FairyTale: A True Story Movie Review 1997

Discovery of hope and fantasy in bleak reality when two girls in 1917 war-torn England claim to have photographed fairies in their garden. Skeptical debunker Harry Houdini (Keitel) and spiritual believer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (O'Toole) show up to investigate the photos of cousins Elsie (Hoath) and Frances (Earl). The issues of science and spiritualism are profusely debated between the two men, getting a little in the way of the girls and their story. Tries to appeal to both adults and children, which may leave both feeling a bit unsatisfied. Perky pixies flitting about throughout picture, courtesy of special f/x wizard Tim Webber, are bound to delight even hardened audience skeptics. Don't blink for Mel Gibson's cameo as Frances' father. This same true story, known as the Cottingley Fairies, is also part of the plotline in the surreal British film "Photographing Fairies."

Distribution

Paramount Home Video, 5555 Melrose Ave., 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, Phone: (323)956-5000, URL: http://www.paramount.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 99 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Historical Drama, Great Britain, Childhood Visions, World War I, Period Piece: 1910s, Magic, Special FX Extravaganzas

Screenplay

Ernie Contreras

Cast

Harvey Keitel, Peter O'Toole, Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul McGann, Phoebe Nicholls, Bill Nighy, Bob Peck, Tim (McInnerny) McInnery

Cinematography

Michael Coulter

Director

Charles Sturridge

Music

Zbigniew Preisner

Other

Mel Gibson

Producer

Wendy Finerman, Bruce Davey, Paul Tucker, Icon Productions, Paramount Pictures