I can't remember a time when I didn't know this movie line by line. I completely grew up with it, singing all the songs and dancing all the dances (Seriously, I was pretty good at that Gypsy number!) Oh I've always seen the cheesy special effects -- even at five you can clearly see the trees are falling out of their costumes and Tommy Sands is in front of a projection screen -- but WHO CARES? I didn't let it bug me when I was little and it sure doesn't bug me now. It's a fairy tale, and it's so cute you just gotta forgive the little glitches.
The cast is wonderful. Of course there's Annette, and honestly people, who doesn't love Annette? She carries the whole movie on her shoulders, and does it well. Tommy Sands is alright, great voice but a bad sixties haircut. The real star of the show is Ray Bolger as Mr. Barnaby. I was so afraid of Mr. Barnaby as a kid, and Bolger is just perfect in the part. It took me a long time to realize that that was the same guy as the Scarecrow in THE WIZARD OF OZ! He's delightful and together with Ed Wynn, completely steals the show. This movie is a treat. To those who just want to point fingers at the fake sets, corny costumes and silly special effects, I say: GO AHEAD! You don't know what you're missing!
The cast is wonderful. Of course there's Annette, and honestly people, who doesn't love Annette? She carries the whole movie on her shoulders, and does it well. Tommy Sands is alright, great voice but a bad sixties haircut. The real star of the show is Ray Bolger as Mr. Barnaby. I was so afraid of Mr. Barnaby as a kid, and Bolger is just perfect in the part. It took me a long time to realize that that was the same guy as the Scarecrow in THE WIZARD OF OZ! He's delightful and together with Ed Wynn, completely steals the show. This movie is a treat. To those who just want to point fingers at the fake sets, corny costumes and silly special effects, I say: GO AHEAD! You don't know what you're missing!