Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is many things, depending on your perspective. For the purposes of this film, he's a boy who refuses to grow up, the spirit of youth, a cocky, charming and endearing imp of a boy. He flies to London to hear the stories Wendy Darling tells her brothers as they get ready for bed. She tells them stories about Peter Pan and his nemesis, the villainous Captain Hook. When Wendy learns it's time for her to grow up, Peter appears and invites her to go with him to his enchanted home, the island of Neverland. She and her brothers, Michael and John, learn to fly, with the help of the fairy Tinker Bell's pixie dust and their happiest thoughts, and before long they're having adventures with the mermaids, the pirates, the indians and Peter's crew, the Lost Boys. When the Indian Princess, Tiger Lily, is captured by Captain Hook, in an attempt to nab Peter, the boy saves the princess with flair and defeats Hook once again. Furious at Peter Pan for cutting off his hand and throwing it to a hungry crocodile, Captain Hook has made it his life work to take his revenge on Pan. In the end, Hook finds Pan's hideout, captures Wendy, her brother, and the Lost Boys, and leaves a bomb, disguised as a parting gift from Wendy, for Peter. When Tinker Bell sacrifices herself pulling the ticking package away from Peter, she's nearly killed, but manages to pull through with Peter's heartfelt encouraging. Peter rushes to the aid of Wendy and the boys, and manages to save them all, and having left Hook and his crew to the mercy of the crocodile, flies the Darlings back to London.
In the sequel, Hook returns to a wartime London to take his revenge on Peter by kidnapping Wendy. He finds Wendy has grown and has a husband at war and two children, one of whom in stoic and serious, having had her imagination crushed by the horrors of war. She's accidentally kidnapped instead of Wendy, and Peter has to teach Jane the power of faith and trust.
Peter Pan is voiced by Disney standard Bobby Driscoll and by Blayne Weaver in the sequel.
Peter is the star of the film named after him, as well as Return to Neverland.
When the 2003 live-action Peter Pan was released, I realized that the Disney version gets a lot of flak from fans of J.M. Barrie's classic story. I was surprised, having grown up with Peter and Wendy, and I presumed everyone else loved the charming story of friendship and childlike faith like I did. The story is definitely timeless, an instant classic, and Peter is a terribly bittersweet character. He's the child in everyone, who we all want to hold on to, but Wendy's maturity and instinct tells her, rightly, that everyone has to grow up. It's just part of life. I think I relate to Peter a little. Maybe that's why I love this film. Or mabye it's just because it's a Disney classic at its finest, with wonderful tunes and excellent characters. In any case, this is a wonderful film with moving themes.
Wendy: But, Peter, how do we get to Never Land?
Peter Pan: Fly, of course.
Wendy: Fly?
Peter Pan: It's easy! All you have to do is to... is to... is to... Ha! That's funny.
Wendy: What's the matter? Don't you know?
Peter Pan: Oh, sure. It's... It's just that I never thought about it before. Say, that's it! You think of a wonderful thought.
Peter Pan: This won't do. What's the matter with you? All it takes is faith and trust. Oh! And something I forgot. Dust!
Wendy, John: Dust?
Michael: Dust?
Peter Pan: Yep, just a little bit of pixie dust. Now, think of the happiest things. It's the same as having wings.
Peter Pan: Second star to the right and straight on till morning.
Peter Pan: I say, Captain, do you hear something?
Peter Pan: Tinker Bell, I hereby banish you... forever!
Wendy: Please, not forever.
Peter Pan: Well, for a week then.
Captain Hook: Who's next?
Peter Pan: You're next, Hook! This time you've gone too far!
Peter Pan: What a pity, Mr Smee. I'm afraid we've lost the dear Captain.
Peter Pan: Well, well, a codfish on a hook.
Captain Hook: Nooo!
Captain Hook: Fly! Fly! Fly! You coward!
Peter Pan: Coward! Me?
Captain Hook: Ha-ha-ha! You wouldn't dare fight old Hook man-to-man. You'd fly away like a cowardly sparrow!
Peter Pan: Nobody calls Pan a coward and lives! I'll fight you man-to-man, with one hand behind my back.
Captain Hook: You mean you won't fly?
Wendy: No, don't, Peter! It's a trick!
Peter Pan: I give my word, Hook.
Captain Hook: You wouldn't do old Hook in now, would you, lad? I'll go away forever. I'll do anything you say.
Peter Pan: Well, all right. If ya say you're a codfish.
Captain Hook: (gulp) I'm a codfish.
Peter Pan: Louder!
Captain Hook: I'm a codfish!
Peter Pan: Mr. Crocodile, do you like codfish? (crocodile nods) You do?
Peter Pan: Don't you understand, Tink? You mean more to me than anything in this whole world!
Wendy's Animated Heroines page
Jane's Animated Heroines page