Thumbelina (1994 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thumbelina |
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Theatrical release poster by John Alvin
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Don Bluth |
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| Music by |
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| Editing by | Fiona Trayler |
| Studio | Don Bluth Ireland Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | March 30, 1994 (United States) |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $28 million |
| Money made | $11.3 million |
Thumbelina (also known as Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina) is a 1994 American animated musical fantasy film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, based on the story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. The film stars the voices of Jodi Benson, Gary Imhoff and John Hurt, with supporting roles from Gino Conforti, Charo, Gilbert Gottfried, Carol Channing and Joe Lynch.
The film was produced by Don Bluth Ireland Ltd., and was released in theaters by Warner Bros. under its Family Entertainment imprint on March 30, 1994.
Contents
Plot
A lonely widow longing for a child of her own is given a barley seed by a friendly witch. The planted seed grows into a flower, and a tiny girl emerges from inside, no bigger than the old woman's thumb. The old woman names the tiny girl Thumbelina and raises her as her own. Although Thumbelina loves her mother, she craves companionship from someone her own size. One night, the fairy prince Cornelius stumbles upon Thumbelina after hearing her singing. The two take a ride on Cornelius' bumblebee and fall in love. During this ride, Mrs. Toad and her son Grundel are enchanted by Thumbelina's singing. That night, Mrs. Toad kidnaps Thumbelina, desiring her to join their show troupe and marry Grundel. Thumbelina is rescued by Jacquimo, a swallow. Meanwhile, Cornelius learns of her kidnapping and returns to his kingdom, the Vale of the Fairies, to ask his parents to try holding back the winter as long as they can.
Grundel learns Thumbelina escaped, and ventures out to find her. While trying to get home, Thumbelina is ambushed by Berkeley Beetle, who promises to show her the way home if she sings at his Beetle Ball. She reluctantly complies, but her bug disguise falls off during the concert and she is denounced as ugly. Beetle rejects her without helping her. She is next found by Jacquimo, who promises to find Cornelius. Beetle is confronted by Grundel and suggests that Grundel kidnap Cornelius and use him as bait to lure Thumbelina. Grundel coerces Beetle into partnership by removing his wings.
Upon the arrival of winter, Cornelius falls into a pond by Beetle's trap and is frozen, while Jacquimo injures his wing and loses consciousness from the extreme cold. Thumbelina is forced to take refuge in an old shoe, where she is discovered by Miss Fieldmouse and granted shelter in her underground house. After relaying Cornelius' fate to her, Miss Fieldmouse introduces her to her neighbor Mr. Mole, who becomes infatuated with her and desires to marry her. Devastated by the apparent loss of Cornelius, Thumbelina gives in to hopelessness and accepts Mr. Mole's proposal. Jacquimo revives and, before Thumbelina can get a chance to explain him what happened to Cornelius, resolves to find him before the wedding.
Beetle and Grundel find Cornelius' frozen body and learn of Thumbelina's wedding. When they leave Cornelius behind, a trio of friendly insects find and thaw Cornelius. At the wedding, Thumbelina finds herself unable to marry Mr. Mole after remembering Cornelius' promise to always love her. Grundel and Beetle arrive, and a chase ensues. Cornelius also arrives and engages Grundel in a fight. Jacquimo finds the Vale of the Fairies and takes Thumbelina there. She and Cornelius reunite, and she magically grows her own pair of wings upon accepting his proposal. With her mother and the fairy court in attendance, the two marry and depart on Cornelius' bumblebee.
The credits images reveal that Beetle's wings regrew and he resumed his pop career; Grundel survived the fight with a broken leg and married a female toad to his mom's delight; and Mr. Mole married Miss Fieldmouse.
Voice cast
- Jodi Benson as Thumbelina, a tiny young woman who is not as big as her adoptive mother's thumb, and falls in love with the handsome fairy prince Cornelius.
- Gary Imhoff as Prince Cornelius, the Prince of the Fairies and Thumbelina's love interest.
- Joe Lynch as Grundel Toad, a toad in love with Thumbelina
- Gino Conforti as Jacquimo, a wise swallow who speaks with a French accent. He is the partial narrator of the story.
- Gilbert Gottfried as Berkeley Beetle, a beetle singer who owns his own "beetle band" and a so-called "connoisseur of sweet nectars, a designer of rare threads, and a judge of beautiful women." He is forced by Grundel to help him to find Thumbelina.
- Carol Channing as Ms. Fieldmouse, a rather greedy yet kind field mouse who takes Thumbelina in from the cold and persuades her to marry Mr. Mole.
- John Hurt as Mr. Mole, a fabulously wealthy but self-involved and cynical mole who falls in love with Thumbelina after hearing her voice.
- Barbara Cook as Thumbelina's Mother, the kind widow who mothers Thumbelina since her birth from a flower.
- Charo as Mrs. Toad, a gorgeous and famous Spanish singer and mother to her three sons Mozo, Gringo, and Grundel.
- Kenneth Mars as King Colbert, Cornelius' father
- June Foray as Queen Tabitha, Cornelius' mother
- Will Ryan as Hero, Reverend Rat. Additionally, Ryan voiced multiple background characters, including several beetles, barnyard animals, and other various insects.
- Danny Mann as Mozo, Grundel's younger brother
- Loren Lester as Gringo, Grundel's younger brother
- Pat Musick as Mrs. Rabbit
- Neil Ross as Mr. Bear, Mr. Fox
- Tawny Sunshine Glover as Gnatty, one of the jitterbugs.
- Michael Nunes as Li'l Bee, one of the jitterbugs.
- Kendall Cunningham as Baby Bug, one of the jitterbugs
Music
Barry Manilow agreed to compose the songs for three Don Bluth pictures. Thumbelina was the first, followed by The Pebble and the Penguin, and the third was canceled. The film's soundtrack was released for a limited time and has since gone out of print. "Marry the Mole" won a Razzie for Worst Original Song.
See also
In Spanish: Pulgarcita (película de 1994) para niños
