Review of Alice in Wonderland (1951) by Filipeneto — 16 Jan 2022

Saying that all old Disney movies are classics is like saying that all cars are classics just because they are old... anyway, whether it's a classic or not, this Disney movie deserves our attention: it entertains quite well and gives children an innocent and funny story.

I will not dwell on the analysis of the story: anyone who knows the work of Lewis Carroll (the film focuses on "Alice in Wonderland" but will get some elements from "Through the Looking Glass") will surely identify the story and its characters, some of them as immortal as the Mad Hatter, the March Hare or the Cheshire Cat. They are iconic and recognizable even by those who have never read Carroll's books and stories.

The film is beautifully animated, with vivid and elegant colors, and a limpid, crisp and very well executed look, for which contributed the skillful hands of hundreds of designers from Walt Disney's studio. The film was made at a time when the studio did its best graphic work and the quality is visible. The songs are another important part of the movie, and there are several important and noteworthy songs here. Personally, I really like listening to "A World of My Own" or the march "Painting the Roses Red". The film counts with the impeccable collaboration of many voice actors, of which I want to highlight Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn, Sterling Holloway and Verna Felton.

Despite everything, I think the film was pretty much forgotten for a long time, and it didn't have the success that it could have had: in fact, the crazy and illogical story that it presents can both attract or repel the audience... it's not a story for everyone to enjoy, as palatable and cute as "Cinderella" or "Peter Pan", films that are much easier to sell. Paradoxically, the recent appearance of live action films centered on Alice's tale may, in a way, have revived the interest of more recent audiences in Carroll's work and, consequently, in this animated film.