FairyTale: A True Story (1997)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers (WGA):

Albert Ash (story) &
Tom McLoughlin (story) ...

Release Date:

24 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

Believe.

Plot:

Two children in 1917 take a photograph, believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. Based on a true story.

Plot Keywords:

Fairy | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | Harry Houdini | Photograph | Niece

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Harvey Keitel	...	Harry Houdini
Jason Salkey	...	James Collins
Peter O'Toole	...	Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Lara Morgan	...	Jean Doyle
Adam Franks	...	Adrian Doyle
Guy Witcher	...	Denis Doyle
Joseph May	...	Houdini's Assistant
John Bradley	...	Portly Gentleman
Anna Chancellor	...	Peter Pan
Florence Hoath	...	Elsie Wright
Phoebe Nicholls	...	Polly Wright
Leonard Kavanagh	...	Stage Manager
Elizabeth Earl	...	Frances Griffiths
Paul McGann	...	Arthur Wright
Anton Lesser	...	Wounded Corporal

Also Known As:

Illumination (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief mild language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:G | Iceland:L | Canada:G (Ontario) | Australia:G | France:U | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/6 (video premiere) | Spain:7 | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Cottingley, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Icon Entertainment International

Trivia:

The last film of 'Don Henderson'.

Quotes:

Harry Houdini: Cover your ass!
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Cover my what?

Movie Connections:

Version of Photographing Fairies (1997)

Soundtrack:

See the Conquering Hero Comes

not really a children's film

The kind of movie that could almost persuade you that fairies were real. The story is that of the Cottingley Fairy photographs of the 1920s (taken by two Yorkshire girls who later revealed they were fakes) – those fooled included celebrated writer Arthur Conan Doyle (played here effectively by Peter O'Toole) while cynics included magician Harry Houdini (a charming role for Harvey Keitel, who manages not to swear and keep his clothes on for once).

The supporting cast are excellent – Paul McGann as the girls' dad/uncle; Tim McInnerny and Bill Nighy as journalist snoops; and Phoebe Nicholls as the girls' mother/aunt. The girls themselves are played with ease by Florence Hoath and Elizabeth Earl. Mel Gibson has a tiny cameo at the end (I don't want to spoil it by saying as what).

A thumbs-up, too, for the special effects achieved in this movie. The movie certainly is sentimental and does seem to come down on the side of the unknown and imply that the girls' claims were true, but it is a terrific family film I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.