TOM THUMB

UK/US, 1958, 98 minutes, Colour.
Russ Tamblyn, Alan Young, June Thorburn, Terry- Thomas, Peter Sellers, Bernard Miles, Jessie Matthews, Peter Ball, voice of Stan Freberg.
Directed by George Pal.

Tom Thumb is a delightful fantasy, the young child born to the woodcutter and his wife fulfilling their wish for a child. Special effects (winning an Academy Award) enabled Russ Tamblyn to appear in miniature along with the full-size main characters. Russ Tamblyn gives a vigorous performance. He had appeared in a number of MGM musicals with great energy, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Alan Young who had appeared in a number of romantic films (Androcles and the Lion, Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick but is better known for his TV presence in Mister Ed) is the hero. Audiences enjoy thoroughly the two villains played by Terry- Thomas and Peter Sellers.

The film was directed by George Pal who had made an impact with his science fiction film Destination Moon. He then went on to a bigger-budget and successful film, his version of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine with Rod Taylor.

This is a delightful fantasy with appeal for audiences of most ages.

1. How enjoyable a film was this? For what age audience was the film made?

2. How enjoyable was the film for children? Which were the qualities with best appeal to children? Which qualities best appealed to adults?

3. How well did the film portray fantasy, magic, the delight in these, the happiness of wishes?

4. Comment on the quality of the songs, the dancing, Russ Tamblyn's dancing, the liveliness of the puppets?

5. How did the film have the usual ingredients of fairy stories? The portrayal of good and evil, catastrophe and danger, the hero saving? The romantic and happy ending?

6. Comment on the portrayal of Honest Jonathan; his work, his relationship with his wife, his encounter with the Queen, the use of the wishes, the comic aspects, his longing for a son, his severity as a father, his response to his arrest, the happiness of the ending? What kind of woman was his wife? Poverty, her love for her husband, the three wishes? Her response to Tom, singing to him, the ending?

7. How enjoyable a figure was Tom Thumb? Russ Tamblyn's personality, his capacity for singing and dancing, the delight in the little man, the singing and dancing with the toys, the delight of the fair, his encounter with Ivan and Tony, his helping them with the robbery, the fear in the marsh, the rescue, the final fighting, the happy ending on the cake?

8. How were Ivan and Tony fairy tale villains? The quality that Peter Sellers and Terry Thomas gave to their villainy? Typical villain actions and reactions? Ivan as smart and masterminding, Tony as fat and stupid? The robbery, their brutality, the final fight, the chase and their being caught?

9. How attractive were Woody and the Queen of the Forest? As typical romantic hero and heroine?

10. What are the value of fairy stories, as dramatising the fantasies in all of us?

11. How delightful were the special effects and the light touches, the songs, Tom's size, the puppets themselves and the variety of singing and dancing, the dancing shoes, Tom on the balloon, Tom getting the money, the final cake?

12. How good a children's film was this?