Watching this film, it struck me how easily the story of Alice could be told as a horror story with babies turning into pigs, mad monarchs threatening everyone with decapitation, etc. As it is, the combination of outlandish costumes filmed against real rural or coastal locations and the absence of dialogue gives this film a strangely surreal, dreamlike atmosphere at times that is quite pleasant to watch. This was a really cute old silent. I don't think it was great cinema or D.W. Griffith or anything like that. It was actually pretty typical for the time period. Aside from the goofy monsters and elaborate costumes. Even the silent version of 'Peter Pan' was better cinema than this, and 'Pan' itself is a little pedestrian and unoriginal at times. But like the silent 'Pan' film, this is mostly for laughs and cuteness.
this was also not half bad as a adaptation. Pretty much all the 'Alice' films only briefly mention the 'Father William' poem, where this film silent presents it in entirety. Somewhat ironic that a non talking silent would do that. It also presents a startling image of the Tenniel illustration of Father William doing his somersault.
Viola Savoy ... Alice
Herbert Rice ... White Rabbit
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