Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
“I like you better as a rabbit Charlie. ”

1971 G / Animated Musical Directed by: Robert Stevenson Starring: Angela Lansbury, Roddy McDowall

Tagline

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

Summary Capsule

Apprentice witch, three kids and conman cast spells, fly around on a bed and stop a Nazi invasion all in one day.

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Andie's Rating: I wish I could make my bed fly around like that
Andie's Review: Here we go again, another children's movie. I think this world would be a much better place if everyone watched more children's movies and less beat-em-up-blow-it-up crapola. But maybe that's just me.

"I think this world would be a much better place if everyone watched more children's movies and less beat-em-up-blow-it-up crapola."

Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a fanciful Disney movie that came out in 1971. A lot of people compared it to Mary Poppins because it involves children and their fun, kooky guardian who meet up with a fun guy and have crazy adventures. However, in my opinion Bedknobs is SO much better than Mary Poppins because I can watch Bedknobs without fear of contracting diabetes from the saccarine sweetness.

The movie is set in 1940, right at the height of WWII. Three children, Charlie, Carrie and Paul, are sent to live in the English countryside with Eglantine Price (played wonderfully by a young Angela Lansbury) because their parents have been killed in the war. They discover that she has been taking a correspondance class on witchcraft and can cast spells and such. But a letter arrives informing Miss Price that the final spell in the course won't be sent because the school is shutting down. So Miss Price and the children hop on the magic flying bed and take off to London to find out what happened to the class. They meet up with Professor Emelius Browne, who has been teaching this course, and try to find the ancient book that contains the last spell. Miss Price wants the last spell because it involves substitutiary locomotion, which she wants to use to help end the war. They all take off together to the Island of Naboombu to track down the Star of Asteroth, which contains the words of the spell. They eventually get the spell, just in time to head off a Nazi invasion of England by using inanimate armor and weapons to defeat the invaders.

This movie is so delightful to watch. It has an interesting enough plot to keep people entertained. I mean, who doesn't think witches are cool? I have always thought it would be so neat to have magical powers. And the three children are played marvelously, they're cute without being too sweet and innocent and have just the right amount of cynicism. This movie is also filled with fun musical numbers. My personal favorite is when the five travelers visit Portabello Road in London, which is a real place that street vendors frequent. They meet all sorts of interesting people selling all kinds of things and there are some great dance sequences. There's Scottish Riverdance type stuff, a bunch of Sailors, some Latin salsa dancing. It's so much fun to watch.

To go along with fun music are some pretty cool special effects. When the travelers visit the Island of Naboombu, everything is animated except the five people. They visit an "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance and Prof. Browne referees for an animal soccer game, which is nothing short of hilarious. The other cool effects come at the end when Miss Price makes all the old suits of armor take a stand against the Nazis. They way the Nazis try to shoot and fight the armor and the armor just being empty and basically indestructible is great. It's like something out of Monty Python.

Everything ends happily in true Disney fashion. The Nazis run away, the kids get to stay with Miss Price, and Miss Price and Prof. Browne hook up. It's adorable and done very well. This is one of my favorite children's movies and I recommend it to anybody who enjoys that sort of thing.

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• Professor Browne is played by David Tomlinson, who played the children's father in Mary Poppins

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

We have no idea (but we'll let you know soon!)

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

The ancient armor in the climactic battle with the Nazis utilized authentic items of medieval armor, previously used in Camelot (1967) and El Cid (1961). When any item of armor was to be destroyed, exact fiberglass replicas were used.

In 1996, to commemorate the film's 25th anniversary, a longer cut was produced. It has 24 minutes of extra scenes cut from the film before release. Among these new scenes are two songs: "With a Flair" and "Nobody's Problems for Me", the songs "Eglantine" and "Portobello Road" were restored to their original lengths, and scenes with Roddy McDowall. It was screened by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on September 27, 1996 and will be released on video in March 1997.

Groovy Quotes

Paul: I like you better as a rabbit Charlie.
Charlie: Shut up you.
Paul: Well I never had a rabbit.

Miss Price: That's my nightgown!
Prof Browne: Is it really, my dear?
Miss Price: Yes and I'm not responsible for its behavior.

Mr. Browne: Observe the fundamental weakness of the criminal mind. They will believe in no one nor anything.

Mr. Browne: Women always lose things.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• The Sword in the Stone
• Kiki's Delivery Service
• Mary Poppins