The Making of Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks: History, Magic, and Consumer Products

The Origins of Bedknobs and Broomsticks

• 📖 The film is based on Mary Norton's book "The Magic Bedknob" (1943), which was later combined with "Bonfires and Broomsticks" into an omnibus edition titled "Bedknob and Broomstick" (1957).
• 🧙‍♀️ In the original book, Eglantine Price practices magic as a hobby, with only passing references to World War II, unlike the film's adaptation.
• ✍️ Walt Disney Productions acquired the film rights in 1945, with Walt Disney himself interested in the subtitle "How to be a Witch in 10 Easy Lessons."

Adapting the Story for the Screen

• 📝 Don Degrady, screenwriter for "Mary Poppins," developed a treatment for "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," setting the story during World War II London.
• 🛡️ Degrady incorporated the real-life story of British witches performing rituals to prevent Nazi invasion, making it Eglantine's motivation.
• 🎩 Professor Amelius Brown, originally a 17th-century necromancer, was reimagined as a con man and headmaster of a witchcraft college.
• 🎬 A scene depicting the flying bed above London during a bombing raid was cut due to being "too real" for executives, though the Blitz is still referenced.

Production Challenges and Musical Numbers

• 🎶 The Sherman brothers, who worked on "Mary Poppins," were asked to write songs for "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," with "Beautiful Briney" being adapted from a "Mary Poppins" song.
• 💰 The film became Disney's most ambitious and expensive movie to date, costing $6.3 million, significantly more than "Mary Poppins."
• 🌟 Casting Eglantine Price involved significant deliberation, with executives even considering Julie Andrews.

Disney Consumer Products and Future Strategies

• 📈 Disney Consumer Products is focusing on five key areas: collectibles and trading cards (e.g., "Magic the Gathering" partnership), legacy and library IP (e.g., "Golden Girls," "Buffy"), fashion and lifestyle collaborations (e.g., Marc Jacobs, Zara), digital integrations (e.g., "Fortnite" investment), and sustainability in manufacturing.
• 🛍️ The strategy aims to move away from mass merchandising towards more deliberate, meaningful products and high-end collaborations, targeting younger demographics and collector loyalty.
• 🤝 Disney's partnership with Macy's for the holiday season will feature over 120 products celebrating Minnie Mouse, including collaborations with MAC Cosmetics, Stony Clover Lane, and Bobble Bar.
• 🎈 The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature new balloons, including Minnie Mouse and a new Buzz Lightyear balloon to promote the upcoming "Toy Story 5."