The Little Prince (1974)

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (story)
Alan Jay Lerner (writer) ...

Release Date:

7 November 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Sci-Fi | Family

Plot:

A pilot, stranded in the desert, meets a little boy who is a prince on a planet.

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Prince | Planet | Desert | King

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Steven Warner	...	The Little Prince
Joss Ackland	...	The King
Clive Revill	...	The Business Man
Victor Spinetti	...	The Historian
Graham Crowden	...	The General
Richard Kiley	...	The Pilot
Donna McKechnie	...	The Rose
Bob Fosse	...	The Snake
Gene Wilder	...	The Fox

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:Btl | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/6 | USA:G | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film and TV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Richard Burton was actively pursued for the role of the pilot. Burton had had a huge success, on Broadway, with Lerner & Lowe's "Camelot", but had turned down the film role (Camelot (1967)), as he did "The Little Prince".

Quotes:

The Snake: One sting and you'll be singing as your soul ascends.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in FLCL (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Little Prince

Wonderful film

I'm always amazed at reading reviews-- especially those where the viewers either loved or hated the film, with no one in between. Antoine de Saint-Exupery's tale of lost youth and unresolved childhood desires is the basis of this film, which one reviewer here calls "...an overlooked gem." I certainly share this view. The film is a delight but should not be compared too closely with the book. However, the basic message of the book, i.e., the innocence of youth embraces the significant values of human life and is all too soon lost, comes through nicely. The character of Kiley, as the pilot, Wilder, as the fox, and Fosse, as a delightful snake, are very suggestive of their counterparts in the story.

How successful this is as a musical, I would guess, is still up for grabs. I couldn't recall much of the music later, which is usually a good indication whether a show has legs. But, the tunes are pleasant and children seem to enjoy the fantasy of it all.

This is a splendid little film. Don't overlook it.