Posted on 11/24/2011 6:11:59 AM PST by lowbridge
AUTHOR’S NOTE #1: I’m running a review of this film today because the film is a Thanksgiving tradition in the New York Tri-State area where I grew up and still live. WPIX Channel 11 has run this film almost every year on Thanksgiving for the past 40 or so years (a notable exception was two years ago, which led to the station receiving many protests – and lo and behold the film was back the very next year, and is on the air again this year, from 9AM to 11AM Thanksgiving morning).
-snip
REVIEW: Testament to the role this film has played in my life: I’ve seen it so many times I didn't even need to re-watch it to review it! Without question, this film, based on the Victor Herbert operetta is one of the most unique films ever made – as both a comedy film by major stars and as a holiday classic it stands pretty much alone. Only the all-star “Alice in Wonderland” which also stars Charlotte Henry in the title role (along with Cary Grant, W.C. Fields, Leon Errol, Jack Oakie, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Charles Ruggles and others) comes close but ultimately it's no cigar – while that earlier film shares “Babe’s” weird and spooky oddness it lacks the charm and humor of the Laurel & Hardy opus which despite several terror-filled sequences is filled with hope and optimism. And “Alice” certainly doesn’t evoke any warm-fuzzy holiday feelings... it is most decidedly not a holiday classic.
Where can I even begin? This is one of those films that has to be seen – mere words cannot convey the wonders this film undolds. I suppose I’ll get the intentional and unintentional scares out of the way first:
(Excerpt) Read more at scaredsillybypaulcastiglia.blogspot.com ...
Actually, it’s The March of the Wooden Soldiers, I think.
From the review: “It was reissued to theaters several times over the years under various names such as “March of the Toys,” “March of the Wooden Soldiers” (its most commonly known moniker) and the non-sequitur non de plum, “Revenge is Sweet.””
This was a nice post. It brought back my memories growing up in the NY metro area and every T-Giving, without fail, this movie was shown on WPIX-11 beginning at 11:30.
I still like that movie, as corny as it is (but, funny stuff too from L&H) for sentimental reasons.
Makes me long for those simpler days.
March of the Wooden Soldiers always creeped me out - I generally stuck it out, though, for the special effects at the end.
Ollie: "Why, the toymaker and I are just like that." (Crossing his fingers)
Stan: "Which one are you?"
Ollie: "why I'm this one..........oooôooooh!"
Thia may sound silly, but the scene at the end when the wooden soldiers come marching out of the warehouse still gives me chills.
OCCUPY TOYLAND!!!!!!!!!!!
Lead by Obarnaby.
Toy blocks just fell down and spelled. RAT!! LOL
That must have been where we first saw it. My family lived in Vestal, New York in the early seventies, and I still remember watching that film. Yes, the soldier were a bit creepy, but it was, as always, good to see the good guys triumph. And it’s always neat to see Laurel and Hardy, anyway. Thank you for posting this.
I have to buy this on DVD because I *always* miss it. Every year. And it only seems to get played once per year.
I kinda miss “A Man Called Flintstone”, the feature length cartoon spoof of the Bond movies. It’s no classic by any means but it kept me occupied (and out of the kitchen) on Thanksgiving mornings during the ‘70s.
I always loved the monkey dressed up to look like Mickey Mouse.
Forget the link.. As it turns out, its only a 5 minute preview. You can however buy it on DVD
And the soldiers go from animation to human.
thanks!
Not silly. Still does the same to me after 50 years.
God bless!
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