Adaptation Displacement: Costumed versions of the Disney adaptation's wooden soldiers are an annual feature of the Disney Theme Parks Christmas parades, with most of the visitors unaware that they originated from a Disney film.
Alternative Character Interpretation: Rogrego. In the scene where Barnaby tells him and Gonzago to do away with Tom, he constantly suggests killing as the best option, does he not know what he's suggesting or does this suggest that he's smarter than his boss?
Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The flower spout scene during Barnaby's second Villain Song, when he takes notice in the flower spout shooting out different torrents of water for some reason. It then goes back to the song like it never happened. (The real world explanation? They wanted an excuse for Ray Bolger to show off his dance moves. Any excuse.)
Toymaker: Will you, Mary, have this man [Barnaby] to be your lawfully wedded husband? Mary: I do. Toymaker: That’s funny, I take him to be your grandfather!
Moral Event Horizon: In the original operetta and all adaptations that include his wards, Barnaby attempts to kill them first by shipwrecking them and then abandoning them in the Forest of No Return in order to steal their inheritance. And that's only the start. Each adaptation offers even more possible moments:
He definitely crosses it in the 1997 animated version with his attempted murder of Humpty Dumpty.
The 1934 version had apparently crossed this line sometime before the film's plot even began most likely when he tried to blackmail Bo Peep into marrying him.
The 1961 version crosses it when he shrinks and imprisons the Toymaker. His henchmen must know he crossed it, too, for when Barnaby tells them he intends to shrink Tom as well to get him out of his way, they pull a Mook–Face Turn right then and there: Not only will they have nothing more to do with their boss' nefarious schemes, but they also intend to expose his atrocities to everyone. In response, Barnaby punishes his henchmen for their betrayal by shrinking and imprisoning them as well.
In the 1997 version, the imagery of the Goblin Forest growing progressively scarier and darker the closer the group gets to the Goblin’s home. One shot has a horde of goblins running around on a distant cliff, and then we see a child's skull from one of their last meals, which leads to...
Despite deserving his fate, it’s still a bit creepy to imagine that Barnaby is going to be killed and eaten by a horde of vengeful, hungry goblins.
Retroactive Recognition: Barnaby in the 1934 version is played by Henry Brandon, best-known now for playing another archvillain, Comanche chief Scar in The Searchers.
In the Disney version, one of the costumes' eyebrows falls down while the trees lead the characters off to Toyland. Not to mention, they obviously look rubber.
There is reason to believe this was done on purpose to avoid scaring small children in the audience.
Then there's the 1986 version which takes it even further, one example being the Toyland set and costumes looking more like they belong in a cheap theme park attraction.
Mostly averted in the Laurel and Hardy version — despite being made in the 1930s much of what was seen was well-crafted and even the stop-motion soldier sequence is high quality. The only possible failure is the cameo by "Mickey Mouse" which is obviously a monkey in a costume, and some of the damaged soldiers in the final battle have their shoulders sit too high or other oddities as the actors had to wear prop elements to pull of headless or armless effects.
