Babes in Toyland (1954) Online

I love the story of "Babes In Toyland", especially the great Laurel and Hardy and Tommy Sands/Ray Bolger/Annette Funicello/Ed Wynn versions. What is interesting in this version is that Walt Disney had already acquired the rights to the story, yet used CBS network stars for this production. Dave Garroway, underrated as ever, plays a department store Santa Claus who tells the story of Babes in Toyland to a young girl whose Mother left her in the store. (That synopsis alone dates this production.) Garroway's asides are reminiscent of Steve Allen, and are hialrious. Dennis Day plays Tommy Tucker, singing for his supper, and of course, the Irish classic "Mavourneen" was added to the show for his appearance. Jack E. Leonard plays Silas Barnaby, and despite a flubbed line, (this show was filmed live), is a hilarious villain. Wally Cox gives a fine performance also, and how can you go wrong with Bil and Cora Baird's puppets? This production is a gem, but older adults would have to explain some of the topical references.

The year is 1954. Oldsmobile has decided to sponsor a Yule-season special. The subject: Victor Herbert's saccharine musical, "Babes in Toyland". The production starred some very well-known names of the time – names that today are largely (and undeservedly) unknown. TV in those days was of course all-live, no retakes.

The production starred the inimitable Dennis Day as Tommy Tucker. Day, the quintessential Irish tenor, was in the early part of his primary career (1950-1965) as one of Jack Benny's constant on-air foils. Playing a department store Santa Claus, who tells the story to a lost girl, is Dave Garroway. The iconic Garroway made a career as a successful night show host, panelist, special guest, and so on – in other words, an actor who was primarily famous for playing himself. Wally Cox appears as Toymaker Grumio. Cox, mostly famous as "Mister Peepers" was a character actor credited with many appearances on TV … although his range was limited by his short stature and fairly high voice. The also-iconic Jack E. Leonard appears as the villain, Silas Barnaby. Leonard was a comic whose insulting shtick was much more abrasive than that of Don Rickles (nowadays better known). Interestingly, his hallmark nastiness doesn't show through very much in his portrayal of Barnaby.

Don't expect to see much of Herbert's original musical here. Two main numbers remain: "Toyland" and "March of the Toy Soldiers". No production of "Babes" is without them. Also a little of Herbert's other music appears here and there. A very bare-bones version of the plot is used as a structural support for a number of very cutesy song-and/or-dance numbers. The result will be a real challenge to your gag reflex.

The greatest fun can be had in watching this somewhat silly effort by watching for mistakes and gaffes. Amazingly, detectable ones are rare.

On the whole this production is overly cute and overly precious, kitschy in the extreme. I can't imagine it went over that well, even in an era that was overall fairly kitschy (pink was then the "new black"). Even the notorious Leonard's performance was less villainous and more "oooooh! I'm soooo baaaad!" I'll wager even the iconically kitschy Sarah Palin would have trouble making it through this steady diet of treacle.

The print is clearer than one might expect, although the black-to-white contrast seems muted. It looks very much like a color film reduced to black/white. And sure enough, at the end of the production, there's an announcement that it's been made by a "color compatible" process. I grew up in that era, and if memory serves, that means that the color can be picked up by your non-color TV as black/white.

So maybe, somewhere, there's a color version of this production? I wonder how much pink would be in it.

I loved every second of this incredible gem. I've alway's been a big believer that entertainment does not have to be big, expensive,and over produced to be good. That's why I find kitschy nostalgia so watchable and fun. It does'nt require a expensive budget and expensive promotion. It does'nt require a bunch of over paid studio executive middle men, it does'nt require a bunch of trendy first night audience make it or break it types to tell everyone if it was cool or the latest thing. It is just what it is.

I don't mind a large budget or a big event. But that's not all that there is and people are so brain washed into thinking that's where the fun and action is. There is no real heart to that thinking. Lemmings think like that. In mass groups. I like small movies because they can be original and different. Ed wood is a good film maker because he is never dull and is always different. Unlike most mainstream commercial crap on TV and at the movies now that all looks and feels alike. How many times can we all be told this is the next big event?

People should look more to the past and to independent sources for entertainment.

Which brings us to this kinescope TV 'Babes in Toyland'. Wonderful music, wonderful dancing(it almost becomes a nutcracker ballet of sorts) and the freaky out of date Baird marionettes are likely to raise the hairs on many baby boomer's heads(I was so frightened of the Baird marionettes at one point that I wondered if this DVD could be like the video in those 'Ring' movies and the marionettes would come alive and jump out of the TV and chase us).If baby boomers don't believe the Baird marionettes are that freaky, then just try to sit through a dance routine with Wally Cox(Groomio)and a step n' fetchit marionette without screaming. Baby boomers should also check out a guy in a weird spider baby costume with six legs(can you say George Ali on acid?).All in all this version is great. The Disney version and the Hal Roach versions are my favorites, but this was great. I wuved it mommy.