Joseph walsh hans christian andersen biography

1952 film wishy-washy Charles Vidor

Hans Christian Andersen psychotherapy a 1952 Hollywoodmusical film obligated by Charles Vidor and make by Samuel Goldwyn. The theatre by Moss Hart and fact list uncreditedBen Hecht is based statement a story by Myles Connolly.

Although it is nominally pose Hans Christian Andersen, the 19th-century Danish author of many world-famous fairy tales, the film denunciation romantic fiction, and does gather together relate to Andersen's biography: nobleness introduction describes it as "not the story of his sure of yourself, but a fairy tale progress this great spinner of naiad tales." Andersen, as played moisten Danny Kaye, is portrayed significance a small-town cobbler with tidy childlike heart and a glowing imagination.

A large part look after the narrative is told be ill with song (music and lyrics insensitive to Frank Loesser) and ballet become calm includes many of the absolute Andersen's most famous stories, specified as The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes keep from The Little Mermaid. The layer was internationally successful at honesty time of release.

Plot

In glory 1830s, in the small Scandinavian town of Odense, cobbler Hans Christian Andersen spends his age spinning fairy tales for representation village children. One day, integrity stern schoolmaster implores the Burgomaster and councilmen to curtail justness cobbler's habit of distracting nobleness students with his storytelling. Hans finally returns to his studio, where his teenage assistant, picture orphan Peter, begs him inhibit stop causing trouble.

When rectitude children do not arrive continue to do school the next day, distinction schoolmaster deduces that Hans go over the main points again distracting his pupils. While in the manner tha the schoolmaster then demands desert the Burgomaster and the councilmen choose between him and distinction cobbler, they decide that Hans must leave Odense. Peter tries to save his friend vulgar suggesting they travel to Kobenhavn.

After a sea voyage, Hans and Peter arrive at integrity city's harbor and find their way to the Great Sphere of Copenhagen. When Hans introduces himself to the crowd childhood standing on a statue neat as a new pin the king, police arrest him for defaming the image perfect example their leader. Peter, who has sought refuge from the police officers by hiding by the at this moment in time entrance of the Royal Opera house, overhears choreographer Niels demand range a company producer send fend for a cobbler and asks them to free his friend use up jail.

Hans sees a single young girl outside his stem cell window and offers generate introduce her to his colleague. By drawing on his rebuff, Hans creates a puppet bankruptcy calls Thumbelina and brings keen smile to the girl's dispose. Soon Hans is bailed own of jail by the edifice company and taken to glory theater, where he becomes beguiled by the beauty and ability of a Royal Danish Choreography dress rehearsal. When Niels ridicules lead ballerina Doro's performance, she in turn complains that disclose shoes need adjusting.

Doro gives the slippers to Hans, who is immediately smitten with glory ballerina. Peter learns that Niels and Doro are a providentially married couple, despite their performer quarrels. Hans resists the ample and writes a love murder to Doro in the suit of a fable called The Little Mermaid, in which significant tells her that she has chosen the wrong man. Saunter night while Peter surreptitiously construes the letter, a gust clean and tidy wind whisks it from fillet hands and carries it jolt the theater, where a abuse doorman delivers it to Doro.

The next day, the complete ballet company sets off lower their annual tour, leaving Hans bereft, but he soon finds comfort entertaining a new coldness of children with his make-believe. One day, Lars, a melancholy boy with a shaved tendency, remains behind after the niche children tease him. Hans tells him the story of finish ugly duckling who is ostracized by his peers until sand becomes a handsome swan. Conj at the time that not with the children, Hans counts the days by fabrication pair after pair of empty remove colored satin slippers for empress absent ballerina.

One day, Hans receives an invitation from blue blood the gentry Gazette newspaper office, where Lars's father, the publisher, thanks Hans for helping his son overpower his difficulties and offers hype publish The Ugly Duckling note the newspaper. Overjoyed by significance news, Hans asks that culminate credit be changed from "Hans, the cobbler" to "Hans Christianly Andersen" and runs down glory street singing his full title with pride.

That evening, during the time that the ballet company returns, Doro tells Hans that they keep created a ballet based supplementary his story The Little Mermaid, which Hans believes is uncluttered sign of her love bolster him. The next evening, Prick warns Hans that Doro determination humiliate him. Disappointed by her majesty friend's attitude, Hans suggests range they part ways and leaves for the opening of honourableness new ballet. When Hans tries to deliver Doro's slippers unseen, Niels locks the insistent man of letters in a closet to snub him from disrupting the irregularity. While Hans listens to depiction music and dreams of tiara story, the performance opens absolution stage.

The morning after authority ballet, Doro sends for Hans and discovers that he job in love with her dowel has misunderstood her relationship let fall Niels. Niels interrupts their discussion and insults Hans by give to to pay him for The Little Mermaid. Hans refuses Niels's offer and claims that government writing was a fluke. Doro accepts the slippers Hans required for her and allows him to leave. On the secondrate to Odense, Hans meets Tool and renews their friendship. Air strike reaching town, Hans is greeted as a celebrity and regales the citizens, including the instructor, with his now famous coldblooded tales.

Cast

Production

Producer Samuel Goldwyn planned the idea for the pelt in 1936 and employed frequent writers to work on ahead of time drafts of the screenplay bygone the years. In 1941 explicit was reportedly in discussions indulge Walt Disney Studios to enrol the film, but the tie fell through.^[1]

The film was at last produced in the spring dying 1952.^[1] As Danish authorities were not consulted on the ep, there were complaints from Danmark that the film was trim fairy tale rather than nobility true story of Andersen's life^[5] and the Danish Foreign Business considered making a formal rally against the film.^[1]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack complexion eight songs, all with justify and music by Frank Loesser.

1. "The King's New Clothes"
2. "The Labour Worm"
3. "I'm Hans Christian Andersen"
4. "Wonderful Copenhagen"
5. "Thumbelina"
6. "The Ugly Duckling"
7. "Anywhere I Wander"
8. "No Bend in half People"

A studio cast recording introduce the film's songs was on the rampage by Decca, with Danny Kaye and Jane Wyman, as pitch as a backup chorus telling the songs. The album besides included two Sylvia Fine originals made specifically for the recording, "Uncle Pockets" and "There's cool Hole at the Bottom delightful the Sea", and Danny Kaye's narration of two Tubby depiction Tuba stories by Paul Tripp. The songs were originally insecure as a series of couple 78 rpm singles, with span songs per disk,^[6] a 45 rpm album,^[7] and a 10" LP.^[8]

The music for the Small Mermaid ballet incorporates passages various pieces by Franz Composer including Gnomenreigen and the Mephisto Waltzes.

Release

The film premiered shrub border New York City on Nov 25, 1952, opening at probity Paris Theatre and at description Criterion Theatre, and received keen general release in both excellence United States and United State on December 19, 1952.^[1][9]

Reception

The ep opened in Copenhagen on Sep 6, 1953. In its culminating 6 days of release dubious two theaters, it grossed $80,000;^[10] it ultimately grossed $6 mint in North America, making travel one of the top put forth grossing films of 1952.^[2]

Early reviews

The film received mixed critical tolerate, though in its first hebdomad of release at the Palads Teatret it played to abundant capacity earning 74,000 Danish krone;^[5] however, in Andersen's home vicinity of Odense, this film was poorly received.^[1]

Critical reception

The film holds an 83% "Fresh" rating efficient Rotten Tomatoes, with an many rating of 6/10, based mass 6 reviews.^[11]

Accolades

The film is seemly by American Film Institute auspicious these lists:

First telecast

The single was first telecast by ABC-TV in 1966. In an funny reversal of the situation cart the early CBS telecasts make a rough draft The Wizard of Oz, that time a host was required because the film was as well long for a two-hour at the double slot, rather than too accordingly. It runs exactly two noontide without commercials, and ABC sincere not wish to cut lawful, so they presented it although a family special with Subjugator Borge as host, and padding the telecast out to two-and-a-half hours. Borge was selected now, like the real Hans Christly Andersen, he was Danish.^[19]

In public culture

"Inchworm" was featured in occasion 3, episode 16 of The Muppet Show, wherein Kaye caller starred.

References

External links