Cinemallennials: Babes in Toyland/March of the Wooden Soldiers
By Dave Lewis
Hello my name is David Lewis and I am the host of Cinemallennials, a podcast where myself and another millennial watch a classic film ranging from the 1890s to 1969 and discuss its significance and relevance in our world today.
On this episode of Cinemallennials, I talked with educator and Tiktoker, Tristan Ettleman, about one of my favorite films of all time, Laurel and Hardy’s 1934 Christmas classic Babes in Toyland, also known as March of the Wooden Soldiers.
Babes In Toyland does not only have personal significance for me as I go on to tell the story in this episode but is significant in his place as a historic children’s film but as well as a holiday film as thousands of people every Thanksgiving and Christmas in America tune into this wonderful, whimsical, triumphant and yet frighteningly realistic classic.
Starring the original comedy duo, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Babes in Toyland follows the story Stannie Dee and Ollie Dum, two craftsmen who promise Old Mother Hubbard to pay off her mortgage as her evil landlord Silas Barnaby threatens to put her family out and to marry her daughter Bo Peep against her will.
When the boys can’t cover the mortgage after mistakenly making 100 soldiers at 6 foot high instead of making 600 soliders at one foot high for Santa Claus they have to turn to hysterical ways to help Old Mother Hubbard and Bo Peep. Once doing so, Barnaby swears his revenge by recruiting monsters called the Boogeymen to take over Toyland but the 100 soldiers the Boys made might have something to say about that!
So sit back , relax and enjoy the movie while you want for Santy to deliver your presents.
Cinemallennials is a podcast where Dave and another millennial are introduced to a classic film for the very first time ranging from the birth of cinema to the 1960s. Dave and his guest will open your eyes to the vast landscape of classic film as they discuss the films' performers, their performances, those behind the camera, and how they and their films still influence our world today. You can find his official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram profiles here.