Tom Thumb (1958)

Synopsis:

The Forest Queen (June Thorburn, The Cruel Sea) grants three wishes to a woodcutter (Bernard Miles, Great Expectations) after he agrees not to cut down the forest’s oldest tree. After the woodcutter and his wife waste their wishes, the Forest Queen feels bad and gives them a tiny boy named Tom (Russ Tamblyn, West Side Story).

Reaction & Thoughts:

“There are two crooks here – and both of them are you!”

A whimsical and engaging dramatization of the popular character in English folklore, who would later be re-imagined by the Grimm Brothers for their famous 1812 book of fairy tales. Visually winsome, yet lacking a strong narrative (the plot is nearly identical to Disney’s 1940 Pinocchio), Tom Thumb wins you over with its arsenal of fun tricks courtesy of fantasy master, producer George Pal (The War of Worlds).

Tom Thumb marked Pal’s directorial film debut. Producers rarely become great filmmakers, but I have no complaints about Pal’s work — he does a more than adequate job. Under Pal’s skillful hand, the story moves swiftly, and there are plenty of imaginative sequences that will delight both children and grown-ups.

As expected from a Pal movie, the visuals take precedence over everything else. Georges Périnal (The Thief of Bagdad) cinematography is vibrant. The sets and costumes are extraordinary as well. The Oscar-winning visual effects are nicely done (for 1958). Best of all is the stop-motion animation. There is a great sequence with toys coming to life — Pal’s “puppetoons” — and this is by far my favorite section of the movie.

The film also features a handful of musical interludes. As a matter of fact, there is enough music here for the movie to be considered a musical. “Tom Thumb’s Tune” (music and lyrics by Peggy Lee, sung by Russ Tamblyn and the Puppetoons), is a delightfully whimsical tune. The hilarious “Yawning Song” (music by Fred Spielman, lyrics by Kermit Goell, sung by Stan Freberg) is my favorite song, though.

Tamblyn is a bundle of enthusiasm as the title character. The actor’s seemingly endless bouts of energy are very contagious. He also shows off his skills as a dancer. Terry-Thomas (School for Scoundrels) and Peter Sellers (Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove) offer fine comic relief as a pair of bumbling thieves who get Tom and his parents into big trouble. Alan Young (TV’s Mister Ed) plays tiny Tom’s best friend, Woody.

Conclusions & Final Thoughts:

Despite a few dated moments, Tom Thumb is an entertaining fantasy movie. It has a wonderful cast, charming visual effects and lively songs. It also has a series of important, timeless moral lessons: be yourself, accept others as they are, etc. P.S. Russ Tamblyn reprised his role as Tom Thumb in George Pal’s extravagant biopic 1962 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. Color, 108 minutes, Rated G.

Theatrical Trailer: