The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm

(1962, U.S.) color 135 minutes
Cinerama / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Based on the tales of Jacob Grimm & Wilhelm Grimm
Story: David P. Harmon, Hermann Gerstner (based on his book, "Die Bruder Grimm")
Screenplay: David P. Harmon, Charles Beaumont, William Roberts
Music: Leigh Harline
Cinematography: Paul Vogel
Editing: Walter Thompson
Art Direction: Edward Carfagno, George W. Davis
Set Decoration: Henry Grace, Dick Pefferle
Produced by George Pal
Directed by Henry Levin, George Pal

With: Laurence Harvey (Wilhelm Grimm/The Cobbler), Karl Bohm (Jacob Grimm), Claire Bloom (Dorothea Grimm), Walter Slezak (Stossel), Barbara Eden (Greta Heinrich), Oskar Homolka (The Duke), Arnold Stang (Rumpelstiltskin), Martita Hunt (Anna Richter, the Story Teller), Betty Garde (Miss Bettenhausen), Bryan Russell (Freidrich Grimm), Ian Wolfe (Gruber), Tammy Marihugh (Pauline Grimm), Cheerio Meredith (Mrs. Von Dittersdorf), Walter Rilla (Priest), Yvette Mimieux (The Princess), Russ Tamblyn (The Woodsman/Tom Thumb), Jim Backus (The King), Beulah Bondi (The Gypsy), Clinton Sundberg (The Prime Minister), Walter Brooke (The Mayor), Sandra Gale Bettin (The Ballerina), Robert Foulk (The Hunter), Terry-Thomas (Ludwig), Buddy Hackett (Hans), Otto Kruger (The King), Robert Crawford Jr. (The Shepherd), Sydney Smith (The Spokesman)

***

In 1962, George Pal released his last fairy tale oriented fantasy film, THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM. Utilizing the stories and the lives of the Grimm Brothers, from a novel Die Bruder Grimm by Dr. Hermann Gertsner and a script and concept by Dave P. Harmon, Charles Beaumont, William Roberts and by Dr. Gertsner himself. This film presents some of the Brothers best loved tales.

The film opens in the 1800's in the library of The Grand Duke. Jacob (Karl Bohem, who had appeared in the Walt Disney movie musical drama ALMOST ANGELS as the boy's choir master) and Wilhelm Grimm (Laurence Harvey , who had appeared in Elizabeth Taylor's film drama BUTTERFIELD EIGHT a few years before) are busy writing The Duke's autobiography. Or, it seems that Wilhelm Grimm is writing his portion of the Duke's memoirs, when the Duke's chamberlain Gruber comes into the library to check on the brother's work, he reads Wilhelm's research and he is appalled to see that he is reading a children's story and not accurate research about The Duke and his family.

Angrily, Gruber rips up the story and the duke enters the library and he hears from his Lord High Chamberlin of the brother's tardiness in getting the book finished. The brothers are working for the duke and he is paying for their efforts and lodgings and he warns them that if his book is not finished by the time The Duke's birthday comes in three weeks. He will thrown them out of their lodgings, take back their commissions and throw them both into debtor's prison. The pair leave for the day and Jacob tells his irresponsible brother to please keep to their work and not to waste time on writing fairy tales.

Well, Wilhelm is not exactly a responsible man or a strict man. Instead of lecturing his two children, Pauline (Tammy Marihugh) and Fredrich (Bryan Russell, who would go onto play Emil in Walt Disney's EMILE & THE DETECTIVES a few years later) on not their school work. Wilhelm tells the kids the tale of The Woodsman and his efforts to win the heart of The Dancing Princess. The scene shifts to a beautiful forest on a bright and warm morning. As The Woodsman (Russ Tamblyn, George Pal's “Tom Thumb”) who goes to seek out the help of his friend The Kindly Old Gypsy Woman (character actress Beulah Bondi in her last film role). The Woodsman needs the aide of his friend to help him win the hand of The Princess , who wears out her shoes all the time and The King (Jim Backus, best remembered as the voice of Quincy Magoo and as Thurston Howell The III on GILLIGAN'S ISLAND) is frustrated in finding out how his daughter is ruining all of her footwear. The Gypsy gives The Woodsman a Cloak Of Invisibility and Domino Mask , which will aide the young man in his quest. Thanking his friend, he dons the cape and gives her a kiss.

The Woodsman is soon in The King's Throne room, where he asks to try and solve his majesty's problem. The King is a bit leery of this young fellow's optimism, since other have tried to solve the problem and they have failed. Their failures have only resulted in their deaths. Nevertheless, the King gives the Woodsman his chance but he warns him “Don't lose Your Head!” The Princess has overheard The Woodsman's boasts to find out her highnesses' secret and she is prepared to foil his efforts by giving him a sleeping potion. But, The Woodsman is nobody's fool and he spills the sleeping potion into a potted plant and he feigns sleep. As he sneaks into The Princesses' (Yvette Mimeux, who had appeared in Pal's THE TIME MACHINE as Wena a few years before) and he sees her change her clothes and head out of her bedroom via a hidden panel in the wall. The panel leads to a stairwell that leads to the main road of the palace. Where a coach is waiting to take her highness to a gypsy camp, where she dances all night.

Disguising himself as a member of the gypsy band, the Woodsman comes onto the scene and enchanted by this stranger , The Princess dances with him. Until the dawn and she quickly heads back to her coach and The Woodsman (hidden by his invisibility cape) rides on top of the coach. When he returns to the throne room., he tries to explain to The King that the damages to his daughter's shoes are caused by her sneaking out of the palace via the secret door and heading for a gypsy camp to dance the night away. Not accepting his wild tale, The King angrily orders his royal ax-man to cut off The Woodsman's head, until the young fellow shows them the secret panel. Seeing that her secret has finally been revealed and recognizing The Woodsman as her handsome dance partner.

The Princess accepts his proposal of marriage and they both live happily ever after. The story is not without it's problems, Dorthea (Claire Bloom, who had appeared in Charlie Chaplin's last American-produced movie, LIMELIGHT, ten years before) has heard the story before and she believes that the hero was not a Woodsman but a tailor. Jacob believes that the hero was a farmer and other people, who have heard the story have their own ideas as to the hero's identity. And this is because there is no book of fairy tales. Wilhelm is bothered by this, and he goes to see his friend Stossel (Walter Slezak) to try and interest him in publishing a book of fairy tales for children. Stossel is reluctant to print such a manuscript, but Wilhelm gets him to reconsider his idea, when the young writer tells a group of kids in Stossel's shop, The Tale of The Shoemaker & The Elves.

The scene shifts to a small town on Christmas eve, where a kindly but poor old Shoe maker (Laurence Harvey) is busy making little elf dolls for his friends, the children from the local orphanage. His kind gesture is not appreciated by his customers, The Mayor (Walter Brooke) , The Ballerina (Sandra Gale Bettin) and a well to do but mean Hunter (character actor Robert Foulk best remembered for playing The Sherriff on LASSIE and one of the citizens of Hooterville on GREEN ACRES). They warn The Shoemaker that if their shoes are not ready by Christmas morning the next day, he will be punished for his incompetence.

Worried about his future, The Shoemaker finishes making the elf dolls and then he tries to work on the shoes of his customers. But, he falls asleep. The Elf dolls come to life and they see the poor shoemaker is in trouble. Despite the complaints of one of the elves (the voices of the elves are performed by comic/character actor/mimic and singer Dallas McKennon) , The Elves fix the shoes. And they work busily while singing the tune “Ah Umm.” By the next day, the customers are pleased with The Shoemaker's work and they pay him a fortune for his efforts. After his happy customers leave his shop, the old man takes his elf dolls to the orphanage and leaves them in the kids' stockings. The old Shoemaker leaves the orphanage, still wondering how he did the work as he heads for Christmas services at church to the tune of “I Will Dwell In Christmasland,” which is performed by the orphans and the townspeople.

Stossell is delighted with Wilhelm's idea and he says that he will see what he can do to get financing for the book of fairy tales. Just at that moment, Jacob grabs his brother and they head for the Duke's palace. Their boss is angry that his memoirs have no mention of his brother The baron and he tells the brothers to get that info on his brother and get it written into the manuscript soon or they can do their writings in debtors prison. Quickly the pair take the river boat to the baron's family. Jacob gets most of the info from The Baron's family, Wilhelm gets the info from The priest from local church. When he sees the kids leave the church, he asks The priest where the children are going, The priest tells Grimm that Every Friday as long as anyone can remember, The children of the town head to a cottage in the forest to hear the most wonderful stories. The tales are told by an old woman named Martita Hunt.

Wilhelm wants to meet this great talent, but the father tries to dissuade him Only children are invited. Not willing to take no for an answer. The young writer heads for Ms. Hunt's cottage, Despite the fact that he gets soaked after wading thru a stream and he is forced to remain outside the cottage. Where he writes down the old woman's tale of a cowardly knight Sir Ludwig (Terry Thomas, who had appeared in Pal's 1958 movie version of Tom Thumb as the evil Ivan ). Who is jealous of his servant Hans' (Buddy Hackett's) successful killing of the dragon. And he kills Poor Hans , only to have the young fellow confess his master's crimes to the king as a Singing Bone. When Sir Ludwig apologies for his evil deed. Hans comes back to life and he is rewarded for his heroism, while Ludwig becomes Hans servant.

When Ms. Hunt becomes ill Wilhelm helps her out and she rewards him by telling him her most cherished stories. Rushing back to the docks , Wilhelm's briefcase gets damaged and he is also soaked by a heavy rain. The research is lost, only the children's stories are left and Jacob angrily walks out on his brother. When he returns to the Duke's Palace, Wilhelm tries to explain to him what ha happened to the research. The Duke (character actor Oscar Homolka) is unsympathetic and he tells Grimm that he is withdrawing his financing of the irresponsible young man's efforts. He also tells Grimm that he better pay off his debts to The Duke in two weeks, or he'll be arrested. Wilhelm is in no condition to do anything. He is sick with pneumonia and as he tries to leave His Grace's castle.

Wilhelm falls down the stairs and he is unconscious. Feeling sorry for the poor man, Gruber (Ian Wolfe) and The Royal Doctor (Jon Lormer) take Wilhelm home. Hearing of his brother's plight , Jacob returns home to try and help Wilhelm. Sadly, the doctor believes that Poor Wilhelm is fatally ill and that he might not last the night. Later that night, Wilhelm has a dream. Where the characters from Ms. Hunt's tales Cinderella (Pamela Beard) , Snow White (True Ellison) , Hansel (Stan Fafara) , Gretel (Diana Driscol) , Tom Thumb (Russ Tamblyn) , The Giant (Peter Whitney) Two of the Seven Dwarfs (Angello Rossitto and Billy Rhodes) and Rumpelstiltskin (character actor Arnold Stang) tell Grimm that he has to regain his health in order for them to be born in his stories , or they will die with their creator. Calling for them, Wilhelm falls out of sick bed.

Somehow, he survives his illness and within weeks, Wilhelm regains his good health. Jacob teams up with his brother again and with financing from their friend Stossell. The pair write history books and they are rehired by the duke to write his memoirs. They also write their books of folk tales. Eventually, the Royal Academy of Berlin accepts the pair as authors in residence. The Royal Academy is impressed with all of their literary efforts, except the duo's books of folk tales. Regardless, The Grimm family packs up and moves to the German capitol to begin working for the Royal Academy. Jacob is not happy with this honor since, the academy ignores his brother's talents as a writer and he angrily states that he will lodge a protest to the royal academy's board of trustees.

In an effort to calm his brother's rage, Wilhelm asks Jacob to simply tell the Royal academy's representative that he is his brother. The train comes into The Berlin station and the group is met by the royal academy's rep. But, Before the man can say anything, children fill the station and they all shout in unison, “We Want A Story!” To appease the kids, Wilhelm says, “Once Upon A Time, There Were Two Brothers!” to the cheering of the children.

I first saw this film at The Wakefield Movie Theater in the Bronx, New York, when the movie was rereleased by MGM during the 1970's. Despite the vignette concept, the film is able to present a charming and exciting story. The locales are beautiful, the songs are entertaining and the cast is wonderful. Even the special effects created by George Pal's brilliant craftsmen Jim Danforth, Wah Chang, Gene Warren and by Pal's Son Dave help to enhance the fantasy aspects of the stories. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM is a great successor to TOM THUMB, miles ahead of the forgettable TV musical bio of the two writers that Dean Jones and Robert Sands did two decades later.

- Kevin S. Butler