FINDING NEVERLAND

UK, 2004, 107 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Kate Winslett, Radha Mitchell, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman, Kelly Mc Donald, Freddie Highmore.
Directed by Marc Forster.

Any film that fosters creativity and imagination is worthy of praise. Finding Neverland does this – and more. Peter Pan has been a favourite for over a hundred years – in the theatre and on the screen. Disney did animation versions in 1953 and 2002. Steven Spielberg used the basic outline for ET and for his version of midlife crisis and rediscovering the inner child, Hook. P.J.Hogan celebrated the centenary of J.M.Barrie’s play with a lavish Peter Pan (2003).

But, who was J.M.Barrie? Finding Neverland offers us a portrait of the playwright, dramatises his friendship with the Llewellyn-Davies? children which gave him the inspiration for his play and, finally, shows some glimpses of the performance of the play. The film is the more unexpected since director Marc Forster’s previous work included the small-budget film about pregnancy, Everything Put Together, and the grim, Monster’s Ball.

The setting is 1903. It is meticulously re-created, giving great visual pleasure to those who enjoy period dramas. The cast is impeccable. Johnny Depp has proven himself one of the best screen presences today (from Edward Scissorhands to Pirates of the Caribbean). With Scots accent, quiet bearing and an empathy for children, his Barrie is something of a lonely figure who retreats into his imagination when life is too difficult but who has to help his friend Sylvia Llewellyn- Davies to face the reality of her terminal illness. Kate Winslet is at her best as Sylvia, a grieving widow, devoted but harassed mother with a platonic devotion to Barrie.

The film also boasts a strong supporting cast. Julie Christie is now a grande dame of the screen as Sylvia’s possessive and domineering mother. Dustin Hoffman is Barrie’s theatrical entrepreneur and Radha Mitchell (who had starred in Everything Put Together) is dignified as Barrie’s estranged wife. Freddie Highmore (Two Brothers, Five Children and It) has the pivotal role of the sceptical boy, Peter, who is resolutely realistic and has to discover the power of imagination.

A major theme of Finding Neverland is that of making the distinction between fantasy and reality. Fantasy can be a wonderful and necessary refuge. It helps the Llewellyn- Davies children cope and grow. It enables Barrie not to give in or give up. But, he has to face the reality of his glacial marriage and accept his responsibility for this as well as help Sylvia not to pretend that her illness is not serious.
While Peter Pan never grew up – and Barrie remarks that children should not go to bed because they will only wake up a day older – Barrie knew that we all must.

1.The acclaim and popularity of the film? Its appeal to a variety of audiences? Audiences for Peter Pan, British theatre, fantasy?

2.1903, Edwardian London, homes, parks, the theatre? Manners and morals? The musical score?

3.The title, J.M. Barrie’s life and career? Neverland as his imagination, refuge, the play for Sylvia at the end – and her going into Neverland in her death?

4.The structure of the film, the opening, the atmosphere of theatre, curtain, drama? The focus on theatre, Barrie’s imagination/reality? Fantasy? The intercutting of each, with the children, with the reality of Sylvia’s illness? Peter and Mrs du Maurier as sceptics? Barrie’s response to them? The opening of the imagination?

5.Barrie as a successful playwright, his sense of failure, nervous, the audiences and their reticence after his failure of a play? The producer, friendship, finance, support? The failure and his reaction? Barrie’s being well known in England?

6.Mary, her story of marrying Barrie, her naivety, the tension in the household, no children? Her jealousy of Barrie and Sylvia? Inviting the family to dinner? Her seeing it as a disaster? Her wanting to be involved in society, in charities? Alone in the house? Her reaction to Barrie being away? His return and finding her with Gilbert, the political discussions, her decision to leave him, the scandal? Her coming to the play at the end? His asking her forgiveness?

7.Barrie and his walks in the park, the chance encounter with the children, with the family? Playing games with them, his dog and the imagination of dancing with the bear, the circus? The bonding with the children? With Sylvia? Peter and his ultra-realism? Imagining the Indians, the pirates, making Peter walk the plank because of his lack of imagination? Getting the kite to fly?

8.The discussions about imagination, especially with Peter? The discussion about the book, Barrie giving Peter a book to write his stories, Peter’s play – and his mother’s illness, tearing the book to pieces, Sylvia putting it together again, his showing it to Barrie at the end?

9.Barrie in himself, the Scotsman, a pleasant man, lonely, the coldness of his marriage, the story about his brother and dressing up in his clothes to get his mother’s attention, retreating to Neverland? His life in the theatre? Making notes? The failure of his play? Inviting Sylvia and the family to the meal, the spoon on his nose? Playing in the park, the visits to the house, the platonic relationship with Sylvia? Her mother and her continued rebukes? The holiday house, the visits, the summer – and it being incorporated into the play? The rehearsals? Sylvia’s illness, trying to get her to the hospital, her pretending that there was nothing wrong, not wanting to know? His support of George and his becoming a young adult? The clashes with Mrs du Maurier? The premiere of Peter Pan, the producer’s anxiety, the twenty-five orphans, their laughter, the success of the play, audience response? The reconciliation with Mary, her new life? The play in the living room, the performance for Sylvia, the response to believing in fairies, Sylvia going into Neverland, the funeral, Mrs du Maurier and Barrie being the co-guardians of the children? His accepting the responsibility?

10.The portrait of Sylvia, the widow, her grief at the death of her husband, her suspicion of hospitals and doctors? Her trying to break free of her mother, her mother’s presence and insistence? The boys, the park, the visit to the Barrie’s’ household? Her illness, pretending that she wasn't ill? George and his bargain for her to go to hospital? Her not being able to go to the premiere, her response to the play, her death?

11.The portrait of her mother, hard, wanting to run her daughter’s life? Her rudeness to the Barries, to Mary about time for charities? Her rebukes for Barrie? George and his reaction to her, her daughter’s death? Her eager response to the play, her reconciliation with Barrie?

12.The portrait of the boys, George as the oldest, his responsibility? Jack and his mischief – the flying in the rehearsals and George breaking his arm? Michael as the youngest? Peter, his special friendship with Barrie, yet his lack of imagination, realism, grieving for his father, grieving for his mother? His harshness at the funeral, the final scene with Barrie and the restored book?

13.The cast for the play, the rehearsals, the dog, the sardonic remarks? The producer, his lack of faith – and his seeing Barrie as a genius? The orphans coming to the play, laughing, the infectious nature of their laughter, the adults enjoying the play? Peter enjoying the play? The portrait of Peter Pan in the play, the children? Gathering together the events of the summer in the play?

14.The achievement of bringing Barrie to life, of explaining the background of Peter Pan, the performance of Peter Pan? Time and the crocodile as a pursuit of human life, time passing – and the effect of finding Neverland as a fable?