PETER PAN

US, 1952, 76 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Wilfred Jackson, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske.

Peter Pan is in the tradition of the celebrated Disney animation features of the '30s and '40s and came soon after the Disney Studios revival of the form with Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland.

There had been silent versions, stage versions and television versions (with Mary Martin) of J. M. Barrie's famous story. Here it receives the best of Disney animation treatment. The characters are bright, the colour beautiful, the blend of sentiment and humour with the English touch a delight for family audiences. There are some romantic and amusing songs in the score: 'The Elegant Captain Hook', 'What Makes the Red Man Red', 'You Can Fly, You Can Fly, You Can Fly', 'Your Mother and Mine', 'A Pirate's Life', 'Tee Dum Tee Dee' and the famous 'Never Smile at a Crocodile'. Disney also employed his favourite child star Bobby Driscoll for the voice of Peter Pan and character actor Hans Conried was Captain Hook. All in all the film remains faithful to the spirit of Barrie's story as well as the plot outline. Disney said that he based Tinkerbell on Marilyn Monroe who was emerging as a popular star at the time.

The film is a delight for parents and children - with the touch of magic and the fantasy of children.

1. The popularity of J. M. Barrie’s story? The many versions? An appropriate story for Disney animation techniques? The impact of the film, adventure, comedy, sentiment? The musical score? The success of the film over many decades?

2. The quality of the animation: the drawing style, London, Never Never Land? The characters? human and fairies? The pirates, the Indians? The comic crocodile? Colour, shapes and forms? The movement of the film? The musical score and the insertion of the songs for characters, moods?

3. The magical character of Peter Pan? Mr. Darling's comments on his existence, Wendy's delight in reading his stories, the boys liking the stories? Wendy capturing his shadow? The pixie dust and the children going off to Never Never Land? The discovery of Peter? The perennial boy? The friendship with Tinkerbell and the consequences of her jealousy? Peter taking Wendy, Michael and John through the night? To the second star to the right and straight on til morning? The encounters with Captain Hook and his attempts to capture hemi? The lost children? The rescue of Princess Tiger Lily? The downing of Captain Hook? Tinkerbell and her betrayal, the bomb? The group being saved? Peter meeting Captain Hook - and the pirate style duel? Tinkerbell allowing them to return? Peter remaining in Never Never Land? Peter Pan as a symbol of childhood fantasy?

4. The Darling family - Mr. Darling and his scepticism about the stories, Wendy having to move from the nursery? Mrs. Darling and her delight with her children? Wendy and her growing up, the reading of the stories? Nana the nurse dog tied to the doghouse? Michael and John and their being caught up in the adventures? The flight to Never Never Land? with Nana and the pixie dust? The children participating in the adventures? Wendy and her friendship with Peter Pan? The capture by Captain Hook? The final rescue and their return home? Mr. Darling and his softening and his final memories?

5. Tinkerbell (and the Marilyn Monroe image)? Her friendship with Peter Pan, the world of the fairies, her delight and her mischief? The pixie dust? The adventures? In league with Captain Hook? The bomb, her warning, allowing the ship to sail back to London? Tinkerbell as glamorous, mischievous, jealous?

6. Captain Hook as the caricature of the pirate villain? His appearance, clothes, manner of speaking? His songs? His hook and the crocodile? The capture of Princess Tiger Lily, of the children, the swordfight in the swashbuckling style with Peter Pan? The pursuit by the crocodile? A typical pantomime villain?

7. The character of the crocodile and the rhythmic music, the bomb? 'Never Smile at a Crocodile'?

8. The Indian sequences - Indians of Never Never Land? The braves, the children involved in the adventures, Princess Tiger Lily and her rescue?

9. The popularity of this English tale for world-wide audiences? The comedy, the delight, the music?