La freccia azzurra

Obviously I have seen the English dubbed version of this, or I should say the American dubbed version. All the other titles seem to be in reference to the toy train set, The Blue Arrow, but the American title of this movie was "How The Toys Saved Christmas."

Not complaining about the other Christmas classics, such as Rankin-Bass, toy tie-ins or movies with Jimmy Stewart, Natalie Wood or Peter Billingsley, but it was nice to watch a different story for a change.

I saw this movie on the WB network last year and recorded it for keeps.

It seems to be the story of a witch called Granny Rose (in the American version, Mary Tyler Moore does the voice) who helps Santa deliver toys at Christmas time. A stingy man called Mr. Grimm (Tony Randall) wants to keep the toys himself and sell them only to children who can afford them.

The toys flee in the night to get themselves to the children and it truly makes for one merry adventure.

It might remind one of Toy Story, but it seems more similar to the Island of Misfit Toys from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for some reason.

But it is the assortment of toys themselves that are most memorable and enjoyable; a marching band, French soldiers, a pilot and his plane, crayons with little faces, a teddy bear, a duck on wheels, a toy dog, construction workers, Jingles the wizard, a cranky sea captain and his boat, and of course, the Blue Arrow and its crew.

When the train, pulling the boat, is almost hit by a train, the soldiers stand at attention with the little cannons, ready to meet the enemy and save the Blue Arrow. It all makes for very amusing story telling.

When the two dolls (who are bigger than all the action figure sized male figures and they must ride on top of the train instead of within) think they may be separated, or when the colored crayons find their home are absolute standouts.

Truly a marvelous story and very well done and animated. Shame it seems to be lost in the holiday shuffle.