Once thought lost, this silent film version of James M. Barrie’s Freudian Fairy Tale survived thru a single print of near mint condition. (Find it on KINO DVD.) Made with Barrie’s input, director Herbert Brenon offers the sort of cautious prestige moviemaking that tends to stink from too much quality & refinement. Happily, Barrie’s story is strong enough (and psycho-sexually weird enough) to withstand the largely proscenium-bound first two acts, holding interest till things loosen up in a more imaginative last act. Psychologically, the film misses a beat not using the same actor as Father Darling and Captain Hook. How else can the pure ‘id’ that is Peter Pan ‘kill’ his father and ‘marry’ his mother? And the style at the time for a dainty, feminine Peter (Betty Bronson*) feels odd after decades of tomboyish gals or teenage boys in the famous role. What holds up best are the charming/even thrilling special effects from Tech Director Roy Pomeroy, whose work still has a magical feel. (So too, James Wong Howe's crisp lensing in this early credit.) One shot near the end, when the pirate ship lifts off the sea to fly the boys home, still a stunning achievement. And here's a surprise: no epilogue with forever young Peter returning to find Wendy all grown with a daughter of her own . . . and so begin the cycle all over again. When was that bit added?
DOUBLE-BILL: *Bronson gets by here, but is truly insufferable as a waif with a brood of orphans to care for in the follow up Barrie/Brenon film, A KISS FOR CINDERELLA/’25. Worth a look for its ‘panto’ elements in a Cinderella dream with animated transformation magic. OR: Surprisingly, Disney’s 1953 animated PETER PAN captures a good deal of Barrie’s hormonally charged atmosphere. And while the score can’t match the old Mary Martin version, the Disney film is better than you may recall.
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