"Great Performances"
Alice in Wonderland (1983)

Director:

Kirk Browning

Writer:

Lewis Carroll (novel)

TV Series:

"Great Performances" (1972)

Original Air Date:

3 October 1983

Genre:

Music | Musical

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Alternate Dimension | Cat | Cards | Playing Card | Queen

Cast

Eve Arden	...	Queen of Hearts
Kaye Ballard	...	Duchess
Kate Burton	...	Alice
Richard Burton	...	White Knight
James Coco	...	King of Hearts
Tony Cummings	...	Knave of Hearts
André De Shields	...	Tweedledum
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Red Queen
Andre Gregory	...	Mad Hatter
Geoffrey Holder	...	Cheshire Cat
Zeljko Ivanek	...	March Hare
Nathan Lane	...	Mouse
Donald O'Connor	...	Mock Turtle
Austin Pendleton	...	White Rabbit
Maureen Stapleton	...	White Queen

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

WNET Channel 13 New York

Trivia:

Kate Burton's TV debut.

Movie Connections:

Version of Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966) (TV)

I watch it again and again

I recently tracked this TV version down and am now in the process of watching it again and again. I believe it to be the most enjoyable of all the versions of ALICE that I have seen on TV or MOVIES. Of special note is the joyous, rollicking performance of Kate Burton. Her laugh is a joy to hear and the mock-serious way of handling things in an amused way is the epitome of Alice. Her dad, as the White Knight, was especially poignant. I've always been a sucker for Richard Burton performances. (especially Virginia Woolf). Special thanks to Donald O'Connor as the Mock Turtle. Loved it. The trio of Kate Burton, Colleen Dewhurst (Red Queen) and Maureen Stapleton (White Queen) is, in my opinion, unbeatable. I can't stress enough the perfection of their unique performances. Thank gosh for Alice's blonde wig. It lights up Kate's face and brings out the lights in her eyes. No one's voice will do as Alice after hearing hers. The Red Queen, with her red face and startling white teeth is a visual delight. If you have not seen this video, prepare yourself for a marvelous time. I, personally, found the Tea party scene very replaceable. The Mad Hatter, rather than being mad, seemed to be suffering from a severe case of piles. The March Hare was a little better but could not save the tea party scene. I was relieved when it was over. Some highlights are the cheshire cat (brrr) and the TWEEDLE boys (neat dancing and singing). Humpty Dumpty is great and the Caterpillar is .. different. The scenery was sometimes disappointing to me, as were some of the costumes, but overall, a most delightful show. I rate it a 9.