Babes in Toyland (1961)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Jack Donohue

Writers:

Lowell S. Hawley (writer)
Ward Kimball (writer)

Release Date:

14 December 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Musical | Fantasy

Tagline:

The happiest, most delightful musical comedy of your lifetime!

Plot:

Tom the Piper's Son is about to marry Mary Quite Contrary. On the eve of their wedding, evil miser Barnaby...

Plot Keywords:

Toy Soldier | Sword Fight | Remake | Shrinking | Lifting Person In Air

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ray Bolger	...	Barnaby
Tommy Sands	...	Tom Piper
Annette Funicello	...	Mary Contrary
Ed Wynn	...	Toymaker
Tommy Kirk	...	Grumio
Kevin Corcoran	...	Boy Blue
Henry Calvin	...	Gonzorgo
Gene Sheldon	...	Roderigo
Mary McCarty	...	Mother Goose
Ann Jillian	...	Bo Peep
Brian Corcoran	...	Willie Winkie
Marilee Arnold	...	Twin
Melanie Arnold	...	Twin
Jerry Glenn	...	Simple Simon
John Perri	...	Jack-be-Nimble

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Unrated

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Many of the sets from this movie--including Mary's garden and fountain, the shoe house, the pumpkin house and the trees from the forest--were on display at Disneyland in Anaheim from November of 1961 through 1962 as a walk-through attraction.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sylvester: Hello, everybody. My name is Sylvester, Sylvester J. Goose. My friends call me Syl, or sometimes silly.
[chuckles]
Sylvester: At this time, it is with unmitigated pleasure...
Mother Goose: [behind curtain] Sylvester, talk faster.
Sylvester: "Talk faster"? You're lucky to find a goose who can talk at all! As I was saying, it is my pleasure to present your hostess for this occasion, weighing one hundred and eighty nine pounds...
Mother Goose: Sylvester!
Sylvester: Hmph! I present the one and only Mother Goose.
[Mother Goose enters]
Mother Goose: Thank you, Sylvester.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Disneyland: Back Stage Party (#8.12)" (1961)

Soundtrack:

Just A Toy

A good effort and great special effects and music

This is a film that cries out to be seen on the big screen. As a child, I saw this in the theater, and the color just dripped off the screen. With the magnificent soundtrack and wonderful special effects, it was a special event. However, on the small screen it does lose something of its effect, but it's still a good movie. The scene where TomTom has been shrunk, and takes his revenge on Barnaby by losing the wooden soldiers on him still gives me goosebumps.

Probably better for younger children, I still wouldn't miss this film.