Bedknobs and Broomsticks **** (1971, Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roy Snart, Cindy O’Callaghan, Sam Jaffe, Roddy McDowall, Bruce Forsyth, Reginald Owen, Tessie O’Shea) – Classic Movie Review 5936

Angela Lansbury stars as a cuddly amateur witch called Eglantine Price, who takes three World War Two evacuated kids on a magic bedstead and battles the Nazis in director Robert Stevenson’s delightful 1971 Disney fantasy adventure, with music and cartoons.

It boasts good animation (especially the highlight animal football match sequence mixing live action as David Tomlinson’s Emelius referees the game), Oscar-winning Best Special Visual Effects (Danny Lee, Eustace Lycett, Alan Maley) and nice Sherman Twins songs (their score and their ditty ‘The Age of Not Believing’ were both Oscar nominated). The film was also nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Costume Design (Bill Thomas).

But it is mostly the film’s infectious belief in magic and the magic of Lansbury’s performance that carry it along so well. It is written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on the novel by Mary Norton.

The cartoon scenes directed by Ward Kimball.

It runs 117 minutes but the cut version 98 minutes.

Also in the cast are Roy Snart, Cindy O’Callaghan, Sam Jaffe, Roddy McDowall, Reginald Owen, Tessie O’Shea, Bruce Forsyth, John Ericson and Ian Weighill.

It is one of a small handful of film credits for beloved legendary entertainer Bruce Forsyth, who died on 18 August 2017, aged 89.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5936

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