Bedknobs and Broomsticks [2 Discs] [Blu-ray/DVD]

Director: Robert Stevenson Robert Stevenson

Overview

This Disney film, set in wartime England, stars Angela Lansbury as a would-be witch who hopes to use her newly-acquired conjuring powers to forestall a Nazi invasion. Saddled with three surly kids who've been evacuated from London, Lansbury wins over her charges by performing various and sundry feats of magic.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/12/2014
UPC:	0786936839173
Original Release:	1971
Rating:	G
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	9,242

Special Features

Music magic: the Sherman brothers: behind-the-scenes featurette - the Sherman Brothers songwriting team, Angela Lansbury and Scott MacQueen share stories on the making of the film; Five enchanting deleted and extended songs: including deleted song "A Step in the Right Direction"; Eight magical deleted and extended scenes; And much, much more!

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Angela Lansbury	Miss Price
David Tomlinson	Emelius
Roddy McDowall	Mr. Jelk
Sam Jaffe	Bookman
John Ericson	Col. Heller
Bruce Forsyth	Swinburne
Reginald Owen	Gen. Teagler
Tessie O'Shea	Mrs. Hobday
Arthur Gould-Porter	Capt. Greer
Ben Wrigley	Street Sweeper
Rick Traeger	German Sergeant
Manfred Lating	German Sergeant
John Orchard	Vendor
Roy Smart	Paul
Cindy O'Callaghan	Carrie
Ian Weighall	Charlie
Roy Snart	Paul Rawlins
Cyril Delevanti	Elderly Farmer
Bob Holt	Codfish,Codfish
Eric Brotherson	Actor
Patrick Sullivan Burke	Soldier
Patrick Dennis-Leigh	Old Home Guardsman
Anthony Eustrel	Vendor
Morgan Farley	Old Piano Player
Ina Gould	Shopkeeper
Delos Jewkes	Old Home Guardsman
Sid Kane	Vendor
Arthur Malet	Mr. Widdenfield - Museum Guard (restored version)
George Mann	Old Home Guardsman
Barbara Morrison	Vendor with Hat and Boa
Richard Peel	Vendor
Jack Raine	Old Home Guardsman
Maxine Semon	Portobello Dancer
Arthur Space	Old Home Guardsman
Hank Worden	Old Home Guardsman
Lennie Weinrib	Secretary Bird/Lion
Dal McKennon	Bear
Leon Alton	Soldier at Portobello Road
Irwin Kostal	Conductor,Composer
Ian Weighill	Actor
Richard M. Sherman	Composer,Composer

Technical Credits

Bill Walsh

Don DaGradi

Robert Stevenson	Director
Bill Walsh	Screenwriter,Producer
Don DaGradi	Screenwriter
Danny Lee	Special Effects
Eustace Lycett	Special Effects
Alan Maley	Special Effects
Robert O. Cook	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Dean Thomas	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

Rightfully criticized as being unsuccessful in its attempts to emulate Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks nevertheless is a quite likeable and rather appealing musical for children. More heavily plotted than Poppins -- perhaps a bit too much so -- Bedknobs also has a bit more meat on its bones -- again, perhaps a bit too much so. Both of these factors tend to make Bedknobs a little heavy-going at times. While the special effects themselves soar and glide, the film itself is not able to float along as effortlessly as it needs to. Part of the problem of the original was sheer length; at 141 minutes it was too long. (Conversely, the 117-minute edited version is too choppy.) The film is also not helped by the uninspired Sherman Brothers score, which revisits too many of their better-realized Poppins songs. The moody "Portobello Road" is a major exception, although it goes on too long, and "Substitutiary Locomotion" is enjoyable, despite its derivativeness. Fortunately, Bedknobs has tremendous assets in its cast, design, and special effects, which combine to make up for the shortcomings in script and song. The visual effects are exceptional, and the costumes and overall production design are quite magical. Angela Lansbury gives a magnetic performance, galvanizing the material and bringing the film to life as easily as she does inanimate objects. David Tomlinson is surprisingly well matched with her, and the children are fine. While it's a shame that Bedknobs is not the classic it could have been, there are more than enough assets to make it worth watching.