FairyTale: A True Story Poster
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FairyTale: A True Story (1997)

PG  99 min  -  Drama | Family | Fantasy   -  24 October 1997 (USA)
6.3
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Ratings: 6.3/10 from 2,714 users  
Reviews: 51 user | 38 critic

Two children in 1917 take a photograph, believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. Based on a true story.

Writers:

Albert Ash (story), Tom McLoughlin (story), and 2 more credits »
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1 win & 3 nominations See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harvey Keitel ...
Jason Salkey Jason Salkey ...
James Collins
Peter O'Toole ...
Lara Morgan Lara Morgan ...
Jean Doyle
Adam Franks Adam Franks ...
Adrian Doyle
Guy Witcher Guy Witcher ...
Denis Doyle
Joseph May ...
Houdini's Assistant
John Bradley John Bradley ...
Portly Gentleman
Anna Chancellor ...
Florence Hoath Florence Hoath ...
Phoebe Nicholls Phoebe Nicholls ...
Polly Wright
Leonard Kavanagh Leonard Kavanagh ...
Stage Manager
Elizabeth Earl Elizabeth Earl ...
Paul McGann Paul McGann ...
Arthur Wright
Anton Lesser Anton Lesser ...
Wounded Corporal
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Storyline

Based on factual accounts, this is the story of two young girls that, somehow, have the ability to take pictures of winged beings... which certainly causes quite a stir throughout England during the time of the first World War. Everyone, except the girls who think it's quite normal, are excited about this "photographic proof" that fairies exist... even the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini pay the girls a visit. Written by BOB STEBBINS <stebinsbob@aol.com>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Fairy | Children | Photograph | Student  | See more »

Taglines:

Believe.

Genres:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Az igazi tündérmese See more »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,515,323 (USA) (26 October 1997) (1058 Screens)

Gross:

$14,036,249 (USA) (11 January 1998)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is based on the true story of the Cottingley Fairies. In the summer of 1917, Frances Griffiths (then 10 years old) and her cousin Elsie Wright (then 16 years old) were living with Elsie's parents in the town of Cottingley in West Yorkshire. Using Arthur Wright's camera, the girls took a series of pictures of themselves with fairies in the nearby woodland brook of Cottingley Beck. (The woodland scenes in "FairyTale: A True Story" are filmed in Cottingley Beck, the actual location where Frances and Elsie supposedly encountered the fairies in 1917.) The photographs became public in 1919 (not during World War I, as depicted in the film), when Elsie's mother gave the photos to Edward Gardner, President of the Theosophical Society of Bradford. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published the photos with an article on spiritualism in "The Strand" Magazine in December, 1920. Opinions over the authenticity of the photos were divided. Several photographic experts examined them and pronounced them "genuine," while other photo experts found "evidence of fakery." (A few experts who examined the photos noted that the "fairies" had "Parisienne-style haircuts," which were popular in the day.) In the end, no real harm came from the photos. The two girls never accepted any money for them, or tried to swindle anyone with their claims of fairy encounters. Years later, as adults, the girls admitted they had faked the photos using cardboard cutouts of fairies taken from a children's book. Elsie explained that they were too embarrassed to admit the truth about the photos after Conan Doyle, the legendary creator of Sherlock Holmes, accepted them as genuine. However, Frances insisted until her death that at least one of the "fairy photos" was real. Frances died in 1986, and Elsie died in 1988. The original photos, and the cameras the girls used to take them, are now in the National Media Museum in Bradford, England. See more »

Quotes

Polly Wright: I don't know which frightens me more, that the children are lying or that they are telling the truth.
See more »


Soundtracks

"See the Conquering Hero Comes"
from "Judas Maccabeus"
Composed by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)
Arranged by Christopher Blood
Performed by the combined brass ensembles of St. Peter's & St. Oliver's Schools, York See more »