The Sword and the Rose (VHS, 1997)

This is another very good older Disney movie that the current Disney management team has not chosen to release on DVD, and they really should. It is a fun look at the time of Henry VIII of England, with lavish costumes, intrigue, swordfighting, and romance, but all geared towards the family audience. James Robertson Justice (the father of Truly Scrumptious in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG) as King Henry VII and Glynis Johns (Mrs. Banks in MARY POPPINS)as his sister Princess Mary Tudor, are the acting standouts here, with Richard Todd as the Princess' love interest, Charles Brandon, trying valiantly but not quite succeeding to be as dashing as an Errol Flynn would have been in the role. There are some historical inaccuracies, regarding the costumes (not really of this period, but beautiful to look at nonetheless), and the age of Henry VII in this movie (he should have been played by a younger actor), but I can definitely recommend it for its sheer entertainment value. This is the type of movie the Disney used to excel at (THE FIGHTING PRINCE OF DONEGAL, KIDNAPPED, ROB ROY-THE HIGHLAND ROGUE) but seems to have forgotten how to make in recent years. Based on how much my family (and others) enjoy these kinds of films, I can only hope that Disney will eventually "Re-discover The Magic!"