as Henry Kleinbach)
Stan Laurel	...	Stannie Dum
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollie Dee

Storyline

Ollie Dee and Stanley Dum try to borrow money from their employer, the toymaker, to pay off the mortgage on Mother Peep's shoe and keep it and Little Bo Peep from the clutches of the evil Barnaby. When that fails, they trick Barnaby into marrying Stanley Dum instead of Bo Peep. Enraged, Barnaby unleashes the bogeymen from their caverns to destroy Toyland.

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Plot Keywords:

mortgage | lifting someone into the air | shot in the butt | eviction | veil | 

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Taglines:

1 and 1/2 hours of laughter!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

March of the Wooden Soldiers

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min 73 min (re-release)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During one of the Three Little Pig segments , an instrumental version of "Who's Afraid of The Big Bad Wolf?" is heard on the soundtrack.

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Goofs

As the wooden soldiers approach the Boogey men, Barnaby is holding Bo Peep in his arms, but when they fire the cannon shot that knocks him down, she is gone.

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Quotes

Ollie Dee: Why should you worry? You and he are just like THAT.
Stannie Dum: But that was before we were married.

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Crazy Credits

The titles appear on a child's toy building block that falls into position onscreen.

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Connections

Referenced in Jolly Roger: Massacre at Cutter's Cove (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf"
(1933) (uncredited)
Music by Frank Churchill
Played by the orchestra over Three Little Pigs scenes

User Reviews

March to the Beat ****

Fabulous rendition of the Victor Herbert operetta.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are endearing as the two workers in the toy factory who need to help out their landlady-the old lady who lives in the shoe.

Not only can't they borrow money to help her with the mortgage, they soon find themselves out of work for making the wrong size soldier. What a blessing that will be by film's end.

Silas Barnaby, played with great contempt, by Harry Kleinbach,who in real life was a refugee from Nazi Germany, owns the mortgage. He will tear it up if he can marry the old woman's daughter, a sweet Charlotte Henry. Leave it to Laurel and Hardy to dress up the former as a bride to fool the old skinflint.

Bitter, Barnaby plots to destroy Henry (Bo Peep's) lover, Felix Knight. He plants damaging evidence proving that Knight had killed those poor 3 little pigs. Knight is condemned to Devil's Island. When Laurel and Hardy discover that Barnaby has made this mischief, all hell breaks loose. Seems as though Barnaby is really the head of the Bogey Men, a scary animal-like men hiding out on the island. To gain further revenge, Barnaby brings them out to destroy all of Toyland only to see those overly tall soldiers exact revenge.

A wonderful film for children and adults as well. The singing by Charlotte Henry and Felix Knight is wonderful. The jokes by Laurel and Hardy are as corny but delightful as ever. Great family fare.