Tom Thumb (1958)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Am I Missing Something?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Some children's musicals have an ageless quality, both in terms of the time they were made and their ability to appeal to audiences at various points in life. Think "The Wizard Of Oz," "Gay Purr-ee," "Mary Poppins," and a slew of recent Disney films.Then there's "tom thumb." A children's movie of and for its time, "tom thumb" was a big hit when it was released in 1958 and remained a holiday offering for regional TV channels a couple of decades later. Today, however, it stands out, at least to this pair of older eyes, more as a curio, a showcase for some impressive special effects, a directorial debut for kid-film king George Pal, and Peter Sellers' first appearance in an international screen role as Antony, one of a pair of villains (alongside Terry-Thomas, who as Ivan has the bigger part here).Terry-Thomas got his only British Academy Award nomination for his work here, though neither he nor Sellers stand out especially. Sellers in particular plays his part too heavy, both in manner and in costume. The comedy in Ladislas Fodor's script is too twee, and slow-paced in an apparent effort to keep even the youngest audience member from losing the plot. It's not much of a plot, either. To the extent "tom thumb" strives to be diverting, it succeeds, but at the expense of offering more lasting entertainment.More central to the film, and to its relative merits, are Russ Tamblyn as the title character, a cheerful if gullible youngster who arrives at Acorn Cottage, home of Honest John (Bernard Miles) and his wife Anne (Jessie Matthews). The childless couple is so desperate for a little boy that they fill an empty bedroom with a myriad of expensive-looking toys while contenting themselves to dine on cabbage."I'd love him with all my heart, even if he were no bigger than my thumb," Anne says. Tom, as it turns out, is bigger than that, but only by about an inch.If "tom thumb" had been made today, there would have been more made of the boy's arrival, in terms of his adopted parents adjusting to the reality of their little treasure. But in true fairy-tale style, they take to Tom quite matter-of-factly. The film spends its first 45 minutes celebrating Tom's new place in life, centered on a long dancing sequence between Tom and his new toys, who embodying a tradition cemented by the "Toy Story" films, only spring to life when the adults are away. It's a great sequence, even if it does nothing in the way of forwarding a plot. Children today I think will still enjoy this part, anyway.The second half of the movie centers on Tom's difficulty overcoming the machinations of Antony and Ivan. He's suckered by the pair when they use his small size to burgle the village vault. Then, when his parents are blamed for the theft, Tom must uncover the real crooks and bring them to justice.The film still looks gorgeous, shot it seems on a set similar to that used in "The Wizard Of Oz." The theme song is nice, though overplayed. The rest of the songs are flat on delivery, and that goes double for the other main storyline here, a romance between Woody, a goofy musician (Alan Young), and the magical woodland creature called the Forest Queen (June Thorburn) who brought Tom to John and Anne in the first place. Whenever Woody and Queenie come on screen, you know kids of all ages will be ready to forsake the lovebirds for Angry Birds.But Tamblyn's unaffected sincerity and enthusiasm keep "tom thumb" from being a total drag. Pal's direction definitely works at striking the right balance between menace and humor, even if there's not much on screen either to be scared of or laugh at.I liked this film more for seeing Sellers try out some early physical comedy, knowing he stood here on the verge of a five-year run that would be the envy of any comedian of the sound era. It's disappointing in its limitations, but affecting in the way it encapsulates the notion of children's entertainment in a more innocent age.

A long time ago in a forest far away, woodcutter Bernard Miles (as Jonathan) is granted three wishes by beautiful forest queen June Thorburn (as Queenie), for sparing a giant tree from his axe. Alas, Mr. Miles squanders his wishes by growing a giant symbolic sausage on his nose, but wife Jessie Matthews (as Anne) receives a consolation prize when tiny Russ Tamblyn (as Tom Thumb) arrives on his birthday, fully grown. The childless couple always wanted a son. After getting lost at the local fair with family friend Alan Young (as Woody), Mr. Tamblyn is rescued by villainous Terry-Thomas (as Ivan) and mugging sidekick Peter Sellers (as Antony). The black-dressed men use Tamblyn to steal some gold coins, which gets his parents arrested...This marvelous adaptation of the "Brothers Grimm" story is, to coin a familiar phrase, "fun for children of all ages." The film won special effects wizard Tom Howard a second "Academy Award", making him two for two. Gymnastic dancer Tamblyn performs a perfect ten as the un-capitalized "tom thumb"; the versatile young actor had just been receiving "Oscar" consideration for his dramatic roles. Also superb is the dastardly pairing of Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers, who savor every second of their screen time. Taking the director's chair for his first feature, "Puppetoon" master George Pal reaches a career high. The soundtrack isn't riddled with hits, but it nonetheless captures the charm. A romantic subplot is the only thing not filled to the brim with magic.******** tom thumb (11/27/58) George Pal ~ Russ Tamblyn, Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Alan Young

George Pal's splendid take on the Tom Thumb fairy story marries several intertwining story threads with some excellent special effects, some bravura performances, some cute songs, and a charm which is partly of the period and partly from the innocent joy with which the film is put together.Russ Tamblyn stands out. This film should have made him a major star; instead he enjoyed a steady but unspectacular career. Terry Thomas and Peter Sellers as the two comedy relief crooks form an effective (and funny) double act. And Alan Young and June Thorburn as the would-be lovers work well as the main, but understated, concern throughout the film.But this is a children's film, and the magic of Tom, as created and enhanced by the effects, is what holds the movie together. This film is as enjoyable now as it was over 50 years ago.

I watched this classic film many times a kid, I said to myself that I would love to see it again when I was grown up, so when the opportunity came I did not miss out, directed by George Pal (The Time Machine). Basically poor but honest woodcutter / lumberjack Jonathan aka "Honest John" (Bernard Miles) is chopping down a large old tree when he is stopped by a mystical Forest Queen (June Thorburn), she convinces him to spare the tree for a family of birds, she demonstrates her magic powers, and in gratitude grants him and his wife Anna (Jessie Matthews) three wishes. Unfortunately they squander the three wishes while squabbling over dinner, what they really wanted was a son they cannot have, they have a second bedroom full of toys and a crib for a child, Anna laments that they could have wished for a child, Jonathan consoles her that the Forest Queen may yet show kindness and grant them one more wish, Anna says she would love any child they have, "even if he was no bigger then her thumb." Later at night Jonathan and Anna are woken by a soft knocking at the door, there appears a young boy (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' Russ Tamblyn) who is literally the size of a thumb, he addresses them familiarly as "father" and "mother", Anna instinctively knows the boy's name is Tom, and they put him to bed happy that they finally have a child. In the morning Tom wakes in his crib and is greeted by the toys of the room, including Chinese doll Con-Fu-Shon (Dal McKennon), he explains that grown ups never see them coming to life, they celebrate Tom's arrival until they are interrupted by Jonathan and Anna. The next day Jonathan and Tom are travelling, family friend Woody (Alan Young, best known as Scrooge McDuck in DuckTales) takes Tom into town to the fair, there The Cobbler (Ian Wallace) provides him with "Talented Shoes" that keep dancing to music being played, then he is carried away on a balloon. At the top of the nearby treasury, thieves Ivan (BAFTA nominated Terry-Thomas) Antony (Peter Sellers) are trying to steal a bag of gold, they realise that due to his size Tom can help them, they convince him the money will be given to poor orphans. As a reward for his help Ivan gives Tom a single gold sovereign from the stolen loot, Tom is found by the Forest Queen, aka "Queenie" to Woody, they have an argument and she disappears in a mood, Tom is disheartened by causing trouble, and his parents are distraught over his disappearance, while sneaking through the window Tom accidentally drops the gold coin into a cake his mother has been baking. The next morning the robbery has been discovered, guards are searching for the culprits, they stop at the cottage to get out of the rain and have some breakfast, one of the guards bites into the cake and finds the gold coin, the guards recognise it as part of the stolen, and wrongly arrest Jonathan and Anna. Tom goes to find the real robbers, with the help of Woody they track down Ivan and Antony to an old castle, after knocking out Woody and fighting over the loot the thieves get away, but Tom has the ability to control the horse they are riding, they reach town, Ivan and Antony are arrested and the gold is returned. In the end Woody discovers the way to make Queenie human is to kiss her, after doing so it concludes with them getting married, and Tom wakes his own princess with the female cake decoration with whom he happily dances. Also starring Carry On's Peter Butterworth as Kapellmeister, Peter Bull as Town Crier and Stan Freberg as The Yawning Man. Acrobatic dancer Tamblyn is likable as the tiny hero who brings joy and happiness to his elderly parents, Young is a little out of place as the slow-witted friend, and Thomas and Sellers are great as the hissable pantomime villains. Based on the fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, this film is full of bright colour, the stop-motion animation for the toys coming to life and all components to shrink the hero are well done, the songs are all enjoyable, especially "Tom Thumb's Tune" and The Yawning Man (which does work to make you yawn as you sing along), this is splendid entertainment for all ages, an enjoyable fantasy musical. It won the Oscar for Best Special Effects, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical. Very good!