Since 1904, J.M. Barrie made children and adults alike believe they could fly. The English author first introduced the world to “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” in 1902, as part of a book called “The Little White Bird.” In 1904, the mischievous youth took center stage in the play “Peter Pan; or, The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” Then, in 1911, Barrie extended his play into the novel “Peter and Wendy.” Since then, his tale of eternal childhood has inspired plays, musicals, pantomimes, and countless film adaptations.
Walt Disney’s 1953 classic “Peter Pan” gave its audience delightful images, memorable quotes, and tunes, including “The Second Star to the Right” and “You Can Fly,” and the lovable characters such as Tinkerbell. It highlighted the wonder and joy of childhood.
The Cartoon Classic
The 1953 film begins with the Darling children, John (Paul Collins), Michael (Tommy Luske), and Wendy (Kathryn Beaumont), playing in their nursery. Becoming exasperated by the children’s games and their St. Bernard “nursemaid” Nana, Mr. Darling (Hans Conried) proclaims Wendy must have a room of her own and grow up.That night, Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll) sneaks into the nursery to retrieve his shadow, which he left the night before. Wendy wakes up and sews his shadow back on. Peter teaches the three children to fly and whisks them away to Neverland. There, the Darlings have many adventures, including some on the ship of Captain Hook, but Wendy decides it’s time for her and the boys to go home.
The Live-Action Misfire
The 2003 film opens with Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and Michael Darling (Freddie Popplewell) playing out a scene between Captain Hook and Peter Pan. Unbeknownst to them, Peter (Jeremy Sumpter) is outside watching. Aunt Millicent (Lynn Redgrave) arrives and proclaims Wendy is growing up, since she can see her “hidden kiss” lingering at the corner of her mouth. When Peter sneaks into the nursery that night, St. Bernard “nursemaid” Nana catches his shadow. The boy himself escapes, awakening Wendy in the process.
Although Nana runs to fetch Mr. Darling (Jason Isaacs) and Mrs. Darling (Olivia Williams), they return from an evening out just in time to find the children have flown off to Neverland. In Neverland, Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs) attempts to shoot Peter and his friends out of the sky. Peter matches wits with Captain Hook and wins the day.
Nostalgia or Romance
Disney’s animated classic has stood the test of time for good reason. It takes people from all walks of life back to their childhoods. Every frame of this film is like a personal memory, whether it be watching the movie with your family growing up or going on the ride at Disneyland.The 2003 movie leaves one feeling more melancholic. With the dialogue in Wendy and Peter’s first scene being almost verbatim from Barrie’s opening chapter, it highlights the bittersweet storyline. As opposed to the animated film’s playful children, Wendy and Peter are on the cusp of adulthood. Because of this, Peter is a more conflicted character. He develops strong feelings for Wendy, like those of a young man. However, he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge these emotions.
Modern Versus Classic
Although the 1953 cartoon was a bigger box office hit, the 2003 “Peter Pan” has some wonderful qualities. Unfortunately, there were some inappropriate details, mainly in two scenes where one or both of Wendy’s brothers are shown from the back nude. While one could argue that they’re not really showing anything indecent, it’s offensive and entirely unnecessary.The 2003 film would have been better if it had been made under the guidelines of the Motion Picture Production Code, which was still going strong when the cartoon was made. Artistically, it’s moving, exciting, and entertaining. However, with the inclusion of those two scenes, it can’t be considered a truly family friendly film.
The main detail which gives the 2003 a chance to compete with the Disney classic is that it’s live-action. The interaction between real people can’t be recreated by even the most skillful animation. Upon first viewing it, I was immediately struck by the chemistry between the two young leads and was unsurprised to learn that they were dating during filming. As a true romantic, I find that detail a charming bit of insight into their onscreen interaction.
Although framed as a love story, the modern version has a tragic poignance which stays with you long after it ends, very much like the conclusion of the cartoon classic’s 2002 sequel, “Return to Neverland.” While not a brilliant film overall, the final scene, when Wendy and Peter see each other for a brief moment, never fails to bring me to tears.
Interestingly, a similar scene was filmed as the original conclusion to the 2003 adaptation; it can be viewed on YouTube, without the final special effects. However, the filmmakers made the right decision in deleting it. With the love story highlighted so strongly, Peter returning years later, only to find that everything Hook said came true, is a little hard to take.
If you want a nostalgic, joyful trip to Neverland and back to your childhood, you can’t go wrong with Walt’s animated masterpiece. However, if you want your journey with “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” to take you on a more somber path, through love and the realization of maturity, why not give this lesser-known adaptation a try?
