Happy Anniversary, Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Bedknobs and Broomsticks turns 50 years old this year. Next to Mary Poppins, this has to be the most memorable movie of my childhood. I think that is why I am such a big fan of the Disney product. The memories I have are so vivid. I remember my mother taking me to see this movie. It was playing with another feature called The 12 Chairs. I remember she brought popcorn and a candy bar in her purse. She was so scared we would be caught and kicked out. I was about 11 years old at the time. I still remember what the theater looked like and where it is. This is why we do Disney.
Ahhh, but I digress…..
Did you know that witches saved England from the Germans in WWII? Yep, well, that is what they claimed. The Germans were bombing England incessantly. Once the city started burning, the missions switched to night missions because it was harder to see the Luftwaffe coming, and with the city burning out of control, they were easily spotted. A coven of witches decided to gather and it is reported they danced all night. A week later, the raids began to subside. Of course, the witches took credit for the change, even though an English strategist started huge fires in the country to mislead the Luftwaffe. At least, that is what was reported in the Newspaper…
This newspaper story inspired Mary Norton to pen The Magic Bedknob, which was later adapted by Bill Walsh. This feature combines animation with live action, featured music from the Sherman Brothers and starred Disney Legends Angela Landsbury and David Tomlinson. David Tomlinson loved working on Disney projects. He was quoted in saying “Where else can you perform with levitated nannies, driverless Volkswagons and airborne beds”. Teamed with Angela Lansbury, they sing and guide the children through stories and imagination. All components of the magic spell only Disney could cast.
The three children (Ian Weighhill 14, Roy Smart 7, and Cindy O’Callaghan 13) were cast out of a 1000 who tried. The story goes that the children are being sent to the country because London was a bombing target. This was a common practice during WWII. In fact, it happened to Angela Landsbury! David Tomlinson became an Air Force Pilot and flight trainer for WWII, returning to acting when the war ended.
The story revolves around enchanting a Bedknob of an old country bed to travel magically. Eglantine Price (Angela Landbury) learns of an Isle of Naboombu which has the Star of Astaroth. The star contains the incantation needed to defend England from invasion.
The trip to the Isle of Naboombu via the brass bed landed the travelers in a lagoon where they enter a ballroom to the dulcimer tones of the Briny Boys. The music for this sequence was difficult to compose because it was being choreographed to animated and live dancers. The sequence of live dancing was difficult because the dancers were underwater and needed to appear to be buoyant.
There is also a futball match where Dr Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson) referee’s and gets animanhandled by the animated animals. Many people mistake King Leonidis with Prince John from Robin Hood because they are both lions with crowns. But make no mistake, Price John could never negotiate the pitch and score goals like King Leonidis!
I can still hear Angela singing “Substitutiary Locomotion” as I type this out. This is the spell missing from Eglantine’s school of Witchcraft. It is the spell that animates an army of armor to combat the Germans when they make landfall at the beach where Eglantine lives. The armor used in this sequence was also used in El Cid and Camelot.
This movie is a must see, a classic and well worth the time to sit with your family, and make a few memories. Currently available on Disney+.
Now if you will excuse me….. Dee Treuna Mekoides Trecorum Satis……… Or was it Dee Treguna Meloides Decorum Satis… Now where is that STAR?!?!?!
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GrimGrinningGhosts
I just so happened to purchase this dvd about a month or two ago. We finally watched it last week. I remembered it from my childhood, but watching it again was like seeing it for the first time. My husband had never seen it. The funny thing is we had been watching this WWII movie collection he received for christmas. And most were WWII romantic story lines. We decided to take a WWII movie break, and watched Bednobs and Broomsticks, not realizing (or remembering) it, too, was a WWII movie.
and a bit of romance to boot! Or to broom! 
I cannot believe it is the 50th anniversary!
I’ll tell you why else…I turned 50 last week too.
Strange-
MinnieC10
One of my all time favorites!!
jman410_89
Nice article!
chrisdams
I love this movie!