The Little Prince (1974)

A pilot, stranded in the desert, meets a little boy who is a prince on a planet.

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (story "Le Petit Prince"), Alan Jay Lerner

Stars:

Richard Kiley, Steven Warner, Joss Ackland

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Steven Warner	...	The Little Prince
Joss Ackland	...	The King
Clive Revill	...	The Business Man
Victor Spinetti	...	The Historian
Graham Crowden	...	The General
Richard Kiley	...	The Pilot
Donna McKechnie	...	The Rose
Bob Fosse	...	The Snake
Gene Wilder	...	The Fox

Storyline

Based on the story by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, this magical musical fable begins as a pilot makes a forced landing on the barren Sahara Desert. He is befriended by a "little" prince from the planet Asteroid B-612. In the days that follow, the pilot learns of the small boy's history and planet-hopping journeys in which he met a King, a businessman, an historian, and a general. It isn't until he comes to Earth that the Little Prince learns the secrets of the importance of life from a Fox, a Snake, and the pilot.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to bob fosse | pilot | prince | desert | planet | 

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Genres:

Family | Fantasy | Musical | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

El principito

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (1937 Reissue) (Stereo) 4-Track Stereo (1937 Reissue) (Stereo)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frederick Loewe was not happy with the creative decisions taken by the production and refused to visit the filming in London to supervise the scoring.

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Goofs

Since a boa constrictor is not venomous, its bite wouldn't pose any danger to a person.

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Quotes

The Fox: It's only with the heart that one can see clearly. What's essential, is invisible to the eye.

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Connections

Version of The Adventures of the Little Prince (1978)

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Soundtracks

I Need Air (It's A Hat)
Music by Frederick Loewe
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Performed by Richard Kiley and Chorus

User Reviews

entertaining and witty....

I only saw this movie by accident, and I'm glad I did catch most of it! Apart from the interesting plot-line, little prince goes space travelling only to end up on earth, the movie has a lot to offer, especially for the young viewer. The sets and locations are well chosen, making for a colourful trip through space, and the characters are acted out quite well. Especially the historian and the snake are very amusing, not to forget the amiable little prince himself. And it's great to see Gene Wilder in an earlier role. But this movie isn't just for kids. It makes some great observations about life, as pointed out by the fox, who says that all humans are hunters and out to kill him, and also the snake, who promises to cure the prince of his disease, known as life. Then there's the historian, who tells us his job is to make up things. That would explain a lot. Not being a great fan of musicals myself, I found that this one was quite watchable. All in all, a fairly good adaption of the children's story by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The only real shortcoming of this movie is that no part of it is really that memorable, that would make it stick out in your mind. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a film to show your kids, or just a bit of light entertainment, this pleasant little movie might be the one for you. Historian: "I thought of it, wrote it down, read it and it's been printed, therefore it's fact."