Peter and the Wolf (1946 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter and the Wolf |
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| Directed by | Clyde Geronimi |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
| Story by | Eric Gurney Dick Huemer |
| Narrated by | Sterling Holloway |
| Music by | Edward H. Plumb Kurt Graunke (conductor) |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 15, 1946 (USA) |
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Country | United States |
Peter and the Wolf is a classic animated short film from 1946. It's based on a famous musical story created in 1936 by Sergei Prokofiev. This Disney film was produced by Walt Disney himself and narrated by Sterling Holloway.
The short film first appeared in theaters as part of another movie called Make Mine Music. Later, it was shown before a re-release of Fantasia. In the 1990s, you could finally watch it at home on video.
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How the Film Was Made
The idea for this film started in 1938. That year, Sergei Prokofiev, the composer, visited Los Angeles. He met Walt Disney there. Prokofiev played the piano version of Peter and the Wolf for Disney. He even called Disney "the dad of Mickey Mouse" in a letter to his sons.
Disney was very impressed by the music. He thought about adding an animated Peter and the Wolf to his movie Fantasia, which came out in 1940. However, due to World War II, these plans changed. Disney finally released his animated version of Peter and the Wolf in 1946. We don't know if Prokofiev, who was living in a different part of the world at the time, ever knew about the film.
What Happens in the Story?
Disney's animated film tells Prokofiev's famous story. In this musical tale, each character has its own special musical instrument. The story seems to take place in Russia.
A brave young boy named Peter decides to hunt for a wolf. This wolf has been causing trouble near his village. On his adventure, Peter meets his animal friends. There's Sasha the bird, Sonia the duck, and Ivan the cat. They all join him. But the fun stops when the big bad wolf finally appears!
How Disney Changed the Original Story
Disney's version of Peter and the Wolf has some fun changes from the original story:
- The animals get names! The bird is called "Sasha," the duck is "Sonia," and the cat is "Ivan."
- In the cartoon, Peter and his friends already know a wolf is nearby. They are ready to try and catch it.
- The hunters who appear later in the story also get names: "Misha," "Yasha," and "Vladimir."
- Peter dreams about hunting the wolf. He leaves his garden carrying a wooden "pop-gun" rifle. His goal is to find and catch the wolf.
- At the end of the story, Disney made a big change to make it more kid-friendly. It turns out that Sonia the duck was not eaten by the wolf!
- In the film, the wolf chases Sonia. She hides inside a hollow tree trunk. The wolf attacks, and then appears with some of Sonia's feathers in his mouth. Peter, Ivan, and Sasha think Sonia is gone.
- After the wolf is caught, Sasha is sad about Sonia. But then, Sonia pops out of the tree trunk! Everyone is happy to be reunited.
Where Else Can You See Peter and the Wolf?
You can find Peter and the Wolf in a few other places:
- An audio recording of this version was released on Disneyland Records. It had more narration by Sterling Holloway.
- The film is on DVD in the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection release of Make Mine Music. It's also on Walt Disney's It's a Small World of Fun! Vol. 2.
- You can also find it on VHS in Belle's Tales of Friendship. In this version, Belle from Beauty and the Beast narrates the story instead of Sterling Holloway.
- The Disney version of Peter and the Wolf was also shown in the TV show House of Mouse.
- In the ABC TV series Once Upon a Time, there is a character named Peter. He is the boyfriend of Red Riding Hood. This is a nod to the Peter from the 1946 Disney short film. In the first season of the show, Peter is killed by the wolf.
