To some, it is charming and whimsical; to others, the Chucky-esque stuff of nightmares. What can be said for sure though, is that It’s a Small World is iconic, and an unforgettable memento of original Disneyland. Whatever your opinion on this sing-song boat ride, where animatronic dolls representing different nations sing about world peace, it may come as a surprise to learn that there have been (multiple) attempts to turn the ride into a movie. Without a discernable plot or storyline, it may not seem like a natural evolution for the attraction. However, it was once hoped to be the saving grace of Disney…
An Attempt to Revive Disney in the 1970s
After the brilliant Aristocats, which was released in 1970, and was to be Walt Disney’s last approved project, Walt Disney Pictures (as it was known then) was facing a lost and uninspired period, following Walt’s death a few years earlier in 1966. Referred to as “the dark age,” which lasted until 1988, there are many movies of this period that are beloved today, like Bedknobs and Broomsticks or Robin Hood. But at the time, these movies received mixed reviews from critics and in retrospect were the lucky result of an unimaginative attempt to recreate previous Mary Poppins and Aristocats’ successes.
Amidst the confusion, Larry Pontius, director of marketing at Disney, had a bright idea to turn things around. He proposed to turn a Disney ride into a film. With our current hindsight of the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, this may seem like an obvious route. Yet, as aforementioned, choosing It’s a Small World may have seemed like an illogical move; despite being a lengthy ride — clocking in at a minimum of twelve minutes — it features a repetitive upbeat song, smiling animatronics, and not much else by way of a story. Therefore, Pontius would have to get creative.
A Pontius Script That Never Saw The Light of Day
Pontius was so convinced by his idea that he wrote a script. It centered on the children of United Nations Ambassadors, who become caught up in their parents’ conflict and resolve to bring peace between the nations and prevent war by kidnapping them. It appears to be a fully-fleshed concept, with a solid conflict and resolution, whilst maintaining the core message of the It’s a Small World ride. It was even complete with a comedic villain, dubbed “First Citizen Bashillian,” making for a script which delivered an important message with a side of humor.
Pontius’ inspired script and the efforts that he put into distributing it among the big names at Disney make its disappearance even more mysterious. With a mock-up poster created by Disney artist Bob Moore, he had gone to lengths to formulate a convincing and encompassing movie pitch. However, as previously mentioned, Disney was struggling during this period to produce much by way of quality original material. As with Bedknobs and Broomsticks or Robin Hood, at that time it was common for ideas to be loosely copied, or animation to be recycled. Ultimately, Walt Disney Pictures was not in the right place to pick up his forward-thinking idea, and it fell to the wayside.
A Second ‘It’s a Small World’ Film?
As recently as in 2014, it was announced that director Jon Turteltaub of National Treasure (which saw a recent return) was set to make his own It’s a Small World film. Variety then confirmed in 2016 that the writers Tim Rasmussen and Vince Di Meglio of Marmaduke and Meet the Fockers were on board, and so far, the movie seemed to be in good hands. Then in 2018, after yet another delay of two years, Turteltaub reassured fans that the project was still going ahead and that they were taking their time to ensure the best result, avoiding any potential ridiculousness that converting a sing-song animatronic ride into a film could produce. At this point, it seemed, despite the slow pace, that the movie would still come to fruition.
Alas, in the five-year interim since Turteltaub’s confirmation of its continuation, no news of the project has surfaced. This silence doesn’t seem too promising, but neither has any cancelation of the film been announced. We wait in hope for the second attempt at an It’s a Small World movie to be realized…
‘It’s a Small World,’ the TV Show?
For those still desperate to consume some form of It’s a Small World media, there was a web-based TV show based on the ride which was created in 2013. The charming animation, titled It’s a Small World: The Animated Series sees a group of friends originating from all over the world sharing adventures in a hot air balloon. Coincidentally, the prototype poster for the lost 1970s film featured a hot air balloon, so there seems to be a common theme forming in the It’s A Small World universe, with a hot air balloon also featuring within the ride. Appropriately partnering with the language learning company Rosetta Stone, the series reflects the valid message conveyed by the theme park attraction, in a sweet and accessible way. Therefore, it can be finally stated that at least one It’s a Small World project successfully came to light.
What Does the Future Hold for ‘It’s a Small World’?
“The happiest cruise that ever sailed” may have been beset with problems in its movie inception, but it is still one of Disney’s most popular and beloved rides in its theme park history, present in five of the Disney theme parks, and having seen 290 million visitors by its 50th anniversary in Disneyland. It still remains faintly possible that the 1970s script by Pontius or the more recent Turteltaub project may be completed, seeing as the initial steps taken towards their creation have not been fully lost. Although there is a risk that it could follow other disappointing ride-to-film examples like 2003’s The Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy, of which a more promising remake has nearly arrived, there seem to be enough talented professionals and artists involved to ensure that this will not be the case. Spreading a message of peace and togetherness can only be a good thing, therefore, we can only wait optimistically and see.
