Peter Pan (1924)

The Barbican in London has a screening of 'Peter Pan' coming up. I
haven't seen the film and was wondering if I can take my kids to see
it. They are 5 and 7. They have been exposed to silent features
before, but I appreciate that at 100 minutes, it might be a bit long
for them. Particularly violent, scary or sad parts? Anyone?

- Rob

On Oct 25, 10:20 am, Rob wrote:
> The Barbican in London has a screening of 'Peter Pan' coming up. I
> haven't seen the film and was wondering if I can take my kids to see
> it. They are 5 and 7. They have been exposed to silent features
> before, but I appreciate that at 100 minutes, it might be a bit long
> for them. Particularly violent, scary or sad parts? Anyone?
>
> - Rob

If they're at all like my kids, they'll love it -- it was designed
specifically for them. It has sad bits (particularlly Mrs Darling
missing her children), but it comes right in the end.

There are threatening pirates, but they don't get particularly
violent. Captain Hook gets devoured off-screen by the crocodile, and
you see the croc coughing up his empty boots, but he's a villain and
kids can generally accept that. The movie follows the stage play and
is "stagey" in parts, but the dog and the flying pirate ship are
really wonderful.

I'll be curious to hear about audience response to one item -- as the
kids are being threatened by pirates to convince them to join the
pirate band, they refuse by swearing allegiance to an *American* flag.
This, of course, would have meant a lot more to American kids than the
Union Jack would have in 1924. While I'm curious whether U.K. prints
of the film had a Union Jack, I don't think any UK prints survived, so
you'll probably see an American flag. (Whether that's more disturbing
to British audiences than the fate of Captain Cook remains to be
seen...)

Rodney Sauer
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
www.mont-alto.com