Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Name: Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Item: Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Rating: 4
Author: Nell Minow

Movie review by

Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Bedknobs and Broomsticks Movie Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 7+

(i)

Delightful Disney charmer may be too long for youngest.

G
1971
140 minutes

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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 7 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 8 reviews

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Educational Value

Older kids might learn a bit about World War II and the Blitz.

Positive Messages

The main character works hard to make a difference in the war effort. Along the way, she cooperates with others, and comes to understand the value of family and the wisdom of children. But these messages are clouded with subtle, but outdated ideas about women's abilities and an attitude toward war that might seem unfamiliar to modern kids.

Positive Role Models & Representations

The main adult character, while quirky, is strong, confident, and determined to make a positive difference. She's kind and respectful to the children and encourages the kids to be helpful. The secondary adult character is a bit of a swindler, but he's thoroughly reformed by the end. The older boy starts out very sassy, and even tries to blackmail the main character. But, he too, is reformed in the end.

Violence & Scariness

The children have been orphaned by the war and Miss Price, the witch, is searching for a magic spell to fight off the Nazis. Several scenes of cartoon violence during a wildly physical soccer match, as well as one real-life scene where the group is threatened with a knife. The final battle scene, where a ghost-like army of knights fights machine-gun wielding Nazis, might be very scary for some kids.

Sexy Stuff

Some very mild flirtation between Miss Price and Professor Browne, including the suggestion that they will marry. In the animated portion, male and female fish dance cheek-to-cheek.

Language

The older boy tells his siblings to "shut up."

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A cartoon fish smokes a cigar. A main character talks to a child about wanting to go to the pub for a drink.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a classic Disney movie that was re-released for its 25th anniversary. It's more than two hours long and better suited for longer attention spans or partial viewings. The framework of the movie -- World War II, Nazi invasions, and bombings in London -- is about as un-child-friendly as it gets, but the film manages to take a lighthearted approach. Main characters never seem frightened by the war or soldiers, though the children talk briefly about losing their parents to the war. The climax of the film involves a drawn-out battle between the main character and a small group of invading Nazis in which the enemy soldiers wield swords and machine guns against her. Despite this apparent violence, no blood is shed, no one is hurt, and the main character retains a smile throughout the entire battle.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Parent of a 4 year old Written byfierce_mink_2000 April 9, 2008

not rated for age

Nazis?!

I really enjoyed this movie as a child, and looked forward to being able to share it with my children. I rented it a while ago to see if I thought it was ok (r... Continue reading

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Parent Written bymadronemedia April 9, 2008

not rated for age

Classic movie with Bizzare Nazi Imagery

I hadn't watched this in many years. The commentary on WWII seems way out of place for a family movie geared at kids.

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Teen, 13 years old Written byNarwhalLover13 June 15, 2013

age 7+

;p

I thought it was very good. It had lots of imagination.

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Teen, 15 years old Written byGwyneth Alice April 19, 2012

age 7+

Not Disney's best...

The movie did drag on for a while, and it wasn't terribly interesting. Even the Sherman brothers' songs weren't very memorable. And parents may h... Continue reading

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What's the story?

Based on the book by Mary Norton (also the author of The Borrowers), BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS is the story of three children evacuated from London during World War II who find themselves looked after by an apprentice witch, Miss Price (Angela Lansbury). The witch has plans to save England from the Nazis by casting a special spell, which she awaits from the post office. When she receives word that the special spell will not arrive because her witchcraft correspondence college has been closed, she enchants a bedknob and, along with the children, travel by brass bed to London and eventually to the animated world of Naboombu, to find the spell. The children -- Charlie (Ian Weighill), Carrie (Cindy O'Callaghan), and Paul (Roy Snart) -- help Miss Price and her professor, Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson) wrest the spell from the rough-and-tumble animated creatures of Naboombu and then return to the real world to fight off an enemy invasion. Afterward, Miss Price retires from witchcraft and Professor Browne joins the army, but it is clear they have become a family.

Is it any good?

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.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the difference between fantasy and reality, since it may not be clear to many kids. What elements of fantasy are there in Bedknobs and Broomsticks?
Talk about magic. What kind of magic do you wish you could perform and why?
Families can talk about what makes a movie scary besides the story. How does the music or the lighting make you feel?
Families can talk about language and accents. Did you find it difficult to understand the British accents? What other kinds of accents are you familiar with?