Bedknobs and Broomsticks

[osprey_archer]

Shockingly, before last night I had never seen Bedknobs and Broomsticks. How did I miss it? Not only does it take place during World War II, one of my childhood obsessions (also one of my adulthood obsessions; a constant obsession over the course of my life), but it's based on a book (actually two books) by Mary Norton, who wrote The Borrowers, ALSO a beloved childhood obsession, ever since my mother read them to me.

But then again, at that tender age I had not yet realized that it was possible to see if an author you liked had written other books. And also, knowing Disney's adaptation proclivities, I am 99% sure that if I had read Bed-knob and Broomstick at a tender age and then seen the adaptation, I would have been OUTRAGED! by the way they warped the book in the adaptation process, just as I was OUTRAGED! by the 1997 adaptation of The Borrowers (in fact, I wasn't even completely happy with the Studio Ghibli version. I may just love the book too much to be pleased with any movie adaptation), so perhaps it was better all around this way, because I found the movie delightful.

The story goes like this: during the Blitz, three children sent out of London discover that they are staying with an apprentice witch (Angela Lansbury, delightful). Unfortunately, her witchcraft correspondence course is canceled before she gets the final spell - the spell that she thinks might be useful to help defeat a potential German invasion. So she enchants a bed-knob so that the whole bed will magically travel when the bedknob is turned, and she and the children set off for London to find the final spell.

It's a jolly magical adventure - sort of like a wartime Mary Poppins (Mr. Banks is in it! As a most un-Mr. Banksian character, a mountebank who started the witchcraft school of correspondence as a con and is most surprised to learn that his spells work). I found the scene where Miss Price animates an army of suits of armor (conveniently resident in the local museum) to rout a German landing party deeply satisfying.

Comments

[sovay]

And also, knowing Disney's adaptation proclivities, I am 99% sure that if I had read Bed-knob and Broomstick at a tender age and then seen the adaptation, I would have been OUTRAGED! by the way they warped the book in the adaptation process

I am almost confident I encountered the film first, but I am fond of the books, especially the second one, Bonfires and Broomsticks, which is a middle-aged weirdo time-travel romance.

(I apologize for the staticky footnotes, but the only time I ever seem to have written about Bedknobs and Broomsticks was in 2006 and that happened a lot.)

[osprey_archer]

I've found that often whenever there's a book and an adaptation, I'll prefer whichever one I encountered first, but it's always a delight to find something that I love in both media. Hopefully these books will be of that kind!

[silverusagi]

I was talking about this movie just the other day! Because of the Portobello Road song!

[osprey_archer]

The Portobello Road song is a lot of fun! All that dancing! And Miss Price searching frantically for the missing half of the book all the while.

[skygiants]

You will I'm sure be shocked to hear that this is one of my all-time favorite films. An irritable woman and some horrible children form a weird and heartwarming family! In a crowning moment of heroism, the male lead turns himself into a rabbit! Our heroes defeat the Nazis in the absolute weirdest way possible (after, of course, getting their collective asses kicked by their own underwear!) It's such a delight, I love it so much

[osprey_archer]

Shocked! Shocked I tell you! Utterly undone by surprise.

I loooooooooved the battle scene. The bit where we see the suits of armor (including horse armor!) and redcoats and just generally British army uniforms through all of history lined up along the cliff, ready to rush the Nazi landing party? Amazing. I also loved the gag where a suit of armor took of its helmet, or leg, or whatever body party, and shook out a stream of bullets, and then just went right back to attacking. I suspect none of those German soldiers ever slept well again.

[redrikki]

Growing up, this movie was my jam. I watched it every time I was home sick. I gaged my age based on those kids. I knew the songs by heart. I could still cast those spells.

[osprey_archer]

That's so great! I love the way that a movie can weave it's way into a life like that.

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, well, I'm glad you found it eventually! We did watch this growing up and all adored it. We rented it a couple of times for somebody's birthday and laughed ourselves sick at the setpieces (the football match and the end routing of the Nazis). I'm not sure I've seen it since, but the memories are v fond.

[osprey_archer]

I'm telling myself that I was inadvertently saving it for my hour of need!

[anelith]

I loved this movie! It might have been my favorite Disney movie as a kid. That scene with the armor never fails to give me chills.

My great-grandmother had a bed with very similar knobs. I remember stealthily trying to turn one, just to see.

[osprey_archer]

Who could resist?? You've got to give the bedknobs a try!

[missroserose]

This was a favorite of mine growing up as well, to the point that I was overjoyed when I was...twelve? thirteeen? and my mother bought me a daybed with porcelain bedknobs. Finally I could pretend to cast the teleportation spell properly!

The songs are genuinely catchy, too, in that Disney way. I can still sing whole bits of "Portobello Road" and "Beautiful Briny", though it's been long enough since I saw the movie that I won't attest to their accuracy.

I always loved the big climactic battle, as well. I'm glad it's just as satisfying when viewed as an adult. I don't think Brian's ever seen it; maybe I should rent it for a rewatch...

[osprey_archer]

Empty suits of armor defeating Nazi soldiers is a visual feast for all ages, I think. Who doesn't want to watch the suit of armor take off its helmet, pour out the bullets, and then put its helmet back on and keep right on advancing??