Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)
A 1949 French stop-motion Alice adaptation.
Alice in Wonderland is a 1949 French film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel, directed by Dallas Bower. It stars Carol Marsh as Alice and Stephen Murray as Lewis Carroll, with most Wonderland characters portrayed by stop-motion animated puppets created by Lou Bunin. The film is notable for its live-action framing sequences and its legal dispute with Disney over simultaneous Alice adaptations.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Dallas Bower
- Producer
- Lou Bunin; J. Arthur Rank (uncredited)
- Writer
- Edward Eliscu
- Albert E. Lewin
- Henry Myers
- Starring
- Stephen Murray
- Carol Marsh
- Raymond Bussières
- Based on
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
- Music
- Sol Kaplan (London Symphony Orchestra); Ernest Irving (Philharmonia Orchestra)
- Cinematography
- Gerald Gibbs; Claude Renoir
- Editing
- Inman Hunter
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In Victorian England, Charles Dodgson works as a teacher and scholar at Christ Church, Oxford. He has hobbies in photography and cinema, and he often spends time with the young daughters of Dr. Liddell, the Dean. The Vice Chancellor, a stiff and disapproving man, has a low opinion of Dodgson. He is horrified by the subject of Dodgson’s newest poem, written under the pen name Lewis Carroll, and suggests that Oxford’s famous bell, Great Tom, should be taken down because its ringing bothers many people. The Vice Chancellor worries that Dodgson will read the poem to the Queen during her upcoming visit to Oxford. On his advice, Alice Liddell and her sisters are kept away from the Queen’s arrival, as he thinks they will cause chaos. Feeling sorry for the disappointed Alice, Dodgson secretly gives her one of the Queen’s tarts when no one is watching. When he meets the Queen, however, he lacks the courage to share his real thoughts about Great Tom. Later, Dodgson takes the Dean’s daughters on a boat ride. There, he starts telling a story about a girl named Alice who spots a White Rabbit wearing a waistcoat and checking a pocket watch. Curious, she follows the rabbit down a hole. She lands in a room filled with many doors. She finds a key that opens a tiny door, through which she sees the Rabbit. Trying to reach the door, Alice uses magical objects that appear in the room to change her size. She grows very tall and cries about her situation, then shrinks until she is small enough to go through the door, only to float in a sea made of her own tears. Alice meets a mouse and tells it how delighted she is by the strange world she has entered.
Release
The 1949 film version of Alice in Wonderland had a complicated release history. It was not shown in British cinemas until 1985, reportedly because the Queen of Hearts was considered too harsh a parody of Queen Victoria, though the BBC had already broadcast it on television in 1961. In the United States, its initial release was blocked by a legal battle with Disney, which was producing its own animated Alice at the same time. Disney sued to stop the British film from being distributed in America, and the case received extensive coverage in Time magazine. The British distributor accused Disney of rushing its own version to capitalize on their project. The Museum of Modern Art later restored a 35mm print of the film for a rare screening in 2009. Home video releases came later: a VHS edition from Interglobal Home Video in North America in 1989, followed by a re-release from Monterey Home Video in 1992. Finally, American Pop Classic issued the film on DVD in 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)?
Alice in Wonderland stars Stephen Murray, Carol Marsh and Raymond Bussières.
Who composed the music for Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)?
The music for Alice in Wonderland was composed by Sol Kaplan (London Symphony Orchestra) and Ernest Irving (Philharmonia Orchestra).
Who wrote Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)?
Alice in Wonderland was written by Edward Eliscu, Albert E. Lewin and Henry Myers.
How long is Alice in Wonderland (1949 film)?
Alice in Wonderland has a running time of 83 minutes.
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