The Old Home Guard
Encyclopedia
"The Old Home Guard" is a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman for the 1971, Walt Disney
musical film
production Bedknobs and Broomsticks
. It is sung by the members of the Home Guard as they swear to defend England's shores. The song "bookends" the film, heard both at the beginning and the end of the piece.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
production Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a 1971 musical film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution Company which combines live action and animation and was released in North America on December 13, 1971...
. It is sung by the members of the Home Guard as they swear to defend England's shores. The song "bookends" the film, heard both at the beginning and the end of the piece.
Symbolism
- The song is representative of the overall theme of the storyline: that one shouldn't underestimate the resolve of Britain, its traditions, and its strength.
- When Ms. Price and Professor Brown finally combine their talents, they are able to put the real "Old Home Guard" to work, drawing forth the forces of almost a millennium of British military 'spirit.'
Literary Sources
- Sherman, Robert B. Walt's Time: from before to beyondWalt's Time: from before to beyondWalt's Time: from before to beyond is a 252-page autobiographic, full color book by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. It was edited by Imagineers Bruce Gordon, David Mumford and Jeff Kurtti and was published in 1998 by Camphor Tree Publishers who are out of Santa Clarita, California...
. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.