Parents' Guide to

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Delightful Disney charmer may be too long for youngest.

Movie G 1971 140 minutes
Bedknobs and Broomsticks Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 8+

Based on 10 parent reviews

age 4+

still as funny and engaging as I remembered

I was a little apprehensive about showing this movie to my kids (7 and 4), but I was delighted to find it just as funny and engaging as I remembered from my own childhood. I see others expressing concern about the context…Nazis, the Blitz, children leaving London. Honestly, our kids accepted our brief explanations at face value. We educate them about history using other tools - this is just a fun movie, with a great role model in Ms. Price (Angela Lansbury). There were no huge “cringe” moments that jumped out at me watching this movie 30 years later. The Portobello Road scene glorifies colonialism a bit..but it’s not central to the movie. The ending scenes where the Nazis come on land has a lot of guns and shooting, which we likely would not see in a kids movie today. I am touchy about gun scenes in kid movies. However, this is SO comedically well done, and literally no one is hurt. My 4.5yo, who gets scared at a lot of movie scenes, was literally rolling on the floor laughing at the crazy antics of the magically animated medieval suits of armor as they beat back the small Nazi force. So much fun!

This title has:

Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
age 7+

Lansbury dominates and we are all the better for it!

I do not think I have ever watched this film, although I feel that traveling magically on a bed is the ultimate dream for any kid. So it feels like I have dreamed of this film even thought I have never watched it. Lansbury is a gem in this film and Tomlinson is a close second. I would have scored this film higher except for a few antiquated and damaging gender depictions and the violence around the Nazis are a bit difficult to stomach. But again Lansbury is the reason to watch this film, she dominates every moment she is onscreen.
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (10):

Like many classic Disney movies, including Mary Poppins, the more dynamic parts of this movie are interspersed with less compelling scenes, at least for young children. Several scenes focus entirely on adults, including a melancholy song by Miss Price about the benefits of being single, which might lose the attention of the youngest viewers. The animated portion on the island of Naboombu is lots of fun, though. Kids and adults will enjoy the exaggerated characters and their comic shenanigans as they compete in a vigorous soccer match.

But the dance routine in the middle of the movie and the dramatic final battle scene go on too long for even more developed attention spans. Also, the war-time theme and occasional sexist remarks make this film feel dated. Overall, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a mild, family-oriented comedy about the ability of individuals to make a big difference.

Movie Details

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