The Little Prince (1974 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Little Prince |
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| Directed by | Stanley Donen |
| Produced by | Stanley Donen |
| Screenplay by | Alan Jay Lerner |
| Starring | Steven Warner Richard Kiley Bob Fosse Gene Wilder Donna McKechnie Joss Ackland Victor Spinetti |
| Music by | Frederick Loewe (score) Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics) |
| Cinematography | Christopher Challis |
| Editing by | Peter Boita George Hively |
| Studio | Stanley Donen Films |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 7, 1974 |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
The Little Prince is a 1974 British-American fantasy-musical film. It was directed and produced by Stanley Donen. The movie's story and songs were written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
This film is based on the famous 1943 book The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince). The book was written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French writer and pilot. The movie was not very popular when it first came out. However, it later became more known after being released on video.
Contents
About the Original Story
The original book The Little Prince was first published in 1943. It is the most famous work by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He was a French writer, poet, and pilot. The story is about a pilot who crashes in the desert. There, he meets a young prince from a tiny asteroid.
The book is a deep story that looks at life and human nature. It seems like a children's book, but it has many wise ideas. For example, the Little Prince meets a fox on Earth. The fox teaches him important lessons about friendship.
The fox says, "One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye." This means that true feelings are more important than what you can see. The fox also teaches, "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." This means you are responsible for those you care about.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote and drew the pictures for The Little Prince in 1942. He was living in the United States at the time. The book was first published in 1943 in both English and French. It was only released in the U.S. at first.
After the war, the book was published in France. This was because Saint-Exupéry's books were banned in France during the war. Over the years, the book has been made into many other things. These include audio recordings, plays, ballets, and operas.
Making the Movie
The 1974 film version of The Little Prince was directed by Stanley Donen. Steven Warner played the main role of The Little Prince. Richard Kiley played The Pilot. Other actors included Bob Fosse as The Snake and Gene Wilder as The Fox.
Donna McKechnie played The Rose, and Joss Ackland was The King. The parts of the movie set in the desert were filmed in Tunisia. Many people believe that the character of The Fox was based on one of Saint-Exupéry's friends. The Rose character is thought to be based on his wife.
This movie was the last musical project for the team of Lerner and Loewe. They were famous for writing many musicals together.
What Happens in the Story
The movie tells the story from the 1943 book. An aviator (played by Richard Kiley) has to land his plane in the Sahara Desert. There, he meets a young boy called The Little Prince. The prince has come to Earth from his tiny Asteroid B-612.
Over several days, The Pilot learns about the Little Prince's past. He hears about the prince's journeys through the solar system. The Little Prince met many strange grown-ups on different planets. Each grown-up had a unique way of looking at life.
When he finally reaches Earth, The Little Prince learns his most important lessons. He learns them mainly from The Fox (Gene Wilder) and The Snake (Bob Fosse). Before The Little Prince leaves, he shares these lessons with The Pilot.
The Pilot tries to keep the Little Prince with him. But the boy disappears in the morning. The Pilot searches for him but then realizes the Little Prince is gone. Soon, The Pilot fixes his plane and flies away. He hears the laughter of The Little Prince in the night sky. He believes the boy has returned to space.
Main Actors
- Steven Warner as The Little Prince
- Richard Kiley as The Pilot
- Bob Fosse as The Snake
- Gene Wilder as The Fox
- Donna McKechnie as The Rose
- Joss Ackland as The King
- Graham Crowden as The General
- Victor Spinetti as The Historian
- Clive Revill as The Businessman
The famous actor Richard Burton was asked to play The Pilot. He had been very successful in a musical called Camelot. However, he turned down the role in The Little Prince.
Songs in the Movie
The movie features several musical numbers:
- Overture - Orchestra
- "It's a Hat/I Need Air" - Chorus/The Pilot
- "I'm on Your Side" - The Pilot
- "Be Happy" - The Rose
- "You're a Child, Pt. 1" - The King
- "You're a Child, Pt. 2" - The Businessman
- "I Never Met a Rose" - The Pilot
- "Why Is the Desert" - The Pilot and The Little Prince
- "A Snake in the Grass" - The Snake
- "Closer and Closer and Closer" - The Fox and The Little Prince
- "Little Prince" - The Pilot
- "Finale: Little Prince" - Chorus
Movie Music Album
A soundtrack album was released for the movie by ABC Records. You can now find it on CD from the Decca Records label.
Influence of the Film
Bob Fosse played The Snake in the film. He performed one song called "A Snake in the Grass." During this song, he did a special dance that he created himself. His dance included moves like hip thrusts, jazz hands, and using his hat and jacket as props.
Many people think this dance scene influenced singer Michael Jackson. His famous song "Billie Jean" (from 1982) has similar dance moves and costumes. Fosse's dance even had a move like the moonwalk. This dance step later became Michael Jackson's signature move.
See also
In Spanish: El principito (película de 1974) para niños
