The Adventures of Peter Pan

The character of Peter Pan was born from the Scottish novelist James Matthew Barrie's play written in 1904, entitled "Peter Pan the boy who didn't want to grow up" and in 1911 with the title "Peter and Wendy" it became a very successful book. Actually Peter Pan makes his first appearance as early as 1902 in the novel "The Adventures in Kensington Gardens" (also known as "The White Bird") also by James Barrie. It was one of Walt Disney's favorite fairy tales, which contributed greatly to the construction of his fantastic imagination, so much so that as a child, he played the role of Peter Pan in a school theatrical representation. The project to make an animated feature film about Peter Pan already had it after the making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but due to the Second World War, it had to suspend the work that resumed after the end of the conflict. The film was made in 1953 under the title "The Adventures of Peter Pan" and immediately became a worldwide success. Produced by Walt Disney who followed every part of its creation, it was directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske for a duration of 76 minutes, while the splendid soundtrack is due to Frank Churchill, Sammy Fain, Ted Sears, Oliver Wallace and Jack Lawrence. Walt Disney wanted to faithfully reproduce the character of James Matthew Barrie, who until then (see the 1924 film Peter Pan) had been played by actresses. Thanks to the innovative animation techniques of the time, Walt Disney returned to Peter Pan all the characteristics of the original character: a rebellious child who moves as light as air.
The story begins one evening, in a London apartment, when the Darling spouses are preparing to go to an important dinner, but Agemine can't find her cufflinks and her shirt. Meanwhile, in the upper rooms, his sons Gianni and Michele play in reliving the deeds of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, the characters of their favorite fairy tale, which their older sister Wendy tells them every night before falling asleep. The three children are looked after by their nurse Nana, who despite being a dog, takes care of them by tidying up the bedroom and preparing the syrup they have to take every evening. Regardless of all this Agemone Darling enters her room in a fury, looking for the cufflinks and her shirt, which she finds completely messed up and transformed into a map of Peter Pan's treasure island. Agemone orders Wendy not to tell her little brothers that fairy tale any more and to move from tomorrow to the other room, as she was no longer a child, having now reached the age of 12. Nana also resumed her guard dog role and was tied up in the courtyard. However she Wendy believed in the real existence of Peter Pan, to the point that she believed that he had stolen her shadow of her, after being snatched from her Nana and therefore one day he would return to take her back. That same night, when the children were sleeping alone, without Nana's protection, Peter Pan arrived in the company of the inseparable fairy Tinker Bell, who entered through the window and rummaged throughout the room in desperate search of her shadow. She was found by Tinker Bell inside a drawer, but being as rebellious as her master, her shadow didn't want to be captured. That noise wakes Wendy, who happy with that meeting does her utmost to mend the shadow of Peter Pan. She Wendy confides in Peter Pan that from tomorrow she will no longer be able to tell fairy tales, as she must become an adult. Peter Pan is terrified of growing up, so he invites Wendy to go with him to "Neverland" to tell fairy tales to lost children. Wendy is so happy that she tries to give Peter Pan a kiss, but she is stopped by her jealous Tinker Bell, who pulls her hair by the tail. Meanwhile, Gianni and Michele also wake up, also eager to leave for the island of their fantasies. The only problem is to be able to fly, but despite all their efforts they are unable to fly. Thanks to the fairy dust that Peter Pan scatters on them through Tinker Bell, the three children can finally soar in the air and fly from their bedroom window towards Neverland, crossing the splendid nocturnal city of London. The direction is simple: second star to the right and then straight on until morning. Once on the island, the boys can see the island from above and identify the places told by Wendy's fairy tale: the gulf of the sirens, the Indian camp and Captain Hook's pirate ship, which takes them unceremoniously cannon fire. Peter Pan orders Tinker Bell to bring Wendy, Gianni and Michele to safety as he will have to deal with Captain Hook. He is obsessed with the idea of ​​taking revenge on Peter Pan, as during a fight the boy cut off his hand, which ended up being eaten by a terrible crocodile. From that day on, the crocodile follows him everywhere, hoping to devour Captain Hook whole. Meanwhile Tinker Bell disobeys Peter Pan and arrives first in the shelter for lost children, to say to shoot down Wendy, as she is a menacing bird. The children throw all their weapons at the girl and she falls to the ground. Luckily she is taken in flight by Peter Pan who saves her life and scolds the children for what happened. They excuse themselves, saying that they had received the order from Trilli. Peter Pan banishes Tinker Bell from her kingdom for a week and takes Wendy to discover the island towards the bay of the sirens, while Gianni and Michele, together with the lost children, head to the Indian territory. However, they are captured by the redskins and tied to the torture stake, but the lost children do not seem concerned as the fight with the Indians is nothing more than a game. Capo Toro standing up this time is serious, as he accuses the boys of having kidnapped his daughter Giglio Tigrato and threatens to scalp them. Meanwhile Peter Pan and Wendy, after having met the sirens, see Captain Hook and the inseparable sailor Spugna, who head with a boat to the rock of the skull, after having kidnapped Giglio Tigrato. Inside the cave Captain Hook tries to make the young squaw reveal where Peter Pan's hiding place is, otherwise she will drown to death with the rising sea caused by the high tide. Peter Pan comes to his aid and faces Captain Hook in a duel, after making fun of him. During the fight Peter Pan has the upper hand and Captain Hook has to run away, chased by the hungry crocodile and begging the help of his faithful Sponge. After taking Tiger Lily back to his camp, Chief Standing Bull organizes a thanksgiving party for Peter Pan and his friends, to whom he gives an Indian headdress and names him the Flying Eagle. Meanwhile Tinker Bell, who was standing aside, watching the festivities in the Indian camp in the distance, is captured by Spugna and taken to Captain Hook. Having learned of Tinker Bell's jealousy towards Wendy, Captain Hook tries to use the fairy to learn about Peter Pan's refuge, therefore he asks him to help him kidnap Wendy. Trilli so, falls into the trap and reveals that Peter Pan is in the Tree of the Hanged Man. Inside the shelter, we find Wendy who makes the lost children understand what it means to have a real mother. The disconsolate children want to go home to see their mothers, but Peter Pan goes on a rampage. Waiting for them outside are Captain Hook and his pirates, who kidnap them and send Peter Pan a gift package containing a time bomb. After a series of vicissitudes, adventures and breathtaking fights, the three boys aboard a magical vessel will return to their bedroom, just in time for the return of their parents, who will find Wendy asleep by the window.

All Peter Pan characters and images are copyright Walt Disney and rights holders. they are used here for cognitive and informative purposes.