Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a family fantasy adventure that mixes comedy, magic, and a wartime setting, with a mostly warm and playful tone despite a few darker moments. The main sensitive elements come from the Blitz backdrop, some chase scenes, startling magical transformations, brief moments of peril, and a stylized battle involving animated armor and objects. The film stays highly fantastical and often comic, so the tension is usually short lived, but very young viewers may still be unsettled by the evacuation premise, references to bombing, or scenes where animals and objects suddenly seem threatening. There is no meaningful sexual content, the language is mild, and substances are absent. Parents of sensitive children may want to give a little context about World War Two and reassure them that the scarier scenes are brief and balanced by humor, songs, and a comforting found family dynamic.
Synopsis
Three children evacuated from London during World War II are forced to stay with an eccentric spinster. The children's initial fears disappear when they find out she is in fact a trainee witch.
Difficult scenes
The opening takes place during the evacuation of London children because of bombing raids. The presentation remains family friendly, but the wartime setting, separation from home, and idea of danger from the sky may still raise questions or mild anxiety for younger viewers. Several magical scenes involve sudden physical transformations, including a child being turned into a white rabbit and chased through the house. The sequence is played for comedy, but the surprise, the character's lack of control, and the chase by the cat could unsettle a sensitive child. The fantasy island sequence with talking animals is mostly playful, but some moments become more chaotic once the human characters are discovered and have to flee. Large animals, shouting, confusion, and the tension of escape may feel a little intense for very young viewers. Later in the film, magic brings objects and suits of armor to life during a wartime confrontation. The scene is not graphic and keeps an old fashioned adventure style, but it does include military threat, aggressive movement, and a more sustained sense of tension than the rest of the movie.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 1971
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Robert Stevenson
- Main cast
- Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roddy McDowall, Sam Jaffe, John Ericson, Bruce Forsyth, Cindy O'Callaghan, Roy Snart, Ian Weighill, Tessie O'Shea
- Studios
- Walt Disney Productions
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a family fantasy adventure that mixes comedy, magic, and a wartime setting, with a mostly warm and playful tone despite a few darker moments. The main sensitive elements come from the Blitz backdrop, some chase scenes, startling magical transformations, brief moments of peril, and a stylized battle involving animated armor and objects. The film stays highly fantastical and often comic, so the tension is usually short lived, but very young viewers may still be unsettled by the evacuation premise, references to bombing, or scenes where animals and objects suddenly seem threatening. There is no meaningful sexual content, the language is mild, and substances are absent. Parents of sensitive children may want to give a little context about World War Two and reassure them that the scarier scenes are brief and balanced by humor, songs, and a comforting found family dynamic.
Synopsis
Three children evacuated from London during World War II are forced to stay with an eccentric spinster. The children's initial fears disappear when they find out she is in fact a trainee witch.
Difficult scenes
The opening takes place during the evacuation of London children because of bombing raids. The presentation remains family friendly, but the wartime setting, separation from home, and idea of danger from the sky may still raise questions or mild anxiety for younger viewers. Several magical scenes involve sudden physical transformations, including a child being turned into a white rabbit and chased through the house. The sequence is played for comedy, but the surprise, the character's lack of control, and the chase by the cat could unsettle a sensitive child. The fantasy island sequence with talking animals is mostly playful, but some moments become more chaotic once the human characters are discovered and have to flee. Large animals, shouting, confusion, and the tension of escape may feel a little intense for very young viewers. Later in the film, magic brings objects and suits of armor to life during a wartime confrontation. The scene is not graphic and keeps an old fashioned adventure style, but it does include military threat, aggressive movement, and a more sustained sense of tension than the rest of the movie.