BABES IN TOYLAND was not a film I grew up with. I do remember seeing the title occasionally on TV listings, but with a name like BABES IN TOYLAND, I didn’t know what to expect, nor did I care (although I suppose it also could have been one of the other apparently bad versions of the operetta). That being said, even as an adult, I respect this film very much for what it is: the Laurel and Hardy film for kids.
As far as the humor goes, there aren’t a whole lot of standout bits. That’s not to say the film is devoid of laughs, but not many gags really stand out. In a way I think you could actually argue that it works in the film’s favor. Randy Skretvedt mentioned in his entry on OLIVER THE EIGHTH in The Magic Behind the Movies that it was easier to notice Laurel and Hardy’s performances in weaker films like OLIVER THE EIGHTH, and while BABES IN TOYLAND is far from being a weak film, I think the same principle could apply here. Since there aren’t as many interesting gags to hold our attention, their personalities ironically stand out much more.
Although it was filmed in a similar fashion to FRA DIAVOLO, in that it had two separate units directing different scenes, this film connects them a lot better than FRA DIAVOLO. Laurel and Hardy are more like Diavolo’s bungling henchman in that film and besides the ending don’t leave much of an impact on the story. Here, they feel a lot more important. For example, when Bo-Peep decides to marry Barnaby, it’s not just because her mother’s home might be foreclosed, but also because she doesn’t want Laurel and Hardy to be banished to Bogeyland, and they’re also the ones who get her out of the marriage later. Heck, they’re the ones who rescue her and Tom-Tom from Bogeyland later in the film. I also like the fact that they actually use some of the gags to their advantage throughout the story, such as using the peewees and their mixup with the toy soldiers to take down the bogeymen.
The sets and costume design are definitely very fitting, and really unique for a Laurel and Hardy film. You’ve got the bogeymen giving the film more variety with its creepy elements, while the fairy tale designs are also very well done. Like Stan Laurel once said, it’s a shame that this wasn’t filmed in color, because it would have been nice to see how they actually did look. Even without the color, though, you can definitely see why Disney chose to remake this over 20 years later. Actually, now that I think about it, this film has quite a few Disney connections. Besides Mickey Mouse and the Three Little Pigs’ theme being “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”, some of the supporting actors in this film were involved in Disney productions.
Speaking of the supporting cast, that’s another thing that’s unique about this film. No James Finlayson or Charlie Hall, but rather a unique cast that’s able to sell their performances as these fantasy characters. Charlotte Henry captures the childlike innocence of Bo-Peep, and yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised either if her performance as Alice in ALICE IN WONDERLAND influenced the decision to cast her. She was very good in that role as well, the only good part of an otherwise horribly miscast movie. Henry Brandon’s makeup job and performance are also surprisingly convincing, especially considering that he was actually younger than Felix Knight, the actor who played Tom-Tom.
Even if it’s not their funniest film by a long shot, it is clear that this is the film that someone would want to use to introduce children to Laurel and Hardy, especially because of the fantasy elements. Honestly, I wish this had been the film to introduce me to Laurel and Hardy rather than ATOLL K. I’ve been debating on the rating since, again, it’s not a particularly funny film, but it’s also clear that it’s not supposed to be. This is meant to be a fantasy film and the elements tie together very well, so in the end, it definitely gets its job done and there’s nothing really to dislike about it. Though yes, if you’re an adult who wants to start watching Laurel and Hardy, you’d want to start with something else.
10 out of 10
