On This Day...Alice In Wonderland (1933)

 Cary Grant's 13th full length feature film, Alice in Wonderland, was released today, back in 1933. 

Summary: 

In Victorian England, Alice (Charlotte Henry), a bored young girl, dreams she has entered a fantasy world called Wonderland where she finds even more fantastical characters, such as Cheshire Cat (Richard Arlen), White Knight (Gary Cooper). Humpty Dumpty (WC Fields), March Hare (Charlie Ruggles) and Mock Turtle (Cary Grant).

Cast:

Richard Arlen...Cheshire Cat

Roscoe Ates...Fish

William Austin...Gryphon

Gary Cooper...White Knight

Leon Errol...Uncle Gilbert

Louise Fazenda...White Queen

W.C. Fields...Humpty-Dumpty

Alec B. Francis...King of Hearts

Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher...Rabbit (as Skeets Gallagher)

Cary Grant...Mock Turtle

Lillian Harmer...Cook

Raymond Hatton...Mouse

Charlotte Henry...Alice

Sterling Holloway...Frog

Edward Everett Horton...Mad Hatter

Roscoe Karns...Tweedledee

Baby LeRoy...Joker (as Baby Le Roy)

Mae Marsh...Sheep

Polly Moran...Dodo Bird

Jack Oakie...Tweedledum

Edna May Oliver...Red Queen

May Robson...Queen of Hearts

Charles Ruggles...March Hare (as Charlie Ruggles)

Jackie Searl...Dormouse

Alison Skipworth... Duchess

Ned Sparks...Caterpillar

Ford Sterling...White King

Did You Know?

The failure of the film at the box office was attributed to the fact that although a top-rank cast was used, many of them were virtually unrecognizable under their heavy makeup and costuming.

Bing Crosby was originally sought for the role of the Mock Turtle but refused it because he felt the role was demeaning to his career.

Sterling Holloway, who played The Frog in this movie, later went on to be the voice of The Cheshire Cat in the well known Disney adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (1951).

The running time, 76 minutes, is the length of the time Alice is through the looking glass: clock on the mantelpiece starts at 3:40 and she returns at 5:00.

During the Mad Tea Party, the Hatter asks Alice what day of the month it is and Alice answers that it's the 4th. The Hatter checks his watch and bewails the fact that "it's two days off." When Alice examines the watch, the hands on the dial indicate the date as being a Tuesday in June. In 1933 when this film was made, June 4th fell on a Sunday - two days off from what the Hatter's watch indicates.

Goofs:

When the White Knight falls off of his horse into the ditch, he falls face down and his feet can be seen with the toes pointed downward. However, when Alice comes over to check on him, he is lying on his back and his toes are pointed upward.  When Alice helps him out, he continues telling a story about how he invented things, yet initially neither his lips nor Alice's are moving, nor do they match what is being said when they do.

During Baby LeRoy's brief appearance he initially is walking, but the action cut-in has him running with a different expression on his face.

Alice is an English girl, but speaks with an American accent.

When the White Queen flies in to see Alice after the fight between Tweedledum and Tweedledee, you can quite clearly see wires attached to her shoulders.

Posterss:

Directed by Norman McLeod.

Distributed by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 90 minutes (Varies)

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.