Tom Thumb

A lively predecessor to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, loosely based on the Brothers Grimm tale, but bearing a remarkable resemblance to Pinocchio. Tamblyn is the five-inch child bestowed on a peasant couple (Miles and Matthews) by the Forest Queen. All too soon, Tom falls in with bad company: Terry-Thomas and Sellers, relishing their own villainy. Pal, an architecture student whose first films were self-styled 'Puppetoons', put his training to good use here, cleverly meshing miniatures, giant props and animation techniques to create an impression of the world as Tom sees it. With a good deal of unforced humour, acrobatic dancing, and some likeable songs (a couple sung by Peggy Lee), it makes for pleasant entertainment.