Movie Review - Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson
Year: 1971

There is an entire collection of Walt Disney movies that is slowly being forgotten.  The films from the 60s and 70s were pushed to the back burner by the films of the 90s.  Great stories like The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks were replaced by the more exciting and theatrical Aladdin, The Lion King, and Tarzan.  And now that a new wave of Disney pictures are being released, the classic films are becoming more and more obscure.  But we can't count them out, and we can't let them fade away.  They have a story to tell, and hopefully they will continue to be heard.

One of my favorite classic Disney movies is Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  It is the story of Miss Price, an independent British woman living in the countryside during WWII.  With London being bombed and refugees seeking homes away from the cities, Miss Price must take three children into her home.  They soon discover her dark secret; Miss Price is a witch.  As they get to know eachother, the unlikely team embark on a daring adventure; one that could help sway the tide of the war through very unusual means.

If you or your kids have not seen this movie, do yourselves a favor and take a look.  Yes, it is a little slower than the modern Disney films.  No, it doesn't have the patented Disney Princess.  But what it does have is more than enough; a wildly entertaining story, loveable characters, surprising animations, and some of the most memorable songs you'll ever hear.  "The Age of Not Believing", "Eglantine", "Portobello Road", "Nobody's Problems"; these numbers are delightful, melodic, and immensely catchy.  Watch Bedknobs and Broomsticks and remind yourself that the early Disney films were masterpieces.

My rating: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰