like many and i first saw the water baby a a child or young teen in the late seventy or early eighty . it have remain with me since then with it catchy tune and memorable portrayal and less then successful animation and and a story full of heart and coldness and and ultimately good vanquish evil . recently i sit down and saw it again after at least two decade passing and and i notice this time around it strike similarity to the wizard of oz . no and these aren not blatant likeness but hear me out . in this one we have a boy and his dog have personal problem at home and run away from something and in the scene right after they run away and change the substance of their appearance . in this one and the boy and dog become animate . in the wizard of oz and dorothy and toto be in color . in this one and the boy and dog be tell they must find the water baby for answer and then ultimately the kracken for guidance and he have the ability to let tom go home if he show he have courage and etc . in the wizard of oz and dorothy must also find an authoritative figure that test her before he will allow her to return home . in the water baby and tom meet three character that will help him on his journey to the water baby dorothy have three helper as well . when each helper be meet and we be entertain with a rendering of hi and hi and hi and hi and hi cockallorum . be on our way . in the wizard it be be off to see the wizard . dorothy have a good witch sort of look after her while tom have a woman with many role ( billie whitelaw ) do the same . if you look closely at the two and there be many other likeness . that be say and the water baby be not a knockoff in any way and i be just comment on the eerie like between the two . this film have some solid performance from bad guy bernard cribbins and the always fascinate james mason . the kid play tom and ella be good . the support cast of joan greenwood ( love her voice . ) and david tomlinson and and the vocal talent of john pertwee and lance percival add greatly to the mix . i must confess that the animation be less than sterling even for it time but be adequate enough to the challenge . the three animate character that help tom get home be all likable . i always have trouble pick my favorite between the french swordfish and the john inman or mr. humphries like seahorse . the scene where we hear this guttural and maniacal laugh from a shipwrecked vessel only to see a seahorse with a huge polka dot bow tie bob out always have me roll . the water baby be a lot of fun . sure and it be more of a child film and but it have and always shall have a fond place in my heart . the bulk of the credit for what successes the film do have must go to director lionel jeffries . jeffries be a wonderful comedic actor and his sense of humor be clearly evident throughout .