Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

You can't find this one to buy anywhere. I finally found it at Moviehunter.com. It was a thrill to see the most important film of an eleven-year-old's life. I saw this film when I was eleven and never forgot it. I sat in the movie theater all day and saw it three consecutive times. You could do that back then. I would have seen it a fourth time, but I had to go home for dinner. This is a sweet, warm, loving, exciting adventure film about a boy joining the circus and making new friends, including a mischievous chimp and a dishonest boss. It's the old Disney style all the way. It's great for kids, and there's nothing negative to say about it. Too bad Disney doesn't realize it and re-release it and make it available on DVD and VHS. Barbara Beaird is a blonde 12-year-old in this film, and she was the first puppy-love of my young life. I always wonder what ever happened to her. Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran steals the show, or maybe I should say the chimp does.

I've mentioned elsewhere that Disney's adaptations of famous works sometimes avoid the dark and dreary messages of the original works.He wished,it seems,to provide wholesome family entertainment.IN this regard,he succeeded.But,after seeing this film,as I did when it first came out,I was horrified when I got around to reading Kahler's book.Let's see the differences.

1.)Toby,in the story,is a sly,fat, lazy glutton,who leaves a brutal orphan's home in order to avoid doing his chores,and being punished for dishonesty.He joins the circus,and wages an undercover war against the evil management.

2.)The circus is a dreary,run down dump,managed by vicious alcoholics who beat and cripple children.Toby,consequently,starts a guerrilla war against them.

3.)The people who work in the circus,when they aren't brutal bullies,are among the most grotesque characters in Victorian American fiction.

4.)Toby DOESN'T become a star on horses.Mr.Stubbs isn't a cute chimp,but a mangy,pathetic,morose old monkey.And the hunter does kill him.

5.)The story ends with the manager of the orphanage taking Toby back.And you get the feeling that all will not be well.

So,while the film adaptation sticks to some of the facts,the underlying message has been avoided.

My 7 year old grandson was held spellbound by Toby Tyler. I'd love to buy him his own copy, but it's not available. I'd be thrilled to see Disney release a lot of their archival films. How about a DVD starring Jiminy Cricket? I can still hear Jiminy singing "I'm No Fool". "Seabiscuit" is riding a wave of current popularity, but I still remember Nautilus, Disney's "The Horse With the Flying Tail". A recent commercial on T.V. features rabbits multiplying out of control, but way back when there was a Disney short cartoon about multiplying guinea pigs. It would be great if future generations of children could savor and enjoy these little cinematic gems.

If you do a search using the phrase "Toby Tyler on VHS" you will find an ebay site that has some Toby Tyler DVDs on sale. I purchased a VHS copy of Toby Tyler a few years ago and still enjoy watching it. It is one of my favorite Disney movies. I agree with the other comments that this movie was done very well with a minimum of background music. Disney movies such as this might also be available on Amazon.com. I have been successful in obtaining other Disney movies on VHS or DVD such as the 40th Anniversary DVD of Mary Poppins, The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band, etc. I hope this helps. Good luck with your search.

Walt Disney who certainly liked to make films that take place in earlier simpler times like when he was young has Toby Tyler set during the era before World War I at the turn of the last century. Kevin Corcoran plays young Tyler who is an orphan and foster child of his uncle and aunt Tom Fadden and Edith Evanson. When the circus comes to town he neglects chores and when they tell him he's 'millstone around their necks' young Corcoran runs away.

The rest of the film tells of Toby's adventures with the circus where he first works for concessionaire Bob Sweeney who has a really nice role as a not so lovable carny who takes really bad advantage of Toby. Fortunately he does not stay under Sweeney's tutelage and makes some real friends in circus strongman Henry Calvin and clown Gene Sheldon.

Calvin and Sheldon were from the Disney TV show Zorro and Sheldon played Guy Williams's dumb valet Bernardo. Sheldon was a great pantomime comedian and rarely spoke in his performances on stage, film, or in Zorro. He's great here, but it was nice to hear him. Broke a bit of the illusion, almost like having Harpo Marx talk.

And Toby also meets young equestrian performers Dennis Oliveri and Barbara Beird. Beird likes him, but Oliveri is rather full of himself, really odd for someone so young. Toby gets his chance as a performer and to escape Sweeney when Oliveri gets injured showing off.

As this is a Disney film naturally it all works out in the end for everyone but Sweeney. And when you see the film I think you'll agree with me that he got off very lightly indeed.

Toby Tyler holds up very well after over 50 years, still a nice children's classic.