Thursday, July 19, 2012

Alice in Wonderland (1933)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Norman Z. McLeod
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Universal)

This live action adaptation of the Lewis Carroll story (with a brief animated part) is mostly an excuse to feature all-stars from the Paramount studio in various costumes and heavy make-up. Only Gary Cooper as the White Knight and W.C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty are recognizable, and Fields only by his voice. Cary Grant is the Mock Turtle, but buried under his costume. The special effects aren't bad for the time, but the story tends to be episodic and Charlotte Henry is a rather boring Alice, reciting rather than acting her lines. Still, an enjoyable ride down the rabbit hole, especially the first half hour or so.

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