Review of Hans Christian Andersen

A toned-down Danny Kaye stars in this "once upon a time" fairy tale about the greatest fairy tale spinner of all, Denmark's Hans Christian Andersen, creator of the Little Mermaid. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser yield some memorable tunes, my favorite being "Inchworm" sung by Kaye and the children in the film. There are many songs featured, with "Wonderful Copenhagen," "Thumbelina," "Anywhere I Wander," and "No Two People" well worth listening to and singing again and again. The lovely "Little Mermaid Ballet" is based on Franz Liszt's "B Minor Piano Sonata" (1854), "Les Preludes (1856)", "Tasso" (1849) and "Mephisto Waltz" and danced by Zizi Jeanmaire, Roland Petit, and the Roland Petit Ballet. This is an often underestimated and neglected film. ---from Musicals on the Silver Screen, American Library Association, 2013