Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ** (1972, Fiona Fullerton, Michael Jayston, Hywel Bennett, Ralph Richardson, Peter Sellers, Flora Robson, Dudley Moore, Rodney Bewes) – Classic Movie Review 6333

Writer-director William Sterling’s lovingly crafted 1972 movie is another attempt at an all-star human cast version of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, and this time it is a semi-musical version, with a score by John Barry and ‘The Me I Never Knew’ as the musical highlight.

The well-cast, well performed film is nice and pleasant, mostly really quite charming, and it looks a treat with lovely sets, costumes and cinematography. The young Fiona Fullerton makes a pretty and appealing Alice. And the strongly cast British players are generally amusing, some of them very entertaining. However, there is not much real wit or imagination in Sterling’s writing or direction so the movie is not especially outstanding or memorable.

Notable in the cast are Michael Crawford as the White Rabbit, Ralph Richardson as the The Caterpillar, Michael Jayston as the author Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson), Peter Sellers as the March Hare, Flora Robson as the Queen of Hearts, Dudley Moore as the Dormouse and chubby-cheeked British comedy actor Rodney Bewes, who plays Knave of Hearts.

Geoffrey Unsworth’s beautiful Todd-AO widescreen Eastmancolor cinematography won him the BAFTA award for Best Cinematography and Anthony Mendleson also won a BAFTA for Best Costume Design. It was made at Shepperton Studios, Surrey, England.

Also in the cast are Robert Helpmann, Dudley Moore, Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Dennis Price, Dennis Waterman, Flora Robson, Rodney Bewes, Peter Bull, Michael Hordern, Davy Kaye, Hywel Bennett, Ray Brooks, Julian Chagrin, Roy Kinnear, Freddie Earlle, Patsy Rowlands, and Freddie Cox and Frank Cox as Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6333

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