Directed by Charles Sturridge

Starring Peter O’Toole and Harvey Keitel

FairyTale: A True Story (good title, no?) is based on actual events that occurred in England in the midst of WWI. Two young girls, aged 8 and 12, claimed to have taken photographs of fairies living in their backyard. Needless to say, the pictures caused quite a stir. Especially after Sherlock Holmes creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (played with twinkling blue eyes by screen legend, Peter O’Toole) took an active interest in the girls’ story and published the photographs in a national magazine. The photographs also attracted the more skeptical interest of illusionist, Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel, making a rare but welcome children’s film appearance), who had something of a personal obsession with debunking fraudulent “fairytales” of all varieties.

Were the photographs, and thus the fairies, authentic? Or were the kids making it all up for attention? Or were they making it up for more personal reasons? This movie doesn’t seem to care. It embraces the fantasy elements of the story, and includes some truly imaginative special-effects of fairies flitting about the English countryside. By taking the children at face value, the filmmakers confirm the importance of child-like wonder at God’s creation. As GK Chesterton put it, “The whole order of things is as outrageous as any miracle which could presume to violate it.” In other words, a tree is as incredible as a fairy, if you think about it.

FairyTale is worth watching if only for the ensemble of wonderful British character-actors. I don’t know that any species exists more delightful than those consummate English professionals who tear into a role, regardless of shape or size, and don’t let go. You may not recognize the names, but you will probably recognize the faces of Bill Nighy, Paul McGann, Bob Peck, and Phoebe Nicholls.

The other reason to give FairyTale a viewing is that well-made family films are in short supply these days. Most insult the intelligence of the adults in attendance, which means to me that they also insult the intelligence of the children in attendance. Fortunately, the mid-1990s witnessed a string of smart, beautifully made family films, from the Secret Garden (1993) to Little Women (1994) to The Little Princess (1995).

Released by Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions in 1997, FairyTale: A True Story deserves mention in the same breath. Though not quite a classic at the level of, say, Alfonso Cuaron’s gorgeous Little Princess, this is a charming, thought-provoking movie that should enchant viewers young and old.

Posted by John Murphy on Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 11:45 am.