'The Six Servants’ by the Brothers Grimm fits this pattern.
And looking for an online copy I found out there is a fairytale-based theme-park in Efteling in the Netherlands with 25 scenes according to Wiki: Sprookjesbos.
…In the late seventies, the wood figures were replaced by moving animatronics. An interactive element was added by Peter Reijnders: when one moves the front gate, a crow on the roof caws, smoke comes out of the chimney, a black cat with yellow eyes comes out of a hole in the wall and the witch (voiced by Peter Reijnder’s daughter) says “Knibbel, knabbel, knuisje, wie knabbelt aan mijn huisje?” (Dutch translation of “Nibble, nibble, mousekin, who’s nibbling at my housekin?”).
As does Six Soldiers Of Fortune, where the jack-of-all-trades with a plan assembles his team one member at a time: the strongman, the sharpshooter, the guy who runs crazy fast, and et cetera…
The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy gathers her companions, all of which have what they need (and need what they lack) to go forward on their journey to get the ruby slippers.
My recollection (and I’m not home, so don’t have access to authorities) is that Jason assembles a crew – he doesn’t go seeking each one individually, but he advertises for heroes to join him.
Probably not what you’re thinking of, but it sounds vaguely like “The Five Chinese Brothers”, where each has a different odd trait that prevents him from being executed.
James and John. Old Zeb’s kids. Neither turned out smart enough to run Zeb’s ‘maritime operations,’ but after a few people pissed them off, they earned their nickname–the Thunder Brothers. Dad kept them on as enforcers.
We can get them out on loan. They’re good guys to have on call. But keep them on a leash. At the end of a pole.
You beat me to it. Not only is this in the myth, they present it as a montage in the 1960s Harryhausen film. (I don’t recall them spending much time on it in the more recent TV movie)
Are we talking about the “ragged band of misfits pulls together as a team and after a short training montage, use their moxie and heart to beat their superior opponents against overwhelming odds” trope? If we are, please tell me you are researching this to go back in time and put a stop to it.
*Cut to seaside cafe, Cyprus. Two dock-workers are carrying a large plate stained-glass window about to walk across a busy alley. Shouts and several whistles are heard and a man sprints in front of them clutching a handful of gold necklaces and other jewelry, narrowly missing the first workman.
Freeze frame on the man in mid leap
Caption text slowly appears with accompanying teletype sounds
“Bartholomew…AKA Nathanial…AKA The Shiv of Galilee. Master thief. Knife expert. Ex-Roman Legion Special Forces. Current deployment: Classified…”
Camera un-freezes and Bartholomew runs past. The workers step into the alley only to have 2 pursuing Roman legion soldiers crash into the stained glass plate window
OK people, 9 more apostles to go, let’s get cracking!
Actually most of the apostles apart from Judas - who really has to be played by Steve Buscemi - were really just “those other guys”. And Mary Magdalene’s part will need to be punched up a bit.
Our next recruit is Thomas “Doubtful” the Nubian. Slave turned legionary turned centurion, turned mercenary. Stationed for a while in Londinium, where he picked up a questionable Briton accent. He’s a demolitions expert, currently freelancing for the Ptolemies: if you can build it, Doubtful can break into it. Greek Fire, mangonels, onagers, rams, sapping tunnels, you name it, he wrote the damn scroll on it. Now Christ’s only got enough air for three days in that tomb, and that’s where Doubtful comes in: we need him out, fast and silent. What’s that, Thomas? You doubt it?
