Peter Pan Itself Pales in Comparison of Its Own Making

Rating: 8/10 (6 July 2006)

I've always been fascinated by how a writer can look at a blank piece of paper and work it to be something incomprehensibly brilliant, something creative, a masterpiece.
Throughout this entire movie, Peter Pan comes to life as James Barrie finds inspiration in a family of four boys and their widowed mother. Interesting touches, like the hook on the grandmother's hand, and the references made throughout the movie to characters from the play. What I was astounded by was how this movie resisted to show any sexual attraction between James and Sylvia. Most movies would leap at the chance to show two characters giving in to their "yearnings and burnings," but this movie showed how powerful true love can be between friends.
Every artist must suffer, or his work is not counted as art, and Barrie went through trials with ridicule from the public, as well as lack of support from his wife. The scene where she is scouring through his journal in hopes of finding a confession of a possible affair was just dynamic. She wants to be a part of his world, and yet she doesn't know how.
And James explaining how he was forced to grow up early to comfort his grieving mother illuminates the origin of Neverland. He brings Neverland to his friend. And that was truly magical.