Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)
Encyclopedia
Alice in Wonderland is a 1949 French film
based on Lewis Carroll
's fantasy novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
. Directed by Dallas Bower
, the film stars Carol Marsh
as Alice, Stephen Murray as Lewis Carroll
, and Raymond Bussières
as The Tailor. Much of the supporting cast is portrayed by the Bunin Puppets.
All of the other live actors in the film are seen only in the live action scenes. However, they lend their voices to the Wonderland characters, and the staging of the scenes in England vs. the scenes in Wonderland is reminiscent of the Kansas scenes vs. the Oz scenes in The Wizard of Oz
, in that several of the live-action characters seem to have counterparts (of sorts) in Wonderland. Among the other live actors are Pamela Brown as the Queen and as the voice of the Queen of Hearts. Stephen Murray is seen as Lewis Carroll and provides the voice of the Knave of Hearts, and Felix Aylmer
, who played Polonius in Olivier
's Hamlet
, plays Dr. Liddell, father of Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Alice; he also provides the voice of the Cheshire Cat.
Carol Marsh
was 20 years old when she played the part of Alice - conceived by the novel's author as 7 years old.
, which was making its own full-length animated version of Alice at the same time as the Bower version was being worked on. Disney sued to prevent release of the British version in the U.S., and the case was extensively covered in Time Magazine. The company that released the British version accused Disney of trying to exploit their film by releasing its version at virtually the same time.
Both films flopped in the U.S. when they opened in 1951, but Disney saw to it that the fame of its version was kept alive by showing an edited version of it on network television as part of their Disneyland
series and issuing two record albums based on the film. The Disney version eventually reached classic film status and was re-released in the 1980s. The British version, meanwhile, also was sold to television, but only to local stations, where it was eclipsed by showings of the all-star Paramount 1933 live-action film version of the story
, which, incidentally, had also flopped in movie theaters.
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
based on Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's fantasy novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
. Directed by Dallas Bower
Dallas Bower
Dallas Bower was a British film and television director and producer.-Selected filmography:Director* The Path of Glory * Alice in Wonderland * The Second Mrs Tanqueray...
, the film stars Carol Marsh
Carol Marsh
Carol Marsh , born Norma Simpson, was an English film actress known for winning the part of Rose in the film Brighton Rock after thousands auditioned for the part....
as Alice, Stephen Murray as Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
, and Raymond Bussières
Raymond Bussières
Raymond Bussières was a French film actor. He appeared in over 160 films between 1933 and 1982.He was born in Ivry-la-Bataille, France and died in Paris, France.-Selected filmography:* The Two Orphans...
as The Tailor. Much of the supporting cast is portrayed by the Bunin Puppets.
All of the other live actors in the film are seen only in the live action scenes. However, they lend their voices to the Wonderland characters, and the staging of the scenes in England vs. the scenes in Wonderland is reminiscent of the Kansas scenes vs. the Oz scenes in The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
, in that several of the live-action characters seem to have counterparts (of sorts) in Wonderland. Among the other live actors are Pamela Brown as the Queen and as the voice of the Queen of Hearts. Stephen Murray is seen as Lewis Carroll and provides the voice of the Knave of Hearts, and Felix Aylmer
Felix Aylmer
Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television.-Early life and career:...
, who played Polonius in Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
's Hamlet
Hamlet (1948 film)
Hamlet is a 1948 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, adapted and directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Hamlet was Olivier's second film as director, and also the second of the three Shakespeare films that he directed...
, plays Dr. Liddell, father of Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Alice; he also provides the voice of the Cheshire Cat.
Carol Marsh
Carol Marsh
Carol Marsh , born Norma Simpson, was an English film actress known for winning the part of Rose in the film Brighton Rock after thousands auditioned for the part....
was 20 years old when she played the part of Alice - conceived by the novel's author as 7 years old.
Release
The film was not widely seen in the U.S. upon its completion, due to a legal dispute with the Disney StudiosWalt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
, which was making its own full-length animated version of Alice at the same time as the Bower version was being worked on. Disney sued to prevent release of the British version in the U.S., and the case was extensively covered in Time Magazine. The company that released the British version accused Disney of trying to exploit their film by releasing its version at virtually the same time.
Both films flopped in the U.S. when they opened in 1951, but Disney saw to it that the fame of its version was kept alive by showing an edited version of it on network television as part of their Disneyland
Disney anthology television series
The Walt Disney anthology television series refers to a television series which has been produced by the Walt Disney Company under several different titles from 1955 to 2008...
series and issuing two record albums based on the film. The Disney version eventually reached classic film status and was re-released in the 1980s. The British version, meanwhile, also was sold to television, but only to local stations, where it was eclipsed by showings of the all-star Paramount 1933 live-action film version of the story
Alice in Wonderland (1933 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 1933 film version of the famous Alice novels of Lewis Carroll. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures, featuring an all-star cast. It is all live-action, except for the Walrus and The Carpenter sequence, which was animated by Leon Schlesinger Productions.Stars featured...
, which, incidentally, had also flopped in movie theaters.