Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina
by Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
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DVD details
Actor: Barbara Cook, Gary Imhoff, Gino Conforti, Jodi Benson, Will RyanDirector: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
Brand: Fox
Producer: Don Bluth
Writer: Don Bluth
Producer: Gary Goldman
Producer: Helene Blitz
Producer: John Pomeroy
Writer: Hans Christian Andersen
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 86 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-03-16
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Reviews of Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina
DVD Review: Not Spunky, but Sweet
Summary: 4 Stars
I absolutely loved this movie when I was younger. I still like it now. I'll try not to give away too much on this review. Well, here goes:
Thumbelina is not your tough, smart-mouthed "spunky" sort of girl. She's sweet, and sheltered, and seems to be the only one of her size in the whole world. She loves her mother very much, but is lonely. On the night her dissatisfaction with this comes to a head, she meets the fairy prince, who is charmed by her shy beauty and lovely singing voice. They fall heavily in like to the tune of the very pretty "Let Me Be Your Wings" and he wants her to meet his parents.
Before this can happen Thumbelina is kidnapped, being prized for her singing talent, by a group of musical performing toads. Her escape is assisted by various friendly animals/insects but she's trailed by the toads (among other creatures), and the frightened girl tries to make it home, nearly freezing in the coming winter.
Thumbelina, never having known what was in the world or what its creatures might think of her, is bewildered but optimistic, occasionally feeling hopeless but always getting back up to try again to make it home. She does learn to accept herself as she is, and stand up for herself to those who want to control her life (even if her only option is to run away from those trying to domineer her). In the end she is reunited with her mother and *SPOILER* marries the prince who loved her just as she was (but probably neither of them complained when *SPOILERx2* she gets her own wings).
Some commentators have the complaint that Thumbelina is weak, and lets herself be walked over. I gently remind them this movie came out before "spunky" was in, and that Thumbelina is, again, very sheltered, amiable and compassionate (the latter two being attributes it won't hurt children to see as being good traits to have). And eventually the girl does decide to take her life into her own hands and *SPOILERx3* escape an unwanted marriage she felt obligated to because of the help she received by the would-be groom and his friend. She is assisted by others, being way out of her comfort zone, but since when is getting a little help a bad thing?
Another good thing is the subtle point, in the form of a conversation with the sparrow, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if you and those you love are perfectly happy with who you are and what you look like, don't care so much about what others think.
No character death (though it looks like there is at two points, but the sparrow is not dead, merely unconscious, and the prince frozen in ice), no blood or bad words. Overall, it's a sweet movie suitable to younger girls who like stories about fairies, music, and friendship, with good triumphing over--well, not evil, but certainly villainous creatures determined to get their own way. I deducted a star merely because the stupid beetle creeps me out, I really hate bugs. Hope this helps. : )
Description of Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina
THUMBELINA - DVD MovieRanking just behind the best of animator Don Bluth's films (Anastasia and The Secret of NIMH), Thumbelina is a bubble-light version of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. The finger-sized heroine goes about the old-fashioned trials of trying to find a good man, but the film is clever enough to make it endearing for the 3-6 set and more than passable for adult viewers. Barry Manilow provides much of the song score, which helps immensely. The ballad "Let Me Be Your Wings" is as good as Disney's best. Carol Channing and Charo have a good ol' time with their songs too. The voice of Thumbelina is none other than Jodi Benson, who gave voice to Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. --Doug Thomas
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