March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934)
While March of the Wooden Soldiers doesn’t have that much to do with Christmas, neither does It’s a Wonderful Life, a holiday staple in most people’s households. Sometimes it’s not the plot points that make a Christmas movie, but the spirit behind the actors and their characters. In this delightful 1934 comedy, comedic duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy team up in the charming town of Toyland. They board rooms with the little old woman who lives in a shoe, and their neighbors are Tom-Tom, Little Miss Muffet, Mother Goose, Little Jack Horner, the three little pigs, and more storybook characters. Based on Victor Herbert’s operetta and featuring several of the original songs, the film is so cheerful and sweet, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The movie takes place in July, but Santa plays a vital role in the plot. Stan and Ollie work in a toy factory, and when they mess up Santa’s order of toy soldiers and accidentally make them life-sized, they get fired. Without their income, their poor landlady can’t pay the mortgage on her shoe, and the evil crooked man is going to toss them all out!
There are enough fairytale features to entertain the kids in the audience, and more than enough hilarious Stan and Ollie antics to keep the grown-ups laughing. There’s an adorable romance between Little Bo Peep and Tom-Tom, danger from the Bogeymen, blackmail, a kidnapping, huge production numbers, sweet playtime between a cat and a Mickey Mouse lookalike, and incredible special effects for the time period. There have been many film adaptations of Babes in Toyland, but this one is my favorite. It’s hilarious, with a laugh a minute, heartwarming, and full of Christmas spirit.
More Christmas movies here!
The movie takes place in July, but Santa plays a vital role in the plot. Stan and Ollie work in a toy factory, and when they mess up Santa’s order of toy soldiers and accidentally make them life-sized, they get fired. Without their income, their poor landlady can’t pay the mortgage on her shoe, and the evil crooked man is going to toss them all out!
There are enough fairytale features to entertain the kids in the audience, and more than enough hilarious Stan and Ollie antics to keep the grown-ups laughing. There’s an adorable romance between Little Bo Peep and Tom-Tom, danger from the Bogeymen, blackmail, a kidnapping, huge production numbers, sweet playtime between a cat and a Mickey Mouse lookalike, and incredible special effects for the time period. There have been many film adaptations of Babes in Toyland, but this one is my favorite. It’s hilarious, with a laugh a minute, heartwarming, and full of Christmas spirit.
More Christmas movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Picture of 1934
Best Director: Gus Meins and Charles Rogers
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Musical Score: Harry Jackson
Best Screenplay