Tom Thumb (1958): A Classic Fairy Tale with a Cinematic Twist

Filmed in England and directed by American George Pal, this enthralling fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm starred Russ Tamblyn as the 5½-inch-tall Tom Thumb.

The good-natured little chap is sent to the home of childless woodcutter Jonathan (Bernard Miles) and his wife Anna (Jessie Matthews) by the magical Forest Queen (June Thorburn) to fulfil their wish for a son as a reward to Jonathan for sparing a tree which is home to some woodland birds.

Tom immediately befriends the various toys in his nursery, which come alive in his presence to sing and dance with him as Tamlyn shares the screen with 40 “puppetoon” characters, among them Con-Fu-Shon, a philosophical Chinese puppet of Humpty Dumpty characteristics (voiced by Dal McKennon), the Yawning Man (voiced by Stan Freberg), Jack-the-Jumper, Gingerbread Jim, Clownie and dancing Thumbella.

He also becomes friends with a piper named Woody (Alan Young), who is in love with the Forest Queen. However, his idle habits and her immortality have hindered any plans for a possible romance.

The kind-hearted but naive young Tom is hoodwinked by villains Ivan and Tony – played splendidly by comedians Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers, oozing fruity menace with lip-licking relish – into helping them steal gold from the village treasury.

They reward him with a single gold coin, which accidentally falls into the dough Anna is preparing for a loaf of bread and the telltale coin is subsequently discovered by the authorities investigating the robbery.

She and Jonathan are accused of the crime and arrested. Meanwhile, Tom and Woody pursue the true villains. As Tony and Ivan flee, Tom hides himself in the ear of their horse and the noble steed, following Tom’s whispered instructions, carries the bad guys to the village.

Arriving just as Anna and Jonathan are about to be publicly whipped for their crime, Woody comes rushing up in time to block their escape and become a hero – and there is the Forest Queen waiting for him.

Summoning all his courage, Woody boldly kisses her and transforms her into a radiant mortal.

The couple are married, and Tom – following Woody’s example – kisses the beautiful little nursery doll Thumbella, upon whom he has been casting his eye. She also springs to life and they dance happily together – and everybody lives happily ever after.

The studio sets for scenes involving Tom were constructed at 12 times the normal size. A bandsman’s cap on which Tom dances was actually 13 feet high and 40 feet in circumference.