Classic No. 14 Peter Pan (1953)

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Peter Pan is based on J.M. Barrie’s 1904 stage play, Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up and Barrie’s later novel Peter and Wendy (1911). Walt Disney had been trying to get the rights for Barrie’s play since 1935. He fell in love with the story when a travelling production of Peter Pan came to his town when he was a child, and later he played the role of Peter in a school play, thus it was a story that was dear to his heart.

 

Happy Walt with voice actors!

He finally secured the rights in 1939, as the rights had been in the control of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London. However Peter Pan is one of the many films that got put on hold on account of the Second World War. Finally in 1947, production restarted on Peter Pan and the rest is history!

It is the last time that we see the RKO logo at the beginning of every film; Peter Pan is the last full-length animated feature to be distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, as Walt Disney had set up his own distribution company, Buena Vista Film Distribution Company Inc. Peter Pan is also the final film in which all nine members of the Nine Old Men worked on together as directing animators. Furthermore, influential artist Mary Blair resigned after completion of the film to move on to new ventures and projects.

Onto the review because tragically, there is no original trailer!

Genuinely surprised as we thought a film as high-profile as Peter Pan would have one.

Protagonist(s)

For the first time in The Disney Odyssey, we have two leads to discuss in our Protagonist section – Peter and Wendy.

The character of Peter is very confident and self-assured in his own abilities. This does lead to some very entertaining exchanges, particularly the duels between Peter and Captain Hook, which are excellently choreographed, but the character is seriously lacking in dimension and growth. He is a bit too flawless in the ways in which he goes about things that it actually gets a bit tedious at times. It is always up to Peter to save the day, and he always does so with total ease. There is rarely any struggle or sense of threat as a result – the closest that the film comes to it is the bomb scene and when he gives his word not to fly during his duel with Hook, and the former is tarnished by the notion that Peter survives a bomb that explodes merely inches away from him.

There are plenty of films that thrive thanks to their delightfully cocky protagonists (e.g. Robin Hood, The Princess Bride, Iron Man, etc…) but they are usually more fleshed out characters than a single attribute will ascribe, plus with a spoonful of charm to make the character likeable in spite of his cockiness. They often have a humbling experience that makes them more aware of their mortality, and thus more identifiable, but they rarely let it show because they love to show off. Peter’s genuine fear for Tinker Bell’s life would have been a perfect opportunity to demonstrate a humbling experience and his sensitivity, but they seem to skip past it rather quickly. In the stage version and novel, he pleads for the audience or reader to save her (clapping your hands if you believe in fairies), but Walt Disney believed that this heartfelt plea would not work in a film adaptation. Perhaps Walt was scarred forever by the ‘Here I am Bambi!’ catcall from the infamous preview screening of Bambi.

Trying to get the audience to ‘care’ in Care Bears II: A New Generation (stealing from Mr Barrie!) simply results in a majorly creepy scene – stop breaking the fourth wall True Heart Bear! We are not going to join in with the eerie chanting of ‘We care’

Cocky characters are also aided by charismatic performers. In this case, Peter Pan is more charismatic when he is not talking. Although there is no pop cultural or dated dialogue, Bobby Driscoll’s voice lacks a sense of timelessness; he sounds like a teenager from the 1950s, which is distracting for a film set in the Edwardian era and for a character that is supposed to be a symbol of everlasting childhood. The voice simply does not match the character, and it strips the illusion of the eternal child.

(Special Note from Melissa: I would have believed more in the notion that Peter was asking Wendy out for a cheeseburger and a cherry coke at the local diner rather than an adventure in Neverland)

Peter also suffers from being unaware as to the feelings of others, such as when he takes Wendy to see the mermaids, and does not stand up for her when they torment her for her appearance and even threaten to drown her. He is a tad too busy talking about how great he is (a childlike quality perhaps, but not an endearing one!), and then he dismisses the threat of drowning very casually – it is rather like being attacked by someone’s dog and then having them say ‘Oh he’s just being friendly, don’t worry’. Even Walt Disney found the character of Peter to be cold and unlikeable in the finished product; and this is coming from the man who played the character in a school play.

Peter’s character design and movement in animation however do stand out, particularly in combat scenes and flying scenes. In fact, the way in which Peter is introduced is absolutely sublime, hence why it is somewhat disappointing and frustrating that the character does not take off from such a fantastic establishment. It is mysterious, he looks childlike, mischievous and even sinister, and it is delightful to see him trying to catch up with his shadow.

 

 

It is also enjoyable seeing his awkwardness and confusion about Wendy in the nursery scene, which is the closest that the film comes to showing his vulnerability.

Wendy is voiced by Kathryn Beaumont and consequently has a lot in common with Alice – they are both very vocal about their desire to see different worlds, and yet once they get there they quickly grow tired of it. Granted in Wendy’s case she did not exactly have the best time in Neverland, first being shot down by the Lost Boys upon her arrival, then having a group of Mermaids threaten to drown her, and finally she is rudely ordered to get firewood instead of joining in with the fun. Perhaps it makes sense for Peter to be self-obsessed as it adds further validity to Wendy’s desire to return home. The notion that this fantasy world and its legendary hero are not all they are cracked up to be is a bold approach to take.

Akin to Alice, Wendy is a pleasant lead. Being the eldest and the only daughter, she is a natural motherly figure, and is protective over her younger brothers. She indulges in engaging in childhood fantasy, primarily through telling Peter Pan stories to her younger brothers. When her father in a temper suggests that she should have a room of her own and move out of the nursery because she is growing up, she is horrified, hence why she finds Peter’s offer of going to a land where she never has to grow up appealing. As going to the nonsensical Wonderland brings out Alice’s more logical side, going to Neverland draws out Wendy’s maturity, perhaps signifying why she is eventually eager to go home. A particularly admirable trait in Wendy is her conviction, especially when she rejects Captain Hook’s offer, walking the plank with dignity, strength and one solitary tear.

 

The innocent flirtation between Peter and Wendy is sweet, particularly in the nursery scene, in which she is eager to give him a kiss, as he backs away in confusion, marking the familiar trope that girls ‘grow up’ more quickly than boys.

Wendy definitely has a clear character arc. In the film’s final scene, she tells her father proudly that she is ready to grow up, while maintaining that sense of youthfulness as she dreamily tells both her parents of her wonderful adventure in Neverland.

(Special Note from David: She seems to suddenly – and conveniently –  forget how unhappy she was in Neverland)

(Special Note from Melissa: Such as many vindictive females wanting to kill her, jerky love interests flirting with other women, and walking the plank. Never mind all that!)

Antagonist

 

Captain Hook, voiced by Hans Conried, is a very entertaining villain; he has a strong design, drawn like a Cavalier, has a delightfully foppish manner and he receives more screen-time than any other Disney Villain up to this point. He is also the first truly cowardly villain, leading to some very entertaining physical slapstick comedy, but it also undermines his status as a genuine threat to the hero (coupled with Peter’s untouchable nature). He actually comes across as quite sympathetic due to his crippling fear of the crocodile that ate his hand. In spite of all of this he does have some impressive moments, such as casually shooting a member of his crew for no real reason other than being annoyed by his singing, capitalising on Tinker Bell’s jealous nature in order to find Peter’s secret hideout, and finally capturing Wendy, John, Michael and all of the Lost Boys. The comedic and cowardly nature of the character is more dominant however, particularly in terms of the film’s comedy. He shares some hilarious moments with the Crocodile and Smee that made us burst out laughing, so even though he is not a threatening as Captain Hook could be, we certainly enjoyed this take on the character.

(Fact: In the original play, Captain Hook loses his right hand rather than the left, but because Disney artists believed that it would limit his actions too much, they changed it to the left hand. Perhaps this is why they make such a point of it in the opening scene when Wendy ‘corrects’ the boys)

Supporting Cast

Like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan also has a huge supporting cast! So we will do our best to make our way through them in even detail.

Tinker Bell is a very interesting character, a far cry from the typical Disney fairy (such as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio and the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella) as she is a very conceited and selfish character – whose shortcomings are utilised within the story on more than one occasion. Upon hers and Peter’s arrival at the Darling’s home, her dislike of Wendy is made apparent very quickly …

 … and she promptly becomes jealous of Wendy’s relationship with Peter, to such an extent that she deliberately attempts to have Wendy killed by the Lost Boys – quite dark for a character that is not the villain! Her jealousy is exploited by Captain Hook as a means to locate Peter’s hideout, and she willingly provides the film’s villain with the information as a means to get rid of Wendy. Ultimately she redeems herself, but she is a complex and integral part of the story. She is gorgeously animated and is definitely a fascinating character to watch even if you dislike her, especially during moments when she is particularly vulnerable.

Margaret Kerry was the live action model for Tinker Bell (and the red-headed mermaid, including the mermaid’s voice).

 

Mr Smee, voiced by Bill Thompson (Disney veteran!) is Captain Hook’s first mate, and effectively his sidekick. He is a very bumbling, accident prone figure, who does not seem malicious enough to be a pirate. Maybe the writers wanted to downplay Hook’s cowardice by making Smee the most incompetent subordinate possible – thereby making Hook seem more of an effective villain. This works in the character’s favour though as he is a very entertaining figure and his pairing with Hook leads to some great physical comedy (where the aforementioned incompetence really comes into play, as he accidentally bashes his captain on the head multiple times).

There really is not much to say about the Lost Boys, as they do very little aside from fight with one another, and act as fodder for Peter to rescue. They all wear different animal skins, and our assumption is that they wear them simply for the audience’s benefit so that they can be told apart, as they individually have no distinguishing personality traits. We felt that they were a tad bland and could have been used to more entertaining effect, although the film may be a bit overcrowded already in terms of supporting characters.

Now … the Native American ‘Indians’ … well put it this way, even animator, Marc Davis said ‘I’m not sure we would have done the Indians if we were making this movie now. And if we had we wouldn’t do them the way we did back then’ – that about sums it up. The two of us did not find offence in the crows from Dumbo, primarily because they are very likeable characters, but the Indians in Peter Pan are just awkward in terms of being bland and unlikeable stereotypes – not cool Disney. It could be argued that they are representations framed by a child’s imagination but even so … it is annoying because it could have been a terrific opportunity to create some genuinely fun characters. But instead we get this –

 

The chief is voiced by Candy Candido, who will go on to voice many characters in Disney films, mainly villains like Brutus and Nero in The Rescuers, Fidget in Basil the Great Mouse Detective, and the Captain of the Guard in Robin Hood, among other roles. June Foray voices his bossy wife; she voiced Lucifer in Cinderella and much later on (45 years after Peter Pan) Grandmother Fa in Mulan!

John and Michael, Wendy’s younger brothers, certainly have distinct personalities. John possesses a stereotypical proud British ‘stiff-upper-lip’ attitude, while Michael is a young wide-eyed and cute-faced dreamer. The two of them get a lot more enjoyment out of Neverland than Wendy does, but they are easily persuaded of the virtues of their real lives during the song “Your Mother and Mine”. During the final battle with Hook and his crew they let themselves down a bit, by willingly rushing forward to enlist, but Wendy’s act of courage reminds them of the right way to go, and they help out during the fight. Michael even displays some canny ingenuity by hiding a cannonball in his teddy bear.

 

George and Mary Darling are an integral part of the London portions of the story. In J.M. Barrie’s original stage production, the actor who played George Darling would double as Captain Hook (a tradition that is still maintained in many productions), and so it makes sense that both are antagonistic figures – the representations of adulthood, and oppressors of the youthful characters (plus they are voiced by the same actor to emphasise this connection further). He has a very short temper, coupled with a tendency to overreact, and he enforces upon Wendy the fact that she is growing up and should no longer sleep in the nursery. The film takes time to show that he is not just a one-note character during a short scene between him and Nana, which demonstrates the pressure that he – as a parent – is under. Mary is a much calmer and more level-headed figure; an effective counterbalance to her easily frustrated husband (sounds like a 1950s sitcom …). They are certainly an entertaining and realistic parenting team!

 

Lastly the animals! Nana is a meticulous Saint-Bernard dog that behaves like the long-suffering nanny, as she tries to keep the nursery in order only for it to keep getting sabotaged by George. Her levels of intelligence makes the human characters look dim by comparison and you cannot help but feel sorry for her when they mess everything up, and consequently she gets blamed for it and is sent outside – ‘Poor Nana!’ She is endearing and amusingly animated.

 

The Crocodile is hysterical! Any of the scenes between him and Captain Hook are hilariously crafted through its slapstick moments, emphasised by the Crocodile’s giddiness and Hook’s terror.

Another tradition from the original stage play was that Nana and the Crocodile were also played by the same performer. The animators pay tribute to this fact by making the Crocodile very canine-like:

Because Nana and the Crocodile are so entertaining to watch; the two of them, the parents, Tinker Bell and Smee are definitely the strongest in the supporting cast.

Artwork and Imagery

Peter Pan is the final feature-length film that had the artistic touch of Mary Blair (an end of an era in itself! We’ll miss you Mary!). Just look at these screenshots of London:

 

 

 

Wow. Just wow. The London scenes feature such beautiful artwork that is simply glorious to behold. However, consequently this leads to another issue – for us, these scenes outshine Neverland. Neverland is not nearly as visually stunning; it is as if the animators were more enchanted by the idea of London than they were by the fantastical land. Although don’t get us wrong, there is certainly some beautiful Neverland-based artwork:

 

 

The pixie dust effects are gorgeously animated, any flying moments are terrifically mastered and shadow effects are a lovely motif throughout. The duels are some of the film’s standout scenes artistically as they are brilliantly choreographed by the animators and are exciting to watch.

(Special Note from David: Even if the sounds of swords clashing sounds more like they’re slapping each other with wet fish!)

 

 

Live action reference has been used again, meaning that human movements are looking more and more realistic, but still in a similar style to the last few films.

The animators took some shortcuts that they thought we would not notice –

They thought we wouldn’t notice THIS?! It’s TERRIFYING!

(Special Note from Melissa: I really wish I had not clicked pause on my DVD player at that particular moment … still recovering)

Music

The film’s soundtrack is more focussed than Alice in Wonderland’s soundtrack was, inasmuch as there are a smaller number of more fully rounded songs.

“You Can Fly!” is a very curious number, as it is largely performed by the Disney chorus. This struck us both as odd as they tended not to perform songs during films; typically the Disney chorus would sing during the opening credits and then again at the end of a film (and occasionally they would provide the underscore for an emotional number). It seems really strange to have the Disney chorus performing at this stage in the narrative. Nevertheless the song has a memorable tune, in-keeping with the usual themes of faith and belief.

“Following The Leader” continues the trend of ‘Restoration Era’ songs that are catchy for the wrong reasons. The song does have an element of authenticity to it, as it does sound like the sort of song a group of young children would make up when playing. Beyond that though there really is not a lot to it, and it typically gets into your head against your will due to its repetitive nature.

(Special Note from Melissa: I HATE THIS SONG! The monotony, the voices do not even sound like Michael, John and the Lost Boys, the shrillness, etc …)

“What Made The Red Man Red” occurs during the lengthy Native American Indians sequence of the film. It does not showcase particularly strong lyrics – being another repetitive song – but it does at least have a decent tune.

(Special Note from David: To me it actually sounds a bit like a slowed down version of the ‘Danger Mouse’ Theme Tune)

(Special Note from Melissa: And of course it is difficult to ignore the political incorrectness. ‘Red men’ are ‘red’ due to their pursuit of women … hmm?)

“Your Mother and Mine” is noteworthy immediately as we made the assumption that it was not Kathryn Beaumont singing. The shift in tone from the spoken dialogue that leads into the song, and the song itself is so distinct – in addition to the issues that Kathryn Beaumont had with singing in Alice In Wonderland – it did not seem feasible that it was the same performer. But apparently it is Kathryn Beaumont singing, and as such she does a very good job. Her voice has matured significantly in just a couple of years, and she is a much more confident singer too. The song is a sweet, sentimental number that further solidifies the notion that getting older is not such a bad thing after all, especially when there is a motherly figure in your life to help to guide you along.

“The Elegant Captain Hook” could be considered one of the first Disney Villain songs (alongside Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee), but it really is not that good. The majority of the song is performed by the pirates in probably the campest possible way: I think the bemused expressions on the children’s faces sum it up best of all…

 

The section performed by Captain Hook himself is a little amusing: offering a free tattoo to anyone who enlists with him, but aside from that it’s just a short silly number.

‘Never Smile at a Crocodile’ was originally a song, but the lyrics were removed and the film was left with only the melody. However, the melody is really amusing and cheeky and fits the crocodile scenes perfectly, as it has a tick-tock quality, to wind up Captain Hook even more!

In terms of underscore, Peter Pan’s woodwind theme is really lovely – a very fitting motif for such a character!

The best song from the film is probably “You Can Fly!” Despite the oddness of having the Disney Chorus feature so prominently, the song is memorable and most befitting of the fantastical nature of the story.

Story

The story of Peter Pan allegedly went through many changes in the storyboarding process – ideas were considered, such as: the film being from Nana’s point-of-view, John not coming to Neverland, Peter Pan kidnapping the children, Captain Hook getting killed by the Crocodile, and many more! In the final result, the story of the film is built around the character of Wendy and the notion that she is growing up but does not feel quite ready. Consequently the film is bookended with two scenes in the real world – or more specifically Edwardian London, at the Darling’s home. Her dilemma is established at the start – she undergoes the coming-to-terms process during her time in Neverland, where she learns the lesson for herself – and then the resolution comes at the end when she returns to her home. This structure works really well, as it gives the story clear focus and makes effective use of the two vastly different settings.

The sections of the story that take place in London are very enjoyable, and are given enough time to get their meaning across without seeming rushed (or dragging on). They are charming introductions to the family and even Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. Strangely the part of the film that takes place in Neverland – the fantasy world that has been built up from the start – is slightly less engaging. Theoretically it should be the other way around, but any issues with the film’s pacing occur during the Neverland scenes. The scenes involving Captain Hook and Smee are entertaining and well-paced, as well as any of the confrontations between Peter Pan and Hook. Wendy has the most significant character arc within the film, so all of her scenes have a purpose. The main issue are the scenes that involve John, Michael and the Lost Boys – and the sections that involve the Native American ‘Indians’ (which do not exactly showcase the studio’s greatest work). It seems that the production team were enjoying working on Captain Hook and Smee much more than the ‘good’ characters that they ended up having more screen time as a result. The story becomes so focused on Hook’s determination to ‘get’ Peter Pan that we lose track of the others to a certain degree.

The story is at its strongest in the opening scenes in the nursery and when Wendy and the boys are captured on the pirate ship all the way to the end. The middle, although entertaining (mainly due to antics of Hook, Smee and the Crocodile) is a tad more clunky and lacking direction. The climactic fight scene has some terrific moments in terms of tension, such as Wendy walking the plank and the fight between Peter and Hook. The film’s ending is beautiful; yes, they did cut the parents discovering that the children were missing (a scene of the grieving parents was allegedly storyboarded), but the reconciliation between Wendy and her father is endearing and George’s moment of déjà vu is spot on. So overall the story has excellent bookends, but may have required further thinking on the middle section.

David’s Verdict

Peter Pan is a film I have memories of watching when I was younger, although I only remember the first scene at the Darling’s house, and none of the Neverland section. As such I was eager to watch the film in full, so that I could form a complete opinion on it. Following the madcap shenanigans of Alice In Wonderland I was pleased to get back into a full narrative, and I feel that the story this time around was a bit more fleshed out than many other Disney films (this is probably because Peter Pan was a stage play and novel, and not a fairy tale).

Nevertheless I enjoyed the London-based sections of the film more than the Neverland scenes, and not just in terms of story, but design also. I was really surprised by this, because surely the fantasy setting should have a more striking design, but for me the drawings of London look more impressive. Also the fantasy story should be more exciting, but the scenes in Neverland – particularly the scenes with the Native American Indians – aren’t particularly interesting, nor do they have much substance. The film is not particularly affected by excessive filler, unlike several previous Disney films, but the scenes with the Indians are about as close to filler as the film gets. The Lost Boys are also rather annoying, and I wasn’t too keen on John and Michael either (or even Peter for that matter!).

In spite of these criticisms there is still a lot that I like about the film; I enjoy Captain Hook’s character, as well as his slapstick scenes with the crocodile and Smee, and the duels with Peter were all creatively choreographed and entertaining. I enjoyed Wendy’s character arc, and the revelation that the fantasy world she’s been dreaming of might not be exactly what she really wants – which presents a more realistic and mature ideal. I also really liked the final scene where the family look out of the window at the night sky and the image of the pirate ship silhouetted against the moon, along with Mr Darling’s revelation (which I’m glad wasn’t overblown).

Peter Pan was a mixed bag for me as it has some very strong elements, but is let down in other areas. I’m still looking forward to a truly memorable soundtrack, with some classic Disney songs – as that has been missing for me since the Golden Age. I also felt divided on the characters, as half of them were fleshed out, but the rest were irritating. It was a good film, but I think I expected that I would enjoy it more than I eventually did.

Melissa’s Verdict

I had not seen Peter Pan since I was a child – I didn’t even own it on VHS. It is likely I saw the film through rentals from Blockbuster or I borrowed it from a friend so I was really curious about this one! Strangely enough, like David my strongest memories of the film were the nursery scenes (and even more strangely enough the bird getting shaved by Smee!). After having watched the film I realised why I remembered the nursery scenes is simply because those scenes are wonderful. I really enjoyed watching the establishment of the family; the boys play-fighting, the calmness of Mary and Wendy, the high stress levels of George, and family dog Nana trying so hard to keep the nursery in order – the family has a really engaging dynamic. The reveal of Peter Pan is Disney magic in terms of sound and imagery and the way in which he and Tinker Bell are set up in both the nursery scenes and the flying scenes were enjoyable to watch.  Plus the final scene in which George has a touching moment of déjà vu is a really charming end to the film. Thank God they chose not to have him get sprinkled with fairy dust and fly away …

As we had said in artwork and imagery, it seems as though the animators were more enchanted by their own idea of London than Neverland because those scenes when the children are flying over the city are so stunning. The Neverland scenes seem underwhelming by comparison. I really enjoyed the slapstick scenes involving Captain Hook, Smee and the Crocodile (some moments even had me snorting with laughter), and the choreography in the fights between Peter and Hook are excellent. But otherwise I did not find the Lost Boys or the Indians particularly interesting and they take up a large chunk of the middle of the film. Even the Mermaids who are only in one scene have the sole purpose of fawning over Peter and wanting to drown Wendy – it is hard to like these characters! Tinker Bell is cruel and her behaviour can be appalling but at least she is captivating to watch, as she is a non-speaking character that speaks a thousand words in terms of emotion. Similarly to Alice and Cinderella, Wendy is a pleasant protagonist who has a wonderful moment of conviction before the battle in the film’s third act that makes her particularly likeable. Peter Pan is somewhat harder to like due to the character’s inherited qualities like cockiness, rudeness and selfishness – what truly was missing was childlike vulnerability, which Peter does have even in the source material – perhaps they should have retained a stronger threat that Tinker Bell could die and also other threats to Peter’s life. Also Bobby Driscoll’s voice does sound so of the time that it is hard to ignore and can often be distracting.

Peter Pan is a film that has some lovely and terrific moments (especially the Hook/Smee/Crocodile scenes and real world scenes) but it perhaps could have done with some more fine-tuning, primarily in Peter Pan’s character and the scenes in Neverland involving the Lost Boys, the Indians and the Mermaids, which for me fall flat. I agree with David that I am looking forward to a really strong soundtrack in a Disney film as we feel as though it has been somewhat absent for quite a long time.

Legacy

Peter Pan was released in February 1953 and was a commercial success as it was the highest-grossing film of 1953 and earned $7 million against its $4 million budget – this was critically needed as Alice in Wonderland had not performed as well at the box office as was hoped. Peter Pan did not win any awards, but it was nominated for the Grand Prize of the Festival at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953. The film received mainly positive criticism and most reviews that were either mixed or negative were in relation to it not being a faithful adaptation of the source material. However, a review from the New York Times really struck us, as we feel like it is one of the first reviews that has really drawn attention to earlier films in the Disney canon:

‘That is to say, the well-bred Wendy is a virtual duplicate of the prim Snow White; the pirate, Smee, is the same as the dwarf, Happy, and Baby Michael is a Dopey who talks. Captain Hook, the horrendous villain, is J. Worthington Foulfellow in plumes and Peter himself is reminiscent of some of the boys in “Pinocchio.” As for the famous Barrie fairy, the crystalline and luminous Tinker Bell, she is as nubile and coquettish as the maiden centaurs in “Fantasia.”’

Well we have put Bosley Crowther’s comparisons together (just for fun! Make of it what you will):

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Pan would be re-released theatrically in 1958, 1969, 1976, 1982, 1989 and it even had a limited release in Cinemark Theatres in February 2013. A sequel to Peter Pan was released in 2002, Return to Neverland (unlike most Disney sequels which were direct-to-video, Return to Neverland got a theatrical release). Tinker Bell is a popular film series that spawned four films and a fifth is set to be released later this year. Tinker Bell became an unofficial mascot for the Walt Disney Company, likely originating from being a hostess for Walt Disney’s live-action television programming.