This film, a musical version of the classic Antoine de St. Exupery fable, containing the last score written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (CAMELOT, MY FAIR LADY, GIGI), is a neglected gem of a film musical. Witty, inventive, melodic (the title song alone is as good as anything they ever wrote), and quite moving, it features uniformly superb performances, particularly from the then six-year old Steven Warner in the title role and Bob Fosse, in his final screen performance, as the death-dealing Snake.
Only caveat is Stanley Donen's excessive use of a fish-eye lens, to suggest the curvature of the earth and to relate that to scenes taking place on the Little Prince's asteroid or other asteroids he visits. It grows tiresome. But the on location shooting in the Sahara desert is breathtaking.
This film was cut prior to release by Paramount, excising an entire musical number, "Matters of Consequence," as well as shortening other musical numbers with damaging interior cuts, and removing Donna McKechnie's dance as the vain Rose. It is a prime candidate for restoration on DVD. Good as the film is, the cut material rounds out the story and characters, makes the musical numbers more effective, and would enhance the film.
The uncut version was previewed in NYC, but has never been seen since. Paramount, who dumped the film after only two weeks of release, must have thought they were making a children's movie, but anyone who knows the original knows it is a fable meant primarily for adults.
Donen has given interviews suggesting that he prefers the longer version. Anybody at Paramount listening?
Only caveat is Stanley Donen's excessive use of a fish-eye lens, to suggest the curvature of the earth and to relate that to scenes taking place on the Little Prince's asteroid or other asteroids he visits. It grows tiresome. But the on location shooting in the Sahara desert is breathtaking.
This film was cut prior to release by Paramount, excising an entire musical number, "Matters of Consequence," as well as shortening other musical numbers with damaging interior cuts, and removing Donna McKechnie's dance as the vain Rose. It is a prime candidate for restoration on DVD. Good as the film is, the cut material rounds out the story and characters, makes the musical numbers more effective, and would enhance the film.
The uncut version was previewed in NYC, but has never been seen since. Paramount, who dumped the film after only two weeks of release, must have thought they were making a children's movie, but anyone who knows the original knows it is a fable meant primarily for adults.
Donen has given interviews suggesting that he prefers the longer version. Anybody at Paramount listening?