There are earlier versions but this one is one that is used as a measure for other versions. I watch the streaming version and contemplating purchasing a DVD-R.
Viola Savoy (at 15 years old looks like 20s) as Alice -
Herbert Rice as White Rabbit -
Harry Marks as The Dodo Bird -
Louis Merkle as The Dormouse -
Lotta Savoy as Alice's Mother -
William Tilden as The Mad Hatter -
No credits for lions, owls, bears, and lizards. Not even Cheshire Cats.
No credits for the King or Queen of hearts.
The filming location is Long Island, New York, USA (wooded estate where exteriors were filmed). The only Long Island I saw looked like suburbia.
No obnoxious background music and very readable intertitles.
"Things we do and things we see shortly before we fall asleep are most apt to influence our Dreams."
Alice meets all kinds of critters just before she sleeps. Then with a little double exposure she is lured by a white rabbit carrying an umbrella. There is actually a sine pointing to Wonderland.
"She Looked along a passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. But she couldn't get through so she cried, and cried, and then ---"
Well, we all know or should know the story so I will not give anything away.
Well alright, there is another sign pointing to the Animal convention. It is over the river and through the woods.
The version I watched had only 52 minutes. No telling what is missing. However, they did include the "Father William" Poem of which I completely forgot. As with this story that is a play on words, this poem mocks societal norms and expectations related to aging.
We get:
"Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin: but never before a grin without a cat!" I know that was meant to be clever however I have a black cat and in the middle of the night see a grin without a cat.
Another one I forget and had to rewind was:
Alice - How many hours a day did you do Lessons?
Mock turtle - Ten hours the first day, nine the next , and so on. That's the reason They're called lessons, because they lessen from day to day.
Moral of the story is If you fall asleep do not be a victim of Card-iack arrest. And do not lose your tart.
