HANSEL & GRETEL (1954, U.S.)

Hansel & Gretel

(aka HANSEL & GRETEL: AN OPERA FANTASY)
(1954, U.S.) color animated 72 minutes
RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Story: Engelbert Humperdinck (from his opera)
Screenplay: Padraic Colum, Adelheid Wette
Cinematography by Martin Munkacsi
Music: Engelbert Humperdinck
Produced by Michael Myerberg
Directed by Michael Myerberg, John Paul

Voices: Anna Russell (Rosina Rubylips), Mildred Dunnock (Mother), Frank Rogier (Father), Constance Brigham (Hansel, Gretel), Helen Boatwright (Dew Fairy), Delbert Anderson (Sandman)

***

This version of the story is not based on the Grimm Brothers story, but on Engelbert Hummperdink's comic opera of the 1800's. Nevertheless, it's still a wonderful adaptation of a children's classic. The film opens with an introduction read by a well-known author, who is only seen by his hands. As he reads from a book, his voice is heard.

The scene fades into a great forest, where a young woman narrator talks about an evil witch named Rosina Rubylips. (The voice of Rosina is comic opera singer/actress Anna Russell.) Rosina spies on the home of a struggling broommaker and his family.

The mother of the family is out trying to acquire food for them, while father is out selling his wares. The two kids, Hansel and Gretel, make brooms for their father to sell in the village. But Hansel is more interested in eating and playing than in doing his work. Gretel is not thrilled by her brother's revery, but his funmaking ways are not easy to resist. The pair sing and dance to the tune of "Right Foot First, Left Foot Then, Round and Round, And Back Again!".

Unfortunately, the children's foolishness is caught by their mother. (The voice of the mother is character actress Mildred Dunnock, best remembered as Danny Thomas' mother in the 1954 remake of THE JAZZ SINGER.) She angrilly swats at the kids with her broom, which leads to a pitcher of milk meant for dinner to be spilled onto the floor.

Enraged by this accident, Mother sends the two kids, and their two pets ("Gingey the Bear" & "Susie the Goose") out into the forest to gather strawberries. After the kids are out of the house, Father returns home, singing happily. Mother, who has had her fill of the kids' nonsense, doesn't like her husband to be merry when there is no food in the house.

But the old broommaker shows his doubtful spouse a satchel filled with foodstuffs and monies. She is overjoyed at this bounty of good luck. The joyful moment turns to horror as the broommaker learns that his wife has allowed the kids to wander into the haunted forrest of "Illenchastein".

Father sings about the evil Rosina Rubylips, who uses her dangerous black magic to lure victims to her gingerbread house, in order to capture and turn them into Human Gingerbread Cookies!

Now realizing the danger that the kids are in, Mother and Father begin to search the forest for Hansel & Gretel. But the witch is nobody's fool. She has suspected that the kids' parents would try to rescue them. Using her talents for mimicry, Rosina imitates the children's voices, and leads the adults in another directions.

Meanwhile, the kids are lost, and forced to eat their strawberries to give them strength. Tired and cold, they soon meet Dozey the Sandman, who lulls the two to sleep with a tune called "Every Night I Go To Sleep". The kindly little elf creates a soft bed for the kids on a grassy knoll and as the kids say their prayers, he sprinkles sleepsand into their eyes. Before you know it, our little heroes are in slumber.

The next morning, Hansel & Gretel see Rosina's Gingerbread House appear from out of nowhere, as a trio of singing frogs lure the unsuspecting youngsters to the sweets-filled trap. Rosina tries to get the kids into her house, but they refuse and try to run away. But Rosina uses her black magic to freeze them, and she ties up poor Hansel and locks him into a cage.

Gretel is made a slave of the evil monster. While Gretel does the witch's housework, Rosina takes a flight on her broomstick and sings "The Witch's Song". When she returns, she changes her outfit and prepares the oven to cook Hansel.

In order to save her brother's life, Gretel pretends that she doesn't know how to check the oven's temperture, so Rosina stands on her tiptoes and looks into the stove. Gretel frees her brother from the cage, and together they grab hold of a serving board and shove Rosina Rubylips into her own oven.

Within minutes, the Gingerbread House is destroyed, and the Gingerbread Children are restored to their normal selves. The parents find the kids and take them home to celebrate their victory over the witch, who has been turned into a giant gingerbread cookie, and eaten by Gingey and Susie!.

***

In the early 1960's, WPIX-TV, Channel 11 in New York City aired HANSEL & GRETEL during the Thanksgiving Holidays. The film was "hosted" by two of the Paul Ashley Puppets, Tommy and a young girl. The puppets would entertain the viewers and provide some narration inbetween the segments of the film.

The Paul Ashley Puppets hosted the screening of HANSEL & GRETEL three times; the station then dropped the film from their holiday schedule. It is a shame that the puppet footage featuring Paul Ashley's creations no longer exists. The puppets were fun and engaging. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Ashley in 1979. He was a talented and caring gentleman.

H&G was not aired on NY TV again until the 1990's on WNBC TV Channel 4. The film was shown without a host. Following this screening, Channel 4 dropped the movie from it's holiday schedule.

- Kevin S. Butler

Video/DVD availability: VHS (Media Home Entertainment; out of print)