A young girl in Victorian England suddenly finds herself drawn into a kingdom where absurdity rules & illogic is the theme of the day. Bemused by the antics of the strange inhabitants of the place, ALICE IN WONDERLAND continues to keep her dignity & wits about her.
This movie has received a great deal of criticism down through the decades, mainly because it was considered to be a travesty of Lewis Carroll's classic books. But this is to miss the point of the film. It was never meant to be Art. Pure & simple, it was the chance for Paramount to showcase as many of its stars as possible in a light, enjoyable 1933 Christmas release, giving each their moment to shine in front of the cameras . In this it succeeds quite nicely. The Carroll stories, with their colorful, bizarre characters, have always been a favorite for celebrity cameos: the short, vivid roles are real attention grabbers, but require only a minimum investment of time from the majority of the actors.
Great care was taken to be faithful to Carroll's original works and a certain demarcation was respected between Wonderland & the Looking-Glass Country (although the transition between the two, with the Gryphon metamorphosing into the Red Queen, is rather awkward.) The elaborate make-up, costumes, masks, puppets & animation strives to resemble Sir John Tenniel's famous drawings. Paramount at least deserves high marks for their visual display.
In a role difficult by any stretch of the imagination, young Charlotte Henry does very well as Alice, utilizing the character's spunk & determination in holding her own against a supporting cast of seasoned veterans and inveterate scene stealers. Spirited & charming, with few hints visible of Victorian decorum, she is never boring. (Ida Lupino was first slated to play Alice, but upon arrival in Hollywood from England the nabobs at Paramount decided she was too mature for the role. Stardom would have to wait for Miss Lupino.)
W. C. Fields has received much acclaim for his performance as Humpty Dumpty, and, indeed, his raspy voice & personality fit the character perfectly, but Edward Everett Horton's Mad Hatter and May Robson's Queen of Hearts are equally enjoyable - perhaps more so, as we can see their facial expressions. (Listen closely during the penultimate banquet scene to hear Fields' voice again.)
Several of the stars - Leon Errol, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling for example - are all but forgotten now, while others (Ned Sparks, Roscoe Ates, Roscoe Karns) are in danger of obscurement, but that shouldn't diminish from their contribution to the overall fun. And where else will you find the likes of Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen, Edna May Oliver, Polly Moran & Alison Skipworth all gathered for one grand romp? This was a once-in-a-lifetime cast.
Movie mavens will recognize the shamefully uncredited Ethel Griffies as Alice's governess and tiny Billy Barty as both the White Pawn and the Duchess's baby. And although he receives cast credit, Baby Le Roy's turn as the Joker lasts only a few scant seconds.
For children of all ages & those with an uncritical appreciation of old films, ALICE IN WONDERLAND has much to offer.
This movie has received a great deal of criticism down through the decades, mainly because it was considered to be a travesty of Lewis Carroll's classic books. But this is to miss the point of the film. It was never meant to be Art. Pure & simple, it was the chance for Paramount to showcase as many of its stars as possible in a light, enjoyable 1933 Christmas release, giving each their moment to shine in front of the cameras . In this it succeeds quite nicely. The Carroll stories, with their colorful, bizarre characters, have always been a favorite for celebrity cameos: the short, vivid roles are real attention grabbers, but require only a minimum investment of time from the majority of the actors.
Great care was taken to be faithful to Carroll's original works and a certain demarcation was respected between Wonderland & the Looking-Glass Country (although the transition between the two, with the Gryphon metamorphosing into the Red Queen, is rather awkward.) The elaborate make-up, costumes, masks, puppets & animation strives to resemble Sir John Tenniel's famous drawings. Paramount at least deserves high marks for their visual display.
In a role difficult by any stretch of the imagination, young Charlotte Henry does very well as Alice, utilizing the character's spunk & determination in holding her own against a supporting cast of seasoned veterans and inveterate scene stealers. Spirited & charming, with few hints visible of Victorian decorum, she is never boring. (Ida Lupino was first slated to play Alice, but upon arrival in Hollywood from England the nabobs at Paramount decided she was too mature for the role. Stardom would have to wait for Miss Lupino.)
W. C. Fields has received much acclaim for his performance as Humpty Dumpty, and, indeed, his raspy voice & personality fit the character perfectly, but Edward Everett Horton's Mad Hatter and May Robson's Queen of Hearts are equally enjoyable - perhaps more so, as we can see their facial expressions. (Listen closely during the penultimate banquet scene to hear Fields' voice again.)
Several of the stars - Leon Errol, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling for example - are all but forgotten now, while others (Ned Sparks, Roscoe Ates, Roscoe Karns) are in danger of obscurement, but that shouldn't diminish from their contribution to the overall fun. And where else will you find the likes of Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen, Edna May Oliver, Polly Moran & Alison Skipworth all gathered for one grand romp? This was a once-in-a-lifetime cast.
Movie mavens will recognize the shamefully uncredited Ethel Griffies as Alice's governess and tiny Billy Barty as both the White Pawn and the Duchess's baby. And although he receives cast credit, Baby Le Roy's turn as the Joker lasts only a few scant seconds.
For children of all ages & those with an uncritical appreciation of old films, ALICE IN WONDERLAND has much to offer.