Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

An apprentice witch, three kids and a cynical magician conman search for the missing component to a magic spell to be used in the defense of Britain in World War II.

Directors:

Robert Stevenson, Ward Kimball (uncredited)

Writers:

Ralph Wright (animation story), Ted Berman (animation story)

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roddy McDowall

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

During World War II in England, Charlie (Ian Weighill), Carrie (Cindy O'Callaghan), and Paul Rawlins (Roy Snart) are sent to live with Miss Eglantine Price (Dame Angela Lansbury), who, as it turns out, is an apprentice witch. Charlie blackmails Miss Price that if he is to keep her practices a secret, she must give him something, so she takes a bedknob from her late father's bed and places the "famous magic travelling spell" on it, and only Paul can activate it. Their first journey is to a street in London, where they meet Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson), former headmaster of Miss Price's witchcraft training correspondence school. Miss Price tells him of a plan to find the magic words for a spell known as "Substitutiary Locomotion", which brings inanimate objects to life. This spell will be her work for the war effort.

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Plot Keywords:

bedknob | alternate history | good versus evil | reference to henri de toulouse lautrec | lost island | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Terry Jones, James Coburn, Basil Rathbone, James Garner, and Larry Storch were considered for the role of Professor Emelius Browne.

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Goofs

Miss Price reads the instructions for Substitutiary Locomotion, gets as far as "five mystic words. These words are:" turns the page, and discovers that the rest of the book is missing. The end of that sentence should've been printed on the other side of the page she was holding.

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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?

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Crazy Credits

King Leonidas is referred to on-screen by name, by is only credited as "Lion."

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Alternate Versions

In some versions of the film shown on TV in the UK, a scene was cut between the main characters return from the animated island and the first use of the substitutiary locomotion spell, which shows the medallion they stole from the King disappearing, and then them realizing they could still get the complete spell from the young boy's comic book, in which a picture of the medallion is printed. This cut makes it appear as though they still have the medallion, and were able to get the complete spell from it.

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Connections

Referenced in Nostalgia Critic: The Haunted Mansion (2015)

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Soundtracks

The Beautiful Briny
(uncredited)
Performed by David Tomlinson and Angela Lansbury
Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

User Reviews

My Favourite Disney Film

I saw this film many years ago and I thought it was pure magic. It was a lovely film full of escapism which could be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

The performances throughout the film by it's actors and actresses are magnificent. The songs are great and the special effects are lovely for it's time. The story is a beautiful one.

I love films like this and I last watched this film around 1986. As I said earlier, it is pure escapism-one of those beautiful films which whisks you away from real life problems into a lovely fantasy world. It is pure brilliance.

I would recommend this film to anyone but particularly to young children born after it was released-even today in 2002 it can be enjoyed.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

13 December 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bedknobs and Broomsticks: 25th Anniversary Special Edition

Filming Locations:

Dorset, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 139 min (1996) (restored) 99 min (re-release) (1980) 130 min (initial US release) (November 1971)

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1