Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Ralph Wright (animation story) &
Ted Berman (animation story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

You'll beWITCHED! You'll beDAZZLED! You'll be swept into a world of enchantment BEYOND ANYTHING BEFORE!

Plot:

An apprentice witch, 3 kids and a cynical conman search for the missing component to a magic spell useful to the defence of Britain.

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Witch | Apprentice | Bed | Witchcraft

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Miss Price
David Tomlinson	...	Emelius
Roddy McDowall	...	Mr. Jelk
Sam Jaffe	...	Bookman
John Ericson	...	Col. Heller
Bruce Forsyth	...	Swinburne
Cindy O'Callaghan	...	Carrie
Roy Snart	...	Paul
Ian Weighill	...	Charlie
Tessie O'Shea	...	Mrs. Hobday
Arthur Gould-Porter	...	Capt. Greer (as Arthur E. Gould-Porter)
Ben Wrigley	...	Portobello Rd. Workman
Reginald Owen	...	Gen. Teagler
Cyril Delevanti	...	Elderly Farmer
Rick Traeger	...	German Sergeant
Manfred Lating	...	German Sergeant
John Orchard	...	Vendor
Bob Holt	...	Codfish (voice) (as Robert Holt)
Lennie Weinrib	...	Secretary Bird / Lion (voice)
Dal McKennon	...	Bear (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leon Alton	...	Soldier at Portobello Road (uncredited)
Conrad Bachmann	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Eric Brotherson	...	(uncredited)
James Brugman	...	Soldier Playing Tenor Saxophone (uncredited)
Patrick Sullivan Burke	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Patrick Dennis-Leigh	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)
Anthony Eustrel	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Morgan Farley	...	Old Piano Player (uncredited)
Ina Gould	...	Shopkeeper (uncredited)
Delos Jewkes	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)
Sid Kane	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Milt Larsen	...	Spectator at Emelius' Failed Magic Performance (uncredited)
Arthur Malet	...	Mr. Widdenfield - Museum Guard (restored version) (uncredited)
George Mann	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)
Barbara Morrison	...	(uncredited)
Richard Peel	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Jack Raine	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)
Maxine Semon	...	Portobello Dancer (uncredited)
Arthur Space	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)
Hank Worden	...	Old Home Guardsman (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Stevenson

Writing credits
Ralph Wright		(animation story) &
Ted Berman		(animation story)
Bill Walsh		(screenplay) &
Don DaGradi		(screenplay)
Mary Norton		(book)

Produced by
Bill Walsh	....	producer

Original Music by
Irwin Kostal		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Frank V. Phillips		(director of photography) (as Frank Phillips)

Film Editing by
Cotton Warburton

Art Direction by
Peter Ellenshaw
John B. Mansbridge

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman
Emile Kuri

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
La Rue Matheron	....	hair stylist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
Sharleen Rassi	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Hibler	....	assistant director
Arthur J. Vitarelli	....	second unit director
William R. Poole	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Robert Webb	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Jack Colconda	....	prop master (uncredited)
John Emerson	....	assistant set decorator: underwater sequence (uncredited)
Bob McLing	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dave Concors	....	sound mixer: restoration
Robert O. Cook	....	sound supervisor
William Komar	....	adr recordist: restoration (The Bakery ) (as Bill Komar)
Ron Moortgat	....	sound researcher: restoration
Dean Thomas	....	sound mixer
Bud Maffett	....	cableman (uncredited)
Henry Maffett	....	cableman (uncredited)
Frank Regula	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Danny Lee	....	special effects
Eustace Lycett	....	special effects
Alan Maley	....	special effects
Hans Metz	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Luske	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Otto Meyer	....	best boy (uncredited)
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Michael St. Hilaire	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jack Boyd	....	animator
Jack Buckley	....	animator
Al Dempster	....	background
Don Griffith	....	layout
Joe Hale	....	layout
Fred Hellmich	....	animator
Ralph Hulett	....	background
Milt Kahl	....	animator
Dick Kelsey	....	background
Ward Kimball	....	animation director
Hal King	....	animator
Eric Larson	....	animator
Bill Layne	....	background
John Lounsbery	....	animator
Art Stevens	....	animator
McLaren Stewart	....	animation - live action design
Julius Svendsen	....	animator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shelby Anderson	....	assistant to designer
Chuck Keehne	....	costumes
Emily Sundby	....	costumes
John George	....	on-set costumer: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Holly Austin	....	negative cutter: restoration
Romeo Fornoles	....	color timer (restoration)
Tony Malanowski	....	editor: restoration
James W. Swain	....	animation film editor

Music Department
John Armentrout	....	music researcher (restoration)
Andrew Belling	....	music reconstructor: restoration (as Andy Belling)
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor
Irwin Kostal	....	conductor
Irwin Kostal	....	music arranger
Irwin Kostal	....	music supervisor
James MacDonald	....	assistant to conductor
Richard M. Sherman	....	music and lyrics by
Robert B. Sherman	....	music and lyrics by
Irwin Kostal	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edmundo Santos	....	lyrics: Spanish version (uncredited)

Other crew
Bob Baker	....	technical consultant
Carolyn Dyer	....	assistant choreographer
David Jonas	....	title design
Milt Larsen	....	technical consultant
Manfred Lating	....	technical consultant
James McInnes	....	technical consultant
Donald McKayle	....	choreography
Albert Mello	....	dance accompanist
Lois Thurman	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Company (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Suomi-Filmi (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Productions (1981) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Distribution Company (????) (UK) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Mexico) (DVD)
• Gativideo (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Spungbuggy Works  technical consultant
• Pacific Title Digital  digital color sequence: restoration
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  special opticals: restoration
• Buena Vista Imaging  special titles: restoration
• Walt Disney Animation Research Library  original backgrounds courtesy of: restoration (as Walt Disney Feature Animation Research Library)
• Disney Character Voices International  adr casting: restoration (as Disney Character Voices)
• Bakery, The  adr recording: restoration
• Buena Vista Sound  sound services: restoration

Also Known As:

"Bedknobs and Broomsticks: 25th Anniversary Special Edition" - USA (longer version)

Runtime:

117 min | USA:139 min (restored version) (1996) | 99 min (re-release) (1980) | Germany:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (25th anniversary special edition) | Mono (RCA Sound Recording) (original release)

Certification:

Peru:PT | Brazil:Livre | West Germany:o.Al. | Portugal:M/4 | New Zealand:G | Netherlands:AL | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G (certificate 22759) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Dorset, England, UK

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Ron Moody and Peter Ustinov were considered for the role of Mr. Browne before David Tomlinson was cast.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The closing shot of a newspaper article shows the word "rumor", which is spelled "rumour" in England, where the film is set.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Captain Ainsley Greer:You there, which way to Pepperinge Eye?
Elderly Farmer:Couldn't say, sir. It said on the wireless to paint out the sign posts in case the Nazis drop in.
Captain Ainsley Greer:I'm not a Nazi, I'm a British officer!
Elderly Farmer:That's what you'd say if you *was* a Nazi, isn't it sir?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bum Reviews: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (#4.8)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

The Old Home Guard

Simply Magical

Bedknobs and Broomsticks is one of many movies that has always been with me, in my heart and memory from the time that I was old enough to focus my eyes on a television screen. Although it was already an "old" movie by the time I was able to watch it, Bedknobs and Broomsticks completely enchanted me. People here who say that the movie would not hold the attention of a young child are mistaken. I must have watched this movie dozens of times between the ages of 1 and 10 and every time I watched it all the way though, intensely engrossed through every scene. There are a handful of movies that hold very fond places in my childhood memories, this is one of them. It is a wonderful movie, and even now I still find the story charming. Angela Lansbury stars as Miss Price, a widow who is studying witchcraft through a correspondence course during World War II. She grumpily agrees to let three children board at her home in the country to keep them safe from the air raids going on in London. After the three children discover that Miss Price is an apprentice witch, they are swept up into a magical adventure on a traveling bed along with Miss Price and Professor Brown, the headmaster of the College of Witchcraft. The thing I like best about this movie, is that the magic never stops as the children along with the two adults journey to London, the Island of Naboomboo, Naboomboo Lagoon and Portabello Road. The children are treated to a marvelous adventure, flying through the skies on a bed, swimming underwater in a tropical lagoon, watching a football game played by animals and finally helping out in the war when Miss Price enchants a museum full of ancient suits of armor with the magic words, "Traguna, Macoities, Tracorum Satis De." The songs in the movie may be your typical musical-stock, but I challenge anyone to not tap their toes during "Portabello Road", or to not get "Englentine" stuck in their head. They just add another element of fun and enjoyment to an already delightful movie. The movie is well worth watching, and suitable for any child. Even today's children will find delight in the cartoon/human relations and the spectacular ending sequence were empty suits of armor are brought to life to fight for the good guys. I consider this movie a timeless classic that shouldn't be passed up.