User reviews

I remember seeing this the first time when I was attending public school in Queens in the early 1960s. It was shown as a treat to the students at an extended G.O. assembly. I had not seen it when it came out in 1958 (I was only four) but I recall seeing Disney's PETER PAN about that time, so I cannot understand missing this film.

It was a fun film. The trick animation (which won an Oscar) was particularly good in the sequence when the toys came to life. It was probably influential with similar scenes in BABES IN TOYLAND in 1960. However, BABES IN TOYLAND had the benefit of the Disney studio, not to mention a wonderful Victor Herbert score. The score of tom thumb was not very memorable, except for the song that I quoted above, which had some of the silliest lyrics I can recall.

The film was actually more interesting than I would have known as a child. Besides George Pal's style in the film and the trick animation, it was one of the last musical films that had a major role for Jessie Matthews as tom's mother. In the U.S. Ms Matthews is not too well recalled, but she was the leading female musical comedy star in England in the 1930s. Her husband here is Sir Bernard Miles, who is better remembered as the villain in Hitchcock's remake of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. The star was Russ Tamblyn, finally in a starring role - a step beyond his performances in THE LAST HUNT and SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, and heading for his best performance in WEST SIDE STORY. The second lead, Alan Young, had already made ANDROCLES AND THE LION and AARON SLICK FROM PUNKIN CREEK, and (as he was here working with George Pal) would have his dramatically best role (or roles) in Pal's future masterwork THE TIME MACHINE. Young would also soon gain television immortality as "Wilbur Post" the friend of the talking horse MR. ED.

This film was one of the pairings of Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers in a comedy. As Tony and Ivan they are the greedy thieves who use tom to rob the town treasury, only to turn on each other in a fight that enables tom to trip them up. Terry-Thomas has a sharpened nose in his makeup, which is accentuated by his sharp crowned hat. Sellers in particular had interesting make-up in this film, fattened up to look particularly threatening in a greasy sort of way, and wearing a small derby hat. He has the best line in the film. When tom (still unaware of what crooks he is with) is inside the town treasury Tony/Terry-Thomas tells him to pass over a bag of gold. Which one, asks tom. "THE BIGGEST ONE!", shouts Ivan/Peter.

A timeless fantasy featuring the adventures of the world's smallest and best boy. There's some fun songs, decent acting and terrific special effects (for the time and era). This should delight most kids and is pleasant enough for most adults to enjoy as well. As the bumbling villains Ivan and Tony, Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers steal much of the show.

I just watched this tonight. The last time I saw this movie was about thirty years ago. If anyone enjoys Dismey movies and/or anything light-hearted and musical...this is a must-see!

The main character, of course appeared later in "West Side Story". He is a fabulous dancer. I'd be afraid to do some of the stunts he did in this film.

Also, this film was critically acclaimed for the special effects of this time period.

If your children(or you, for that matter) enjoy fairy tales, movies taken from fairy tales. Or, maybe just a little family fun...give this one a try

Hardly the congenial dramatization of any work by the harrowing Grimm Brothers! This 1958 'Tom Thumb' is much too sweet, sugar-coated and unassuming to even begin to delve the depths of the Grimms.

24-year old Russ Tamblyn plays the minuscule boy Tom who, by the intervention of a miracle, comes to liven up the days of a childless middle-aged couple, a woodcutter and his wife. A pair of colorful crooks uses the boy to steal some money from the treasure, and his foster parents are accused of the theft, so now Tom Thumb has to save the day.

Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers compete as to who is the more deliciously unsavory and their interaction is quite violent by today's Disney standards, but still they come closer to the Brothers Grimm than anything else in this film. Except maybe the delightful abundance of toys that come to exuberant life when Tom enters their 'lives'! The scene in the beginning when Tom dances and bounces around all his new toys is gorgeous, Russ Tamblyn displays all his athleticism and dancing skills here, and the animation is wonderfully realized, even when seen today. Regrettably, Tamblyn does not get much screen time except in totals, so we never really learn what goes on in that tiny brain of his. But ... of course, he is terribly cute.

The songs, unfortunately, are so-so, not one memorable on in the lot. But watch it with your kids, they might just bite the bait.

Story about Tom Thumb (Russ Tamblyn) who is no bigger than someone's thumb. He gets involved with two bumbling crooks (Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers) and such.

Kids might like it but this is pretty hard going. Basically this is more of a musical than anything else. The songs are (to be nice) unmemorable and annoying. It got to the point that I was dreading each song--and there are LOTS of them! The story (what there is of it) is very slight and the lapses in logic were puzzling even for a fairy tale movie. Terry-Thomas (chewing the scenery) and Peter Sellers were stupid and unfunny and Alan Young and June Thorburn were unbelievably bland as young lovers. On the plus side Tamblyn was good in the title role, the dances are colorful and there's some really cool stop motion animation with Tom's toys. So kids will probably like this (although they might howl at the stop motion animation which looks clumsy next to CGI) but I was bored silly and couldn't wait for this to be over. I give it a 6.

Woodcutter Honest Jonathan is granted three wishes by the forest queen as gratitude for not chopping down a mighty oak tree. Returning home he excitedly tries to tell his wife about the wishes, but an argument ensues and during the course of which, the three wishes are foolishly wasted. Realising the folly of their waste, they both sadly ponder on the absence of a son in their life, no matter what size he be. Jonathan muses that perhaps the queen would grant them one more wish, even a small one...

Based on the Brothers Grimm story, "tom thumb" may just be the most undervalued musical made in the 1950s. "tom thumb" has everything a family musical should have, a fantastical fairytale full of colour, vibrant song and dance sequences, and a warmth to cheer the bluest of hearts. With the athletic and ebullient Russ Tamblyn taking the lead as Tom, and villains portrayed with such gleeful caddishness by Peter Sellers and Terry-Thomas, the film was always going to start from a good footing. Add in Tom Howard's Academy Award winning effects, Gamley & Jones' whimsical score and the zippy direction from Ray Harryhausen mentor, George Pal, well what's the excuse for not letting this film into yours, and your children's life?

The story unfolds in a blaze of glorious art design and pupetoon effects. As Tamblyn roams around his little world, the makers blend over-sized sets with animation and real life choreography. Yeah its a little creaky now, but this is still magic, a hark back to a time when it was hard work to craft such a fusion of incredible delights. There's a main sequence as Tom brings the toys to life (you see a toy without a child is as bad as a child without a toy), a truly wondrous segment of film that deserves classic status. Fit to sit alongside the moment Gene Kelly danced with Mickey Mouse in Anchors Aweigh, this sees Tamblyn trip the light fantastic around, and with, numerous articles and childhood toys beloved by so many in the past. Then there is the talented shoes, a mortality romantic sub-plot, and yes! the good against evil thematic so rich and potent with many a fairytale that has been spun. It's all good, really it is.

Am I biased because it was a childhood favourite? You can bet your last Cent, Penny or Euro that I am indeed! But I know this one truth, that I have shown this to various age groups over the years, and not once has this film finished and not been met with smiles and even happy tears on occasions. Because ultimately it delivers the joy to the children, and to the children in us all. And that be the truth your honour.

Doo be doo be doo 9/10

The talented RUSS TAMBLYN does a superb job of singing, dancing and acting while playing the title role of the miniature boy presented as a gift to a woodsman and his wife by a woodland spirit. They treat him as their own son and the film revolves around his misadventures after his parents are wrongly accused of a crime and he must find the real culprits (TERRY-THOMAS and PETER SELLERS) in time for a happy ending.

The trick photography is marvelous, the toys that come to life are inventive and fun, the interaction between Tom and all the other townspeople is well done--and this was all before the CGI effects we have today.

There's a lot of charm to several musical numbers, especially one called "Yawning Man," and all of the song-and-dance numbers are done in rollicking style. Songstress Peggy Lee wrote several clever songs.

Well worth watching, a family film that can be enjoyed by adults or children. Tamblyn's talents are given full reign in this one.

I understand why some of the reviewers have fond memories of seeing "tom thumb" when they were kids. Back in 1958, the special effects were amazingly good. However, when seen today, the film comes off as very badly dated and a bit stupid. There...I said it. So, despite some wonderful George Pal effects, today it just seems like a silly and insignificant film.

The story begins with a magical queen giving an old couple a 'son'--a 4 inch high one! Tom turns out to be a lot like Pinocchio--very naive and ripe to be taken advantage of by baddies. And, the baddies (Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers) convince the little guy to steal for them--and poor Tom doesn't know what he's going. Additionally, Tom has lots of singing and dancing adventures with magic shoes, toys that come alive and the like.

I guess that part of the reason the film hasn't aged well is that stop-motion has been supplanted by CGI. The computer animations simply look better and don't have a 'halo' around characters when they are superimposed onto backgrounds. Another problem is the singing and dancing--there is just too much and it probably would bore many kids. Overall, a nice film back in the day but a terribly dated one today.

This movie deservedly won the Oscar for its Special Effects. Russ Tamblyn was well-cast as tom. The romantic sub-plot is superfluous and Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers all but steal the movie as a bumbling pair of thieves. Funny enjoyable puffball of a movie. Well worth watching for the effects and Sellers and Thomas.

George Pal directed this colorful production based on the tale by the Brothers Grimm involving a woodcutter and his wife who are granted a succession of wishes--though their request for a little boy goes somewhat awry when a thumb-sized young man shows up on their doorstep! Very silly story tends to test the boundaries of whimsical fantasy, and Russ Tamblyn as tom thumb is forced to shout out all his lines (which quickly wears out his welcome), but it's certainly an eyeful that may enchant older children. Peggy Lee's songs are enjoyable, Peter Sellers pops up in a supporting role, and the Oscar-winning visual effects are a lot of fun. **1/2 from ****

It's gratifying to know how much this film meant to some folks. Apparently it did what the filmmakers intended, as far as supporters of this work are concerned.

For me, it was a rather tedious, limp affair, despite the vigorous performance of Russ Tamblyn. The Pal special effects seemed dated, though impressive from a historical perspective. The songs come across as fair, and the whole enterprise seemed pale and drawn out.

One can see the effort (and cost) that went into this production, for it's often quite opulent and elaborate. Perhaps kids from ages 3-7 might be its best audience. There's nothing harmful here for very young children, and their parents might appreciate a film the family can watch together. In that sense, "tom thumb" has a value.

When I was a kid, this was among my favourite movies. The story of an old couple who are finally granted a wish to have a son, only to find he is just as tall as a thumb, is heartwarming and funny. And the naive character of the boy, the clumsy and funny villains, the comic relief characters, all together make this an enchanting tale for kids.

But for me, the highlight of the entire movie was the yawning man. There were lots of funny setpieces (dancing shoes, a romantic sub plot, ...) to extend the length of the movie, which would otherwise have lasted only half an hour or so, but this one stands out in my mind even today: The animated puppet that sings a yawning song, which makes Tom fall asleep. The song was so good, I have never forgotten it, and better yet: It worked. It was incredibly hard for my entire family not to yawn - not because of boredom, but because there are few things as infective as yawning...

So while Harry Potter may be the kiddie-movie of the moment, full of expensive special effects and a world famous franchise, it is hard to beat this old classic with the one thing that Harry Potter lacks: A soul.

Few other kid's movies managed that. Watch "Jack and the Beanstalk" (with Gene Kelly), or a few of the old Czech fairy tale movies (Salt prince, Cinderella with Hazelnuts), and you won't be disappointed. They all had what most ultra-slick kid's movies lack....

Likable family adventure. It looks and feels like a Disney classic, but it's really a George Pal movie - you know, the guy who would later do War of the Worlds and the like. Still not sure how old Tom Thumb is supposed to be, but Russ Tamblyn looks like he's at least in his late teens. Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers make great stupid villains, too.

"Tom Thumb", released in 1958, is a rather unique MGM musical in that it was directed by George Pal, the man behind the stop-motion animated characters known as the "Puppetoons" (i.e. 1947's Tubby the Tuba), as well as the producer of science fiction classics like 1951's When Worlds Collide and 1953's The War of the Worlds.

Based on the Grimm fairy tale of the same name, the film stars future West Side Story star Russ Tamblyn in the title role, as a boy the size of a thumb, sent by a forest queen (June Thorburn), to live with a married couple (Jessie Matthews and Bernard Miles) who wished for a kid. During his adventures, he would also befriend woodwind musician named Woody (Alan Young of Mister Ed fame), George Pal's "Puppetoon" magic also makes an appearance when Tom's toys come to life (with the voices of Stan Freberg and Dallas McKennon, whose grandson I'm good friends with). Finally, there are the two bumbling thieves, Ivan and Antony, (Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers pre-Pink Panther respectively) who trick Tom into stealing money from the village treasury.

As someone who enjoys watching classic movies (I watch TCM often, so that should be a clue) and is a film major at university, I can say that this film has a certain charm to it that makes it still enjoyable today, and still makes for a good film to show to the kids. The Puppetoon animated segments were quite impressive for the time, and Tamblyn's athletic skill and choreography really shines. The songs are also a nice touch, with one of them being written by Peggy Lee, three years after her work on the Disney picture Lady and the Tramp.

The only thing that doesn't age well at all is the film's compositing effects (or "green screening"), which is rather poor and one of the toy characters, Con-Fu-Shon, is definitely not PC, as it can be seen as an Asian stereotype, because, well...it is. Let's not beat around the bush.

With those positives and negatives in mind, it is an interesting relic from the '50s, and can still make for a nice film for the kiddywinks in order to keep them quiet for an hour-and-a-half.

Before the mechanization of our world, woodcutter Jonathan is chopping down a tree in the forest. The Forest Queen appears before him. She asks him to stop. When he agrees, she grants him three wishes. He and his wife waste the first two wishes. With the third wish, the childless couple receives a tiny child, Tom Thumb (Russ Tamblyn). Jonathan in on the road with Tom when they encounter villainous Ivan and Antony (Peter Sellers) who offer to buy Tom.

It's a fun little family film. It's always fun to see a character living in the giant world. Tom Thumb reminds me a lot of Pinocchio. It does put the elements into a blender and mix it up. The result is somewhat fun. Tom Thumb should be played by a boy. Russ Tamblyn is fine with the dancing and his energy but the character is begging to be a child. The role does have a child-like innocence. While the Chinese toy is very badly stereotyped, some allowance must be made for the era. This is generally a good family film.

Made 52 years ago and still enchanting, this MGM musical and puppetoon version of TOM THUMB is still a valid solid family delight. Told in a very European storybook manner, rather like the illustrations from a Little Golden Book, TOM THUMB unfolds into a spectacular special effects laden thrill... and no CGI all marvelous sets and over-sized art direction with amazing stop frame animation and puppet movements. It actually became more interesting for the astonishing and clever ideas edited together to make the story work. In 2009 this version might at first seem a bit too juvenile for today's kids but the simple ideas presented as a pantomime with sheer brilliance of on screen mastery and some hilarious acting by Terry Thomas Peter Sellers and Russ Tamblyn made me in middle age realize that once the lights go down and a genuinely well made film begins, it works for any person of any age. The two 8 year olds with me who are saturated with Harry Potter and Star Wars simply loved TOM THUMB and like kids of any year gone, laughed along with the beauty and wit on screen. It must have had a big budget because what I saw in scene after scene was a beautifully constructed lavish fantasy with completely convincing special effects.. made of cardboard and film. TOM THUMB still works !! What a delight. This version did not have a gollywog dance wither so it might have been the shorter version still clocking in at about 92 minutes. I saw the Gollywog but he was lying down by the time he appeared. I saw a new 35mm print in a cinema in Sydney on Jan 13, 2009. The color was rich and a bit dark and the grain obvious, but it was so clever and funny I forgot any film laboratory hardness.

...there was an honest woodcutter called Jonathan (Bernard Miles), who lived with his wife Anne (Jessie Matthews) in a small cottage in a great forest. One day, while Jonathan is busy chopping down a mighty oak, the beautiful Forest Queen (June Thorburn) appears and asks him to stop, promising to grant him three wishes if he does so. The woodcutter agrees, but stupidly wastes his wishes; taking pity on him, the Forest Queen grants one further wish, giving the childless couple a son in the form of Tom (Russ Tamblyn), who is no bigger than their thumb.

All is well until two despicable villains, Ivan (Terry Thomas) and Antony (Peter Sellers), dupe the diminutive, naive youngster into helping them steal gold from the town's treasury. Shortly after, Tom's parents are arrested for the crime when one of the missing coins finds its way into their home. To save his mother and father from a public flogging, Tom must track down the real thieves and bring them to justice, with a little help from loveable local layabout Woody (Alan Young).

Thirty seven years before Pixar's Toy Story, director George Pal made this charming fairytale adaptation that also featured toys that come to life (AND a prominent character named Woody!), but he did so without the aid of computers. Showcasing an impressive array of old-school special effects techniques (stop-motion, travelling mattes, animation, oversized props, forced perspective, puppetry), Tom Thumb is an innovative, vibrant, family-friendly treat for fans of classic fantasy.

Tamblyn, in the title role, can be a little bit annoying at times, with his over-exaggerated pantomime-style performance, but his sheer energy and agility has to be admired, especially during the 'living toy' dance set-piece, in which he busts some crazy moves to a jazzy beat and performs acrobatics worthy of Jackie Chan. Also hamming it up a treat are Thomas and Sellers as the boo-hiss bad guys, but being the villains of the piece, the overacting here is a little more excusable.

With a rollicking pace, terrific set design, a few catchy songs, and some memorably freaky moments (is it just me or is the Yawning Man seriously creepy, even moreso than the Black Swamp?), Tom Thumb is still highly entertaining fun for all ages, recommended for those who love the likes of The Wizard of Oz, Jack the Giant Slayer, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the work of Ray Harryhausen.

Average musical almost redeemed by Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers as the villains as well as by special effects that surpassed most of those of the 50s.

The Peggy Lee songs do not come near matching those of The Lady and the Tramp. The dance numbers are not well choreographed. Alan Young, an acquired taste at best, stumbles through his role as Woody.

Still, it's not a complete failure as a movie. Russ Tamblyn is energetic, the Forest Queen is pretty, and the story is sweet.

The IMDb tells me that I need 10 lines in a review. I'm sure the powers that be are much too young to have read the short zingers in _Time_ and _The New Yorker_ of 50 to 60 years ago.

Rich, colorful musical fantasy based on a Grimms fairy tale that is delightfully fun to watch. Telling the tale of a woodsman who is granted three wishes by a very beautiful blonde fairy, the Forest Queen, after he agrees to not cut down a giant oak. But he blows it on the wishes (gee, who could have guessed that would happen?!), much to the chagrin of his patient wife, by blurting out a wish for a sausage, which ends up on his nose via another wish, forcing him to use the last wish to get it off his nose - okey dokey. Luckily, the Forest Queen is very patient, apparently, for they are given a fourth wish - they would like to have a young one to play with their room full of toys, someone they can love even if he is no bigger than their thumb. Well, next thing you know, Tom Thumb (played by Russ Tamblyn) has come knocking on their door - he's tiny, but he sure can dance! He's bedded down for the night by his new "parents" and wakes up to have a magical dance party with his toys, now come to life via some really wonderful special effects. Another fun musical number features a village dance where all the dancers have purchased "talented shoes" from the cobbler that keep dancing as long as there is music. Later poor Tom gets mixed up with two villains who force him to steal bags full of gold (this part of the film was the one segment that I thought dragged the story down a bit). There is also a subplot involving a local music man (Alan Young) who is in love with the Forest Queen and doesn't realize that he can turn her into a mortal via a kiss.

As a whole, this film is really a lot of fun - with great dancing, brightly colored period costumes, and trick photography which really succeeds in making Tom look small. All the actors are great in this - but Russ Tamblyn really steals this film with his marvelous, amazing, athletic skill at combining dance with gymnastics - really a fantastic talent. The music in this is fairly good, although nothing spectacular - though I must say that I saw this screened at Cinecon 43 in Hollywood four days ago (it looked great on the big screen, by the way) and I still keep finding myself humming one of the tunes from this all day long, it's really stuck in my head. Alan Young appeared in person for this screening and proved to be highly funny and entertaining during an interview after the film was shown. This would be a terrific movie for children to see, for adults I also find this film to be quite entertaining - I am partial to fantasies, this was a treat to see.

Some children's musicals have an ageless quality, both in terms of the time they were made and their ability to appeal to audiences at various points in life. Think "The Wizard Of Oz," "Gay Purr-ee," "Mary Poppins," and a slew of recent Disney films.

Then there's "tom thumb." A children's movie of and for its time, "tom thumb" was a big hit when it was released in 1958 and remained a holiday offering for regional TV channels a couple of decades later. Today, however, it stands out, at least to this pair of older eyes, more as a curio, a showcase for some impressive special effects, a directorial debut for kid-film king George Pal, and Peter Sellers' first appearance in an international screen role as Antony, one of a pair of villains (alongside Terry-Thomas, who as Ivan has the bigger part here).

Terry-Thomas got his only British Academy Award nomination for his work here, though neither he nor Sellers stand out especially. Sellers in particular plays his part too heavy, both in manner and in costume. The comedy in Ladislas Fodor's script is too twee, and slow-paced in an apparent effort to keep even the youngest audience member from losing the plot. It's not much of a plot, either. To the extent "tom thumb" strives to be diverting, it succeeds, but at the expense of offering more lasting entertainment.

More central to the film, and to its relative merits, are Russ Tamblyn as the title character, a cheerful if gullible youngster who arrives at Acorn Cottage, home of Honest John (Bernard Miles) and his wife Anne (Jessie Matthews). The childless couple is so desperate for a little boy that they fill an empty bedroom with a myriad of expensive-looking toys while contenting themselves to dine on cabbage.

"I'd love him with all my heart, even if he were no bigger than my thumb," Anne says. Tom, as it turns out, is bigger than that, but only by about an inch.

If "tom thumb" had been made today, there would have been more made of the boy's arrival, in terms of his adopted parents adjusting to the reality of their little treasure. But in true fairy-tale style, they take to Tom quite matter-of-factly. The film spends its first 45 minutes celebrating Tom's new place in life, centered on a long dancing sequence between Tom and his new toys, who embodying a tradition cemented by the "Toy Story" films, only spring to life when the adults are away. It's a great sequence, even if it does nothing in the way of forwarding a plot. Children today I think will still enjoy this part, anyway.

The second half of the movie centers on Tom's difficulty overcoming the machinations of Antony and Ivan. He's suckered by the pair when they use his small size to burgle the village vault. Then, when his parents are blamed for the theft, Tom must uncover the real crooks and bring them to justice.

The film still looks gorgeous, shot it seems on a set similar to that used in "The Wizard Of Oz." The theme song is nice, though overplayed. The rest of the songs are flat on delivery, and that goes double for the other main storyline here, a romance between Woody, a goofy musician (Alan Young), and the magical woodland creature called the Forest Queen (June Thorburn) who brought Tom to John and Anne in the first place. Whenever Woody and Queenie come on screen, you know kids of all ages will be ready to forsake the lovebirds for Angry Birds.

But Tamblyn's unaffected sincerity and enthusiasm keep "tom thumb" from being a total drag. Pal's direction definitely works at striking the right balance between menace and humor, even if there's not much on screen either to be scared of or laugh at.

I liked this film more for seeing Sellers try out some early physical comedy, knowing he stood here on the verge of a five-year run that would be the envy of any comedian of the sound era. It's disappointing in its limitations, but affecting in the way it encapsulates the notion of children's entertainment in a more innocent age.