Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

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

Director:

Robert Stevenson

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 WWII in England, Charlie, Carrie, and Paul Rawlins are sent to live with Eglantine Price, 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 traveling spell" on it, and only Paul can activate it. Their first journey is to a street in London where they meet Emelius Browne, 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 | spell | magic | apprentice | witch | 

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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

Details

Official Sites:

official site

Country:

USA UK

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)

Gross USA:

$18,530,000

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

While Julie Andrews initially turned down the role of Miss Price, she eventually reconsidered, believing she owed her film career to the Disney studio and wanted to work there again. However, when she told the studio she changed her mind, Angela Lansbury had already accepted the part, having signed her contract for the role on Halloween of 1969.

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Goofs

When one of the Nazi Germany soldiers addressing Eglantine, he calls her "Fräulein, German for "Miss", in the Closing Captions for the English Language film, the word is misspelled as "Fraulein". "Fraulein" is not a legitimate word in German. The proper word has a Umlaut above the "a".

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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

The opening credits are based on the Bayeux Tapestry, a full account of the 1066 Norman conquest of Britain.

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Connections

Edited into Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1987)

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Soundtracks

A Step in the Right Direction
(uncredited)
Performed by Angela Lansbury
Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
(cut from film following USA limited premier release)

User Reviews

One of the few films so good...

This is one of the few films where I consider the film rendition to be an improvement on the original book. The story is clear, accessible, amusing and interesting and the musical numbers are without a doubt exceptional. I adored the cyclical rendition of 'The old home guard' and the charming 'Portobello Road', a great combination of early animation + real actors techniques which, though dated do not detract from the charm of the piece. The background of the Second World War worked well and was not omitted as the film got under way, which so often happens in 'evacuee' stories.

An often far too underrated film, it produces no end to enjoyment for people of all ages. The performances from the actors are exceptionally well done and the entire text is neatly tied together and well designed. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face!