Babes
in Toyland Still Jolly Good Fun
By
Kristin Battestella
I
kept burying this 1961 Disney holiday musical in my queue in order to time it
for Christmas, and then too many a “very long wait” from Netflix interfered before
Babes in Toyland finally arrived. After so many years of youth and Yule
viewings on a jumpy VHS, each December I always have the urge for this
memorable merry treat.
Disrupting
the bliss of Mother Goose Village, corrupt Mr. Barnaby (Ray Bolger) and his
henchman (Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon) plot to ruin the marriage of Mary
Quite Contrary (Annette Funicello) and Tom Piper (Tommy Sands). Once they
kidnap Tom and steal Mary’s sheep, she is forced to accept Barnaby’s marriage
proposal. When Little Bo Peep (Ann Jillian) and the children in Mary’s care set
out to the Forest
of No Return to find the
lost sheep, Mary must protect them and help save the Toymaker (Ed Wynn) and his
Toyland from the pursuing Barnaby.
Based
upon Victor Herbert’s turn of the century ode, director Jack Donohue (The Lucy Show) adds color and takes some
lyrical liberties for the memorable marches and musical numbers here. Thanks to
tunes both seasonal and classic- such as the titular “Toyland,” “March of the Toys,”
“Slowly He Sank into the Sea,” and “I Can’t Do the Sum” – we still remember all
the words five decades on. Yes, it’s all juvenile and simplistic, but also
quite catchy, inventive, and most importantly, sing a long-able. Appearances by
Mother Goose, Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, and more ensure plenty of 365 days
a year watch-ability for kids even if parents can spot some disjointedness to
start. There isn’t a lot of straight dialogue here, and most of it rhymes. In
fact, there isn’t that much drama, just one musical session after another
advancing the plot with song and dance. Tom and Mary don’t even speak for the first 20
minutes. Thankfully, once the story and peril at hand ramp it up, Babes in Toyland becomes one great
adventure after another, from the lost sheep to the Forest of No Return
and Toyland’s fun and action filled finale. Sure, there isn’t much of a plot if
you think too hard, and the Romani misnomers of the day are also stereotypical,
but I can’t help myself… “Gypsies! We are the gypsies, and we are here today
and gone tomorrow!” All the action happens in an unrealistically fast-paced two
days, but this hour and forty-five minutes is a quick and jovial good time.
Wow,
Annette Funicello (Beach Party) is so
young and pretty in Babes in Toyland!
Mary Mary Quite Contrary wears some lovely dresses, sings up a wealth of
innocent charm, and is quite the Italian fox, if I do say so myself. What’s not
to love? By contrast, Tommy Sands (Ensign
Pulver) was a bit of a flash in the pan, granted. Tom sank, oh yes indeed!
However, his sixties teen dream entrapment is perfect for the toothache sweet
fun here, and Sands’ “Floretta” segment is both totally preposterous and wonderfully
in the moment. Likewise, Ray Bolger (Wizard
of Oz) is a completely delightful ham. Even wise young viewers might never
recognize The Scarecrow thanks to Bolger’s complete mustache twisting and greedy
transformation. Every villainous cliché is tossed into Babes in Toyland, including a nasty forced marriage and a few
implications not unnoticed by adults viewing today. From the slicked and pasted
hair and shiny vampire camp to “Castle in Spain,” Bolger is utterly warped
excellence.
Sing
it with me, “And We Won’t Be Happy till We Geeeeeet It!” Barnaby has some dang
catchy tunes, and likewise Zorro alums
Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon are classic in their cahoots. Kidnapping, theft,
murderous innuendo- it might seem too heavy for a children’s tale except for
the silent slapstick and lovably cruel fun in Babes in Toyland. The watery bedlam is totally on the nose and may
even be downright annoying to some today, and yet every piece of it works. Love
or hate the ham, this tomfoolery is mighty entertaining! Ed Wynn (Mary Poppins) is adorably dimwitted and
charming in his stupidity, and Tommy Kirk (Swiss
Family Robinson) matches perfectly with a nerdy but affable fun. The
children in lesser roles such as Ann Jillian (It’s A Living) and Kevin Corcoran (Old Yeller) are somewhat brief but do some dear singing. Parents
beware, however- the “Forest
of No Return” jingle and
Toyland workshop destruction might be somewhat scary for super young ones.
Since they are 10ish and under it is probably okay to have the boys and girls
sleep together in the same room onscreen. But five of them in one room?! How does Mary not pull that pretty hair
out?
Obviously,
despite its high-end production at the time, Babes in Toyland is dated with silly puppetry, stage-like cardboard
facades for sets, evident matte paintings, and shiny, plastic lawns. It’s all ridiculous really, and yet there is
an interactive musical charm to the design. Though small scale now, the fantasy
costumes, colorful backdrops, and bright kitschy looks so much nicer and more
family friendly compared to the contemporary in your face CGI and modern dark
and dirty fantasy realism. The dance routines are also of the time, but still
well choreographed and impressive fun. Don’t lie! Whatever your age, you know
you’d hang out in Mother
Goose Village
or chillax at Mary’s house like it was a medieval fantasy faire. The animation
accents, color and video effects, miniature filming, and stop motion scenery
create so bad its cool retro Rube Goldbergs- although modern kids might find
the somewhat crappy looking toys lame. Fortunately, those who had such wooden
horses and Lincoln
logs can reminisce or create new family memories with Babes in Toyland.
Though
available on DVD, there aren’t any features or behind the scenes treats, which
is surprising for a Disney release. The picture is also unfortunately not in
widescreen, and Babes in Toyland is
becoming rarer and increasingly edited on television as well. Sure, the whole
thing is really quite silly, and you must turn off your elder brain to
appreciate Babes in Toyland- especially
parents who didn’t grow up watching it but now have the kids hooked. However,
there’s also a smart, self-referential goofy at work, something for all members
of the family to be bemused. They just can’t make films like this today and
have them be so good. Both young boys and girls can delight, too. Adults who
saw Babes in Toyland as kids can
enjoy again and gain with their young ones at Christmas or year round.
2 comments:
I used to watch this movie constantly as a kid. So much so that certain images are ingrained into my head, mostly from from the Ed Wynn toy-making sequence. A few years ago I was waxing nostalgic about it aloud to my dad, and lo and behold, a few days later I found the DVD in my bedroom. Maybe I should pop it in....
Hi Laura! Thanks for stopping by and commenting on our Christmas mayhem!
This one is indeed addictive. I'm glad we brought back some memories for you. Enjoy it!!
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