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Hans Christian Andersen
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Hans Christian Andersen (1952) More at IMDbPro »

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Hans Christian Andersen (1952) -- Open-ended Trailer from HBO

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   1,057 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Charles Vidor
Writers:
Myles Connolly (story)
Moss Hart (screenplay)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Hans Christian Andersen on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 August 1953 (France) more
Tagline:
The glorious story of the greatest storyteller of them all!
Plot:
A completely fabricated biography of the famous Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen featuring... more | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 4 nominations more
User Comments:
It's not a story of his life, just a fairytale about a spinner of fairy tales. more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Danny Kaye ... Hans Christian Andersen
Farley Granger ... Niels
Zizi Jeanmaire ... Doro (as Jeanmaire)
Joseph Walsh ... Peter (as Joey Walsh)
Philip Tonge ... Otto
Erik Bruhn ... The Hussar in "Ice Skating Ballet"
Roland Petit ... The Prince in 'The Little Mermaid' Ballet
John Brown ... Schoolmaster
John Qualen ... Burgomaster
Jeanne Lafayette ... Celine
Robert Malcolm ... Stage Doorman
George Chandler ... Gerta's Father
Fred Kelsey ... First Gendarme
Gil Perkins ... Second Gendarme
Peter J. Votrian ... Lars (as Peter Votrian)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lee Aaker ... Little Boy (uncredited)
Lonnie Burr ... Townchild (uncredited)
Wheaton Chambers ... Townsman (uncredited)
Barrie Chase ... Ballerina (uncredited)
Jack Claus ... Sea Witch (uncredited)
Noreen Corcoran ... Little Girl (uncredited)
Michael Cowan ... Boy (uncredited)
George Davis ... Street Vendor (uncredited)
Edith Evanson ... Mrs. Berta (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum ... Townsman (uncredited)
Jack Gargan ... Townsman (uncredited)
Jack George ... Townsman (uncredited)
Karolyn Grimes ... Copenhagen match girl (uncredited)
Frank Hagney ... Townsman (uncredited)
Sam Harris ... Townsman (uncredited)
Tommy Ivo ... Little Boy (uncredited)
Rudy Lee ... Little Boy (uncredited)

Sylvia Lewis ... Danseuse / Corps de Ballet (uncredited)
Betty Uitti ... The Princess (uncredited)
Beverly Washburn ... Girl Outside Jail Window (uncredited)
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Directed by
Charles Vidor 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Myles Connolly  story
Moss Hart  screenplay
Ben Hecht  uncredited

Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn .... producer
 
Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.  (as Harry Stradling)
 
Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell 
 
Art Direction by
Clavé 
Richard Day 
 
Set Decoration by
Howard Bristol 
 
Costume Design by
Mary Wills 
 
Makeup Department
Del Armstrong .... makeup artist
Helen Turpin .... hair stylist
 
Sound Department
Fred Lau .... sound recordist
Larry Gannon .... sound (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Clarence Slifer .... special photographic effects
Daniel Hays .... special effects (uncredited)
Russell Shearman .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clavé .... ballet costumes
Barbara Karinska .... ballet costume execution (as Madame Karinska)
 
Editorial Department
Richard Mueller .... color consultant: Technicolor
 
Music Department
Jerome Moross .... orchestrator
Walter Scharf .... musical director
 
Other crew
Roland Petit .... choreographer
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
112 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #15971) | UK:U | New Zealand:G | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This film marked the finish of producer Samuel Goldwyn's distribution pact with RKO, which resulted in 20 releases spanning 11 years, beginning with The Little Foxes (1941). more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: When Hans Christien Andersen and Peter crosses the Great Belt Peter spots Copenhagen on the other side of the belt. But Copenhagen is located on the other side of Zealand and cannot be seen from a boat on the Great Belt. more
Quotes:
Hans: You know I like to think that shoes have a mind of their own. The ones that squeak don't want to leave the shop, and the ones that don't fit don't like the person that's wearing them. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser (2006) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
The Little Mermaid Ballet more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful:-
It's not a story of his life, just a fairytale about a spinner of fairy tales., 4 March 2008
8/10
Author: JohnRouseMerriottChard from United Kingdom

So the opening written words say to us the very thing that many across the site have failed to spot, namely they wasn't going for autobiographical, just a celebration of the name and his work.

Who better to bring the great Dane to the screen than Danny Kaye, his ebullient approach to the topic befits the glorious color that sparkles in each frame. The story tracks the Cobbler Andersen as he leaves his hometown of Odense to seek a new life in the beautiful city of Copenhagen. It is here that he becomes known for his stories that bring much joy to the children of Denmark and here that he writes his glorious Ballet version of The Little Mermaid. He gets into scrapes, he falls for a pretty girl, and most of all he discovers his vocation in life, this is indeed a delightful fairytale.

Sit back and enjoy The Emperor's New Clothes, Wonderful Copenhagen, Thumberlina and The Ugly Duckling, and then pray silence for the 15 minute showing of The Little Mermaid, smashingly buoyant film that may come wrapped up in treacle for some, but hey I got a sweet tooth and it works for me, 8/10.

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Would HCA survive critics' reviews today? dredzo
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A remake for sure!!!! miss_axis
What the heck is up with Peter? AndiCheetah99
Was Kaye right for the Part? bonelessmonkey
Danny Kaye's visit to the museum AriBreck
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