I admitted when I began this Summer of Magic that I enjoy at least some aspects of all Disney films, and The Sword in the Stone is no exception. The bright spot of the film is the songs, written by the legendary Sherman Brothers making their Disney animated film debut. None of these songs will go down as the greatest tunes in Disney history, but they are catchy and fun in a film that oftentimes desperately needs some fun. The Sherman Brothers simply work their magic again, highlighted by the subtle, great opening song "The Legend of the Sword in the Stone" and Merlin's nice tune "That's What Makes the World Go Round."
Our leading character, Wart/King Arthur, is rather unmemorable as he becomes the first Disney dud as a lead. When he finally pulls the sword from the stone, I found myself not really caring that much, but I must admit that the animation during this scene is really nice. Merlin and the late addition Madam Mim are wonderful creations. Merlin and Mim's Wizard's Duel towards the end of the film is basically the only scene I could watch over and over again and not grow weary of it. It's inventive, nicely animated, and just wacky enough that it works for these two unique characters. That, though, is what makes this film so frustrating. It certainly has moments of Disney brilliance, but overall, it simply doesn't work. The pace never finds a consistent, exuberant speed, the characters are mediocre at best, and the scenes are rather random and lack cohesiveness.
Additionally, on top of all of that, the animation in The Sword in the Stone is weak for Disney. As much as I have applauded their animation to this point, there were times in the film that I cringed at the work on the screen. Maybe it had to do with the adjustment to the new technology with the Xerox, but this is not a beautiful film to watch. Once again, though, The Sword in the Stone's shortcomings are understandable since the studio, and Walt himself, had put all of its attention at this time into Mary Poppins, but I hold Disney to the highest of high standards, and The Sword in the Stone does not come close to reaching that standard in all aspects. I would only recommend this film to someone exclusively for the work of the Sherman Brothers. Otherwise, this film is a disappointment.
Rating: 6/10
Historical Significance: Walt never knew this, but writer Bill Peet modeled Merlin after Walt. Peet claimed that he saw both figures as "argumentative, cantankerous, but playful and very intelligent." Furthermore, Peet gave Merlin Walt's nose. For reasons unrelated to that instance , Peet and Walt's relationship broke down after The Sword in the Stone. Peet worked on the stories for such classic films as Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, and 101 Dalmatians, but Peet eventually had enough of Walt's constant pursuit of perfection. Peet would submit a rough story outline for The Jungle Book, but Walt quickly scrapped that idea and ordered a new story to be written.
Behind the Scenes: This was the final animated film that Walt Disney produced from beginning to end before his death in 1966. He would oversee about half of the production of The Jungle Book and would approve the production of The AristoCats although he would never actually see any of the production. Also, this was the first Disney animated film to be lead by only one director. Up to this point, two or three directors had been used to oversee the production of various scenes, but Wolfgang Reitherman, one of Walt's Nine Old Men, would fly solo with The Sword in the Stone and would also direct every animated film until 1977.
Favorite Character: There are not many options for this section, but I will say that Madam Mim is a delightfully wacky character. The energy exhibited in her short time on screen is so infectious. She is the perfect counterpart to Merlin's by-the-book style, and her character animation is quite impressive. As a I mentioned before, the Wizard's Duel is the highlight of the film primarily because of Mim's presence. She is a character that should have been in the film more because it would have brought some life to it.
Favorite Scene: I am going with the Wizard's Duel for this section for all the reasons I just mentioned above about Mim. As poor as the animation is in this film overall, this scene boasts typical classic Disney artistry on display. The way they are able to keep the personalities of Mim and Merlin at the forefront even as they transform into a variety of animals is a mighty accomplishment.
Favorite Song: The Sherman Brothers make this film watchable with their excellent songs, and the best of the bunch in The Sword in the Stone is "That's What Makes the World Go Round." In a film devoid of a heart, the Sherman Brothers come extremely close to creating a heart out of nothing with this song. That is simply their magic on full display for all to see.
Updated Ranking: This one finds its rightful place near the bottom of the list.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Peter Pan
- Cinderella
- Sleeping Beauty
- Pinocchio
- Lady and the Tramp
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- 101 Dalmatians
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- Fun and Fancy Free
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- The Sword in the Stone
- Make Mine Music
There's a high quality film in there somewhere, but the final project is not up to par with what I have come to expect from Disney. Luckily, tomorrow, they will rebound quite nicely with my favorite movie of all-time, Mary Poppins!
-Cody Fleenor
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