After being in development for 13 years, Peter Pan was finally released in 1953. It may have taken longer than normal for the studio to come up with a treatment that Walt was happy with, but the results speak for themselves.
Though the final product varies widely from J.M. Barrie’s original, it works extremely well as a film. Even though the story had been made into a movie once before and once since, along with another half dozen TV adaptations, Disney’s version remains, for most people, the definitive telling. There’s good reason for this. It is filled with memorable characters and scenes, strong songs, and the pacing moves the plot along nicely. Though it is very much a series of related adventures, it never feels disjointed.
This was one of my favourite films growing up, and it hold up very well today. Modern audiences will likely be a little uncomfortable with some of the stereotypes exploited within, but they pass quickly and offer an opportunity to talk about just what is wrong with that type of depiction and to teach critical viewing. Regardless, this remains one of the high points of the Disney canon and should certainly be seen.
Up next: Lady and the Tramp (1955)
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