[16] [1953 Feb 5] [77 min]
PETER PAN
(S) Peter Pan

Comments: The film is rather funny; the croc is actually hillarious at times. The adventures is packed after each other in a rather high tempo. It might lack a bit of a true delicate feeling though. On the other hand, the film is not intended to be that serious. The essence of the film is to show the importence of staying young in mind and to keep believing.
     The film is based on a play by Sr. James M. Barrie. Live action films were taken to get the right movements and Tink was modeled after Marilyn Monroe's figure.

The short story: Peter Pan & Tinkebell brings three kids too NeverLand were you never have to grow up. They have adventures with mermaids, indians and pirates. Captain Hook hates Peter Pan since he cut off his hand (now a hook) and gave it to a crocodile who has been hunting Hook ever since. Tinkerbell is jealous of Wendy and is tricked by Hook to give away their hide-out. Tink saves him though and Hook is beaten. As they return to London, even their parents sees Peter Pan's ship and starts to believe.

The full story: The Darling family lives In Bloombury, London. The parents, Mary, George, are in a hurry to get to a party. Meanwhile, John & Michael are playing Peter Pan (PP) & Captain Hook (CH), just like in big sister Wendy's (W) stories. George's golden cuff links happens to be the hidden treasure and his last "clean" shirt front is the drawn treasure map. He looses his temper and orders W out from the nursery tomorrow, into a room of her own. Nana, the dog nanny, ends up in the garden. The sad children go to bed, none of them wanting to grow up.
     The parents leave. PP & Tinkerbell sneaks in through a window, looking for PP's shadow. Nana caught it night before. They find it in W's drawer. Chasing the shadow, PP wakes W up. She helps him sew the shadow back on. PP says he come at night to listen to her stories. Tink grows extremely jealous of W.
     W says she is supposed to grow up. PP wants them all in NeverLand so he can hear more stories. He teaches them how to fly with "faith, trust and pixie dust" (sprinkled by shaking Tink over the kids).
     CH's pirates complain about boredom due to CH's search of PP and revenge. PP has cut off his hand. A crocodile got it and wants the rest of CH ever since. But the croc also swallowed a clock that gives him away.
     CH spots the kids approaching NeverLand and fire the canon. PP asks Tink to lead the kids to safety. But she hates W. Instead she tricks PP's friends, the Lost Boys, into shooting W down. PP saves her and banishes Tink for a week.
     The boys goes Indian hunting but get caught. Usually it is a game but this time they are not released. The Indian chief thinks the boys has kidnapped his daughter, Tiger Lily. PP takes W to the Mermaid Lagoon. They too get jealous of her. PP misses the drama completely.
     PP and W sees CH and Mr. Smee (S) placing Tiger Lily in Scull Rock, threatening to let the tide drown her to force her to give away PP's hide-out. PP saves her and CH flees in panic from the croc.
     CH is safe aboard the ship with a headache and a terrible cold. Mr. Smee tells him rumors about the jealous Tink being banished. Mr. Smee catches her and brings her to CH who lies about forgiving PP and taking her side against W. Tink shows the way to the hide-out before CH locks her in.
     PP returns Tiger Lily and becomes an honorary Indian. The party and dancing (especially PP and Tiger Lily) goes on through the night. W returns to the hide-out in a bad mood. When PP and the boys return, W says they are leaving for home tomorrow. CH surrounds the place and catches them all but PP who stays inside. The pirates leave a bomb with PP and brings the others to the ship.
     CH tells them about the bomb, but Tink escapes just in time to warn PP and takes the worst hit herself. PP digs her out and says she means everything to him. The kids in the ship who sees the bomb go off thinks PP is dead. They have to either join the pirates or walk the plank. W is first to jump, but there is no splash. PP catches her and they all fight the pirates. CH is beaten but tries to stab PP in the back. CH falls in the water to the croc. They disappear into the horizon.
     The ship is sprinkled with pixie dust and lift off to London. The parents come home and finds their children asleep but they also see the ship sailing off in the moonlit sky.

Characters: Mrs. Mary Darling, Mr. George D, Wendy Moira Angela D, John D, Michael D, Nana (dog nanny), Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Indian Chief, Tiger Lily, The crocodile.