Directed by: Robert
Stevenson
Written by: Don DaGradi & Bill Walshfrom,
based on Mary Norton's book "The Magic Bedknob"
Music by: Richard
& Robert Sherman
Released on: October 7, 1971
Running Time: 117 minutes; Restored Version:
139 minutes
Budget: $20 million
Box-Office: $ in the U.S., $ million worldwide
Eglantine
Price... Angela
Lansbury
Mr. Emelius Browne... David Tomlinson
Mr. Jelk... Roddy
McDowall
Bookman... Sam Jaffe
Colonel Heller... John Ericson
Swinburne... Bruce Forsyth
Mrs. Hobday... Tessie O'Shea
Director Robert
Stevenson (1905-1986) started his career with serious movies
such as 1944's Jane Eyre before becoming one of Walt Disney's last
proteges, in the 1960s: he helmed projects such as The Absent-Minded
Professor (1961), That Darn Cat! (1965), The Love Bug
(1969) and most importantly Mary Poppins (1964).
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Walt Disney had
pursued the novel "The Magic Bedknob" for
several years, and after the great success of Mary
Poppins, its author Mary Norton finally
released it to him.
Julie Andrews
(b. 1935, Mary Poppins), Leslie Caron
(b. 1931, Gigi), Lynn Redgrave (b. 1943, Gods and Monsters),
and Judy Carne (b. 1939) were considered for the role of Miss Price before
Angela Lansbury (b. 1925) was cast. Listen to an exclusive real audio interview
of Angela Lansbury talking about her role of Eglantine in 1971!
Ron Moody (b.
1924) was considered for the role of Mr. Browne before David Tomlinson
(b. 1917) was cast, fresh from his success in Mary
Poppins.
The Sherman Brothers
adapted "The Beautiful Briny" from a song originally written for Mary
Poppins.
Bedknobs and
Broomsticks premiered in 1971 to an enthusiastic public in Radio City
Music Hall. However, following the success of Mary
Poppins, many spectators promptly pointed out the similiarites
between the two: magic, children, and David Tomlinson. All that aside,
Bedknobs
and Broomsticks was considered "thoroughly entertaining fantasy," (Leonard
Maltin, The Disney Films). However, the film had to be cut down for
its initial release there since the theater had a rule that no film premiered
there could be longer than two hours to accomodate the customary live stage
show w/ the Rockettes.
According to Robert
B. Sherman, Walt actually bought the rights to Mary Norton's book while
Mary
Poppins was still in production, not after it came out. Bedknobs
was a backup project in case Poppins fell through. Apparently,
P.L. Travers was demanding near-complete creative control on the film.
She and Walt had many fights over her frequent nitpicking during production--among
other things, she tried to insist that the costumers purchase the material
for Mary's skirt from a specific dress shop in the Kensington Road in London!
Given the amount of trouble she caused, Walt bought Bedknobs in
case she pulled the rights.
In 1979, the film
was cut by 20 minutes for theatrical re-release this version is shown on
broadcast and basic cable television. However, in 1996, to commemorate
the film's 25th anniversary, a longer cut was produced. It has 24 minutes
of extra scenes cut from the film before release. Among these new scenes
are two songs ("With a Flair" and "A Step In The Right Direction"), two
other songs ("Eglantine" and "Portobello Road") were restored to their
original lengths, and additional scenes with Roddy McDowall were restored.
It was screened by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on September
27, 1996 and was released on video in March 1997. Another song, "A
Step in the Right Direction," could not find for the reconstruction
[thanks to 'Attmay'].
The film was nominated for 5 Oscars:
The ancient
armor in the climactic battle with the Nazis utilized authentic items of
medieval armor, previously used in Camelot (1967) and El Cid
(1961). When any item of armor was to be destroyed, exact fiberglass replicas
were used.
Mr. Browne juggles
apples at the dinner table and drops one in the gravy, splashing his face
and shirt collar. Later in the scene, his collar is spotless.
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