Finding Neverland (2004)

The story of Sir J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.

Director:

Marc Forster

Writers:

Allan Knee (play), David Magee (screenplay)

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie

Won 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 80 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Sir James Matthew Barrie
Kate Winslet	...	Sylvia Llewelyn Davies
Julie Christie	...	Mrs. Emma du Maurier
Radha Mitchell	...	Mary Ansell Barrie
Dustin Hoffman	...	Charles Frohman
Freddie Highmore	...	Peter Llewelyn Davies
Joe Prospero	...	Jack Llewelyn Davies
Nick Roud	...	George Llewelyn Davies
Luke Spill	...	Michael Llewelyn Davies
Ian Hart	...	Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Kelly Macdonald	...	'Peter Pan'
Mackenzie Crook	...	Mr. Jaspers - Usher
Eileen Essell	...	Mrs. Snow
Jimmy Gardner	...	Mr. Snow
Oliver Fox	...	Gilbert Cannan

Storyline

1903 London. Renowned playwright J.M. Barrie (James)'s latest effort has garnered less than positive reviews, something he knew would be the case even before the play's mounting. This failure places pressure on James to write another play quickly as impresario Charles Frohman needs another to replace the failure to keep his theater viable. Out for a walk with his dog in part to let his creative juices flow, James stumbles upon the Llewelyn Davies family: recently widowed Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (the daughter of now deceased author George L. Du Maurier) and her four adolescent sons. James and the family members become friends, largely based on he and the boys being able to foster in each other the imagination of children, James just being the biggest among them in this regard. Sylvia also welcomes James into their lives, he who becomes an important and integral part of it. Among the six of them, the only one who does not want to partake is Sylvia's third, Peter Llewelyn Davies, who is ...

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Plot Keywords:

stage play | author | england | reference to peter pan | dog | 

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Taglines:

How far can your imagination take you.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although Johnny Depp was only slightly younger making this film than J.M. Barrie was at the time of the events depicted, he is too tall for the role (Barrie was notably short, and sometimes joked that he was smaller than his dog) and plays it clean-shaven, whereas Barrie was almost always photographed with a huge walrus mustache.

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Goofs

When Barrie is rebuffing Peter for saying Porthos is just a dog, the stuffed toys behind Peter change orientation in relation to Peter at least twice.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Charles Frohman: Opening night. I love opening night. How are you? Did you see him?

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Crazy Credits

Paul 'Welcie' Wellstead (as Paul Wellstead) is credited twice for 'supervising rigger': once in the onscreen "Camera" section and once in the onscreen "Construction" section.

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Kelly Clarkson/Freddie Highmore/Ken Burns/Sean Kinney (2018)

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Soundtracks

Medieval and Renaissance Fanfare No. 7
Composed by David Marshall (PRS)
Published by Studio G Ltd (PRS)
Courtesy of Promusic

User Reviews

Depply Beautiful

I don't know how good this movie is and I don't care because I loved it. It left me kind of numb. Moved, transported, enchanted. That's exactly how I want to feel when I get out of a movie. "Finding Neverland" gave it to me, in spades. Johnny Depp, hey Johnny you're the best we've got. I forgot that it was you two minutes into the movie, I only knew I loved that character. That in itself is part of the many miracles the movie has in store. Yours, is a performance of perfect beauty. Kate Winslet is quickly becoming my favourite actress. Julie Christie is, was and always will be my "Darling" but Freddie Highmore, you and your brothers gave me one the best evenings in a movie theatre I had in a long, long, time. My girlfriend just read my comment over my shoulder, her comment was very succinct: "You write like a woman" Okay, let's see if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Good night kids.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

J.M. Barrie's Neverland

Filming Locations:

Laredo Wild West Town, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$220,524, 14 November 2004

Gross USA:

$51,680,613

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$116,650,613

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, FilmColony, Keylight Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 101 min (DVD) (Encore print)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1