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Straight off the bat I would highlight the warning card at the beginning - this film was made in 1977 and may well contain ideas and attitudes which we would not hold today. But those ideas and attitudes are not what gives this film its merit, and it is its more laudable ideas and attitudes which prompted me to show the film here.
I was reminded of this film while watching various equally laudable and worthy videos by KZitem science channels. One thing which struck me was a lingering sense that these channels seemed under the impression that we only knew or cared about environmental damage and problems in the last ten or fifteen years or so, or that somehow these issues had been missing in the education system until that time frame.
Suffice to say when I was in school from the late seventies, through the eighties into the early nineties, we were informed about problems such as water and air pollution, CFCs and the ozone layer, fossil fuels environmental damage, global warming, acid rain - we were taught about the environment. It may be a shame that more progress was not made by either the adults when we were children, or those same children when they became adults (one notable exception being the ozone layer, at least to a significant degree), but you cannot say that people were not informed.
Which brings us back to the film.
I only saw it once in primary school and yet have never forgotten it, in spite of only seeing it that one time and at quite a young age. Around 1981/82, when I was 7 or 8 years old, they brought an actual cinema protector and screen into our tiny village primary school hall and showed us this film. As a small child I was blown away by having the school become a cinema, plus I already loved the Wombles from the children's TV show. Suffice to say it left an impression, including the environmental damage themes (again, this was not the only source of information in my ongoing schooling, but serves as one unusual example). And that was the only time I saw it - I never saw it on TV in the UK, and further research shows me that although it was very successful in UK cinemas it never received a worldwide release!
It was written and directed by Lionel Jeffries, who is most recognisable to me as an actor playing Professor Cavor from the film version of H. G. Wells' "The First Men In The Moon". An awesome film by the way. The voices of the Wombles were not specifically identified but it seems Lionel Jeffries also voiced Great Uncle Bulgaria.
It had a star studded cast besides!
For Doctor Who fans we have Jon Pertwee, voicing Tobermory, if my ears are correct! Also for the Whovians we have Bonnie Langford - Mel, ever popular companion for Doctors 6 and 7 - playing one of her earliest roles, within a year of her in Bugsy Malone.
We also have Frances de la Tour - those of a certain age will remember her from the sitcom "Rising Damp". Those of another age will remember her from her role in the Harry Potter movies!
David Tomlinson plays the father in this, and will be most recognisable as the father in "Mary Poppins".
David Jason from many roles, from Del Boy to Dangermouse, voices Wombles too.
Inside the suits Star Wars fans would find Kenny Baker (R2-D2) as Bungo!
Problematic elements - as mentioned earlier and flagged in the pre-film card - aside, this is a fun little story with an additional educational purpose. Yet somehow it does not allow preachiness to derail the entertainment.
This is something TV and film producers of today might like to take note of.
I hope you enjoy the film.
Take care.
Doctor Alex.
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