PETER PAN

US, 2003, 118 minutes, Colour.
Jason Isaacs, Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Wood- Dunham, Olivia Williams, Lynn Redgrave, Richard Briers.
Directed by P.J. Hogan

A lavish production, filmed at Australia's Gold Coast studios. Co-writer and director is P.J.Hogan who made his mark with Muriel's Wedding and My Best Friend's Wedding. He obviously has great devotion to playwright J.M.Barrie and his immortal creation, Peter Pan.

Peter Pan has had many incarnations on stage, screen and television. It has been pointed out that he is usually played by a girl or a woman. While Disney's animated 1953 Peter Pan and the recent Return to Neverland have Peter as a boy, this film has a boy playing our hero. (Though, I should add, that I sorely missed 'Never Smile at a Crocodile' this time round.) Some critics have got themselves into a lather in their reviews, taking the opportunity to execrate Steven Spielberg for Hook - Spielberg was trying to interpret his own life and career through Peter Pan as a middle aged executive who had grown up and forgotten Neverland and needed to go back there, something that this Peter Pan gives as a reason for not growing up.)

Hogan recreates a turn of the century London that we are familiar with from stories like Mary Poppins. Mr Darling could be straight out of Mary Poppins with his subservient business nose to the grindstone, not understanding his children too well. In the meantime, they are being bossed about by their socially climbing aunt, Lynn Redgrave. Their mother, Olivia Williams, loves them, even if they cavort around the house playing pirates and they do have their dog, Nana, as their nurse. This is the situation when Peter Pan comes knocking on their window to retrieve his shadow which was cut off in their room.

Off they go to Neverland to find Lost Boys, fight pirates and confront the wicked Captain Hook. There is plenty of adventure, swordfights, especially with Peter and Wendy showing their derring-do. The Darling boys forget home. Wendy becomes an honorary pirate. Where will it end, especially as Mrs Darling sits vigil at their window night
after night.

The question is: do they want to grow up? Is childhood in Neverland the goal in life? It is best to be the eternal boy? And, the invitation to the audience to join in and bring Tinkerbell back to life: 'We believe in fairies'?

Jeremy Sumpter, a touch too American to be the perfect Peter Pan, combines natural charm with a smirk that makes you wonder who innocent he is and how manipulating he is. Rachel Dunham Wood is a lovely and vigorous Wendy. Ludovine Sagnier is a cheeky (sometimes irritating) Tinkerbell. As in the theatre productions, Mr Darling and Captain Hook are played by the same actor. Jason Isaacs seems very meek as the children's father but is more than life-size as Hook. He showed he could do dastard in The Patriot and the second Harry Potter film.

Perhaps the pudding has too many rich ingredients to make it the satisfying delight that would be truly magical.

1. The impact of the film, for adults, children? The popularity of Peter Pan - in the original novel, in the theatre, the Disney version, television versions, Hook?

2. J.D. Barrie and his feel for children, providing them with fantasies and dreams? Peter, Wendy and the family? The importance of never growing up, living in Neverland, growing up meaning the fading of Neverland memories?

3. The tradition of the presentation of Peter Pan, generally a girl or a woman? The same actor being Father and Captain Hook? The Edwardian setting, the Edwardian family, the nature of English family at the time, business world, the dog as Nana, love, sadness and happiness? The tradition of Neverland, the Lost Boys, Hook and the pirates, the Indians?

4. The adaptation for this film, the introduction of the aunt, the fidelity to the main features and details?

5. London, the homes, the décor, costumes, formal and elegant? In the nursery, the children, their world, their lifestyle?

6. The presentation of Neverland, a fantasy world, echoes of contemporary theme parks for Neverland, the mountains, the sea, the cliffs, the ship, the caves, the jungle and the Lost Boys, the village of the Indians? The crocodile? The musical score?

7. The title with its focus on Peter - or Wendy as the centre of the story and the themes?

8. The Darling family, ordinary, the children playing, loving action? Nana as beloved? The place of the aunt, her interfering? Father, his work, subservient to the business people? His future? The children's future in this world?

9. Peter Pan, age, appearance, his innocence, the smirk, shrewd? Listening to Wendy's stories, introducing himself to her? Hoping that his own stories would be in her repertoire for the future? The shutting of the window, the detachment of his shadow, the return, his search - and the special effects of the shadow on the wall? Tinkerbell, her presence, size, appearance, mischievous? Her love for Peter, becoming jealous, her death? Reviving? - everybody chanting, "We believe in fairies"?

10. The challenge to Wendy, the invitation to go, gathering up the boys, their wanting to fly, flying through the air to Neverland? The introduction to the pirates, Captain Hook (and his physical resemblance to their father)? The Lost Boys, their age, characters, having no parents, their plight? Indians - from the world of the imagination rather than reality, the Indian adults, the girl, the children playing Indians, their help? Adventures? Feeling more at home in Neverland? The swashbuckling adventures with the pirates?

11. The relationship between Peter and Captain Hook, Peter, his abilities, agility, flying, the sword, fighting Hook? Hook, the pirate chief, his appearance, black curls, severe look, his manner of speaking, demonic, the hook? The irony of his hand being taken by the crocodile - and the swallowing of his watch? The crocodile and its appearance, ticking? The fights, the verbal exchanges?

12. Smee, observant, servant to Hook, wry observations? Yet as cruel as the other pirates? The range of pirates, their appearance, manner of speaking, threats, facial appearances, teeth etc? Their fighting, the swords, the capturing of the children, Wendy, having to walk the plank?

13. Peter and his character, the young boy, no emotions, refusing feelings? Gradual change, attachment to Wendy yet never admitting it? The clashes with Wendy, her going off, her going to Hook and being welcomed as a pirate? Peter and the boys, the leadership, the rescue of Wendy? The final confrontation with Hook, his being swallowed by the crocodile?

14. Wendy, mothering the boys, her brothers forgetting their own parents? Her being pleased to be a pirate with Hook, his turning against her, Smee? The confrontation and the victory?

15. The build-up to the finale, fighting, flying, the question about returning, Wendy making the decision, going back home, the Lost Boys going to London, Peter deciding not to go back to the real world?

16. Mr and Mrs Darling, at home, Mr Darling at work, the authorities, his botching things, his shyness, the advice to make conversation, awkward? At the social function, its style, Nana and the mayhem? The aunt, her place in the household, her interfering, sizing up Wendy, wanting to plan the future? Mrs Darling, her waiting, her dreams of her children, the window always open? Mother and father longing to see their children again, fearing they never would?

17. The return, the happiness in the household, the aunt and her getting sons with the Lost Boys, Peter watching all of this, listening and going?

18. The perennial popularity of Peter Pan, the nature of the appeal - what if one never had to grow up? What if one could remain the eternal boy? The consequences?