Babes in Toyland (1934), directed by the combined talents of Gus Meins and Charles Rogers, is a Christmas musical film that stars the comedic duo, Laurel and Hardy — internationally famous for slapstick comedy routines. Additionally, Babes in Toyland is known by a handful of alternative titles; Laurel and Hardy in Toyland; Revenge Is Sweet (the 1948 European reissue title); and March of the Wooden Soldiers (United States).
Based on Victor Herbert’s 1903 operetta, Babes in Toyland, the film revolves around Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy) who live in a shoe with several other nursery rhyme characters.
Silas Barnaby, a villainous crook looking to marry Bo-Peep, enforces an ultimatum on the residents; if Bo-Peep doesn’t marry him, he will foreclose on the shoe. Subsequently, Stannie and Ollie set out to steal the mortgage from Barnaby; Babes in Toyland documents Stannie and Ollie’s adventures as they battle their own incompetence in a daring quest to save their beloved home.
Alongside the titular characters, Laurel and Hardy, Babes in Toyland co-stars Virginia Karns as Mother Goose, Charlotte Henry as Bo-Peep, Felix Knight as Tom-Tom Piper, Florence Roberts as Widow Peep, and Henry Kleinbach as Silas Barnaby.
In New York City, Babes in Toyland to run (as of 2021) on WPIX as March of the Wooden Soldiers, airing in the daytime on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It also runs nationally, on occasion, on This TV, as well as Turner Classic Movies.
Babes in Toyland can be streamed on Tubi for free with ads. Alternatively, it can be rented or purchased on popular streaming services such as Amazon Prime, YouTube and Apple TV.
