Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

Director:

Charles Vidor

Writers:

Moss Hart (screenplay)
Myles Connolly (based on a story by)
(more)

Release Date:

14 August 1953 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The glorious story of the greatest storyteller of them all!

Plot:

The opening scene of the movie describes it best: "Once upon a time there lived in Denmark a great storyteller named Hans Christian Andersen. This is not the story of his life, but a fairy tale about the great spinner of fairy tales."

Plot Keywords:

Fairy Tale | Ballet | Storyteller | Face Slap | Love

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 4 nominations

Cast

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 - Danced by
Roland Petit	...	The Prince in 'The Little Mermaid' Ballet
John Brown	...	Schoolmaster
John Qualen	...	Burgomaster
Jeanne Lafayette	...	Celine
Robert Malcolm	...	Stage Doorman
George Chandler	...	Farmer
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 in 'The Little Mermaid' Ballet (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)
Ray Linn Jr.	...	Singing Boatman / Chimney Sweep (uncredited)
Betty Uitti	...	The Princess in 'Little Mermaid Ballet' (uncredited)
Beverly Washburn	...	Girl Outside Jail Window (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Vidor

Writing credits
Moss Hart		(screenplay)
Myles Connolly		(based on a story by)
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn	....	producer

Original Music by
Walter Scharf		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(director of photography) (as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Clavé
Richard Day

Set Decoration by
Howard Bristol

Costume Design by
Clavé		(costumes designed by: ballet)
Mary Wills		(costumes designed by: other)

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	make-up
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist

Art Department
Charles McLaughlin	....	props assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred Lau	....	sound recorder
Larry Gannon	....	sound (uncredited)
Gordon Sawyer	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Clarence Slifer	....	special photographic effects
Daniel Hays	....	special effects (uncredited)
Russell Shearman	....	special effects (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Karinska	....	costumes executed by: ballet costumes (as Madame Karinska)

Music Department
Frank Loesser	....	words and music by
Jerome Moross	....	orchestrator
Walter Scharf	....	musical director
Sidney Cutner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Walter Scharf	....	conductor (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Samuel Goldwyn	....	presenter
Richard Mueller	....	technicolor color consultant
Roland Petit	....	choreographer
Roland Petit	....	dancer: "The Little Mermaid" ballet

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (presents) (as Samuel Goldwyn)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (distributed by) (as RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sascha Filmverleih (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (TV)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2010) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min | West Germany:105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (Certificate No. 15971) | UK:U | New Zealand:G | USA:TV-G | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | West Germany:6 (f) | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

The Lot - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Originally planned by Samuel Goldwyn to have animation sequences supervised by Walt Disney.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the crossing of the Great Belt the still existing light tower on the island Sprogø is seen in the background. Although there was a light tower on the island when the 14 year-old Hans Christian Andersen went to Copenhagen this particular tower was not built until 1869, when Andersen was 64 years old and had been a famous writer for many years.

Quotes:

[working on a beautiful ballerina's shoes]
Hans:I almost wish she'd asked me for something really impossible.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Muppet Show: Episode #3.16" (1978)

Soundtrack:

I'm Hans Christian Andersen

Wonderful kid's film

A lot of the comments previously made here are true and this certainly isn't any kind of real biographical film of Hans Christian Anderson. But one must remember that Samuel Goldwyn was primarily making this film as children's entertainment. And on that level he succeeded brilliantly.

In fact at the age of 5 in the cinema in Brooklyn this was the first movie on the big screen I ever remember seeing. My father was a big Danny Kaye fan so the whole family went to see it. And of course one of the first long-playing records we had in our house was the soundtrack to that film.

Another reviewer said that Frank Loesser's score was the highlight for him in the film. I don't think Danny Kaye ever had better material to sing with on the screen. Up to this point he got by with stuff especially written for him by his wife Sylvia Fine. He proved here in Hans Christian Anderson that he could definitely succeed without it.

Anyway when I view this film I'm five years old again. You will be too if you see it.