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Babes in Toyland Photos

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Movie Info

Mary Contrary (Annette) is set to marry Tom Piper (Tommy Sands) when he is kidnapped by Roderigo (Gene Sheldon) and Gonzorgo (Henry Calvin), two goons working for the evil Barnaby (Ray Bolger). Barnaby wants to marry Mary for her inheritance. Instead of killing Tom as instructed, Roderigo and Gonzorgo sell him to Gypsies, which allows Tom to rescue Mary. Soon afterward, Tom and Mary encounter the odd Toymaker (Ed Wynn), who becomes a pawn in Barnaby's new scheme.

Genre:

musical, kids and family, other
Original Language:

English
Director:

Jack Donohue
Producer:

Walt Disney
Writer:

Ward Kimball, Joe Rinaldi, Lowell S. Hawley
Release Date (Streaming):

Mar 2, 2016
Runtime:

1h 46m
Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Cast & Crew

Ray Bolger
Barnaby

Tommy Sands
Tom Piper

Annette
Mary Contrary

Ed Wynn
Toymaker

Tommy Kirk
Grumio

Kevin Corcoran
Boy Blue

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Babes in Toyland

All Critics (11) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (7)

a flat, stagy, artificially cheerful affair that falls far short of the memorably creepy Laurel and Hardy version of 1934.

January 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Live-action Mother Goose musical with mild slapstick action.

December 2, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
An audience of preschoolers and kindergarteners should still appreciate this colorful Disney film, and curious parents might enjoy seeing certain actors at work.

December 28, 2012 | Rating: 6/10 | Full Review…

James Plath
Movie Metropolis
Perhaps 105 minutes of this sugary concoction borders on punishment, but when the movie hits a creative groove the results are highly amusing, generating a heightened sense of theatrical entertainment with a definite Disney twist.

December 14, 2012 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Brian Orndorf
Blu-ray.com
Disney's first live-action musical is the second, inferior version of Victor Herbert's operetta; the first, in 1934, stars Laurel and Hardy.

January 26, 2012 | Rating: C | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
So-so 1961 Disney take with Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, and Ed Wynn.

October 24, 2004 | Rating: C-

Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan
Where are Laurel and Hardy when you need them?

August 27, 2003 | Rating: 2/5

Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Quote not available.

August 22, 2003 | Rating: 2/5

Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Quote not available.

June 19, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Josh Gilchrist
Billings Outpost (Montana)
A disgrace to the memory of Laurel and Hardy and the Hal Roach original.

December 25, 2002 | Rating: 1/5

Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Quote not available.

November 21, 2002 | Rating: 4/5

David Poland
Hot Button

View All Critic Reviews (11)

Audience Reviews for Babes in Toyland

Apr 14, 2009

its a disney classic i love this movie but you hae to keep in mind that its an very old film so the graphics, acting and props arent great!! But its a great light hearted film

Film C Super Reviewer
Dec 10, 2008

I watched the first 5 minutes - did not enjoy at all.

Sarah P Super Reviewer
Nov 24, 2007

A flick from my youth. This was Disney's first live action musical production and I think it's pretty good. There isn't much to it story wise or even with the acting but I think it's a good one for the kids. Upon watching it again for the first time in decades I was happy with the nostalgia of the film but a little bored in the watching of it.

Jason S Super Reviewer
Aug 17, 2007

The big budget Disney extravaganza is the second of three adaptations of the operetta. I generally enjoyed it when I was a kid, but seeing it again recently cooled my enthusiasm about it. Still better than the 1980s version. Mother Goose with the goose puppet that has a bit of an attitude was fun. Annette Funicello as Mary was impossibly sweet and young. Tommy Sands is okay as the male lead Tom. I think Disney changed the musical styles of some of the songs to "modernize" them for the tastes of 50s audiences. It may have been the perfect kind of fairy tale story for 60s audiences still stuck in the 50s. Ed Wynn plays the highly agitated clown Toymaker very well. The Toymaker is preparing for Christmas, but the Christmas themes of the musical are lessened. Tommy Kirk, the ever present Disney boy next door, is wedged into the story as the Toymaker's assistant. His role is pleasant enough, but nothing special. I did not like the scenes with the kids and the dancing, singing trees. Not great puppetry work. I did not like the two actors trying to imitate Laurel and Hardy. The real Laurel and Hardy do a MUCH better job in the 30s version of this story. And Ray Bolger as the villain Barnaby provides an unending stream of cartoon-ish, vaudeville villain mugging. His style of dance just doesn't seem to fit the part. The other supporting fairy tale characters are pretty much ignored, but at least the stop-motion war near the end with actors shrunken to toy size contains some enjoyable effects.

Byron B Super Reviewer