Gulliver's Travels (1939)

74 mins | Fantasy | 22 December 1939

Full page view
HISTORY

In the opening sequence of the film, the credits are superimposed over a three-dimensional sailing ship. The song "Faithful Forever" is not listed in the onscreen credits, but is sung in the film. According to a news item in MPD, the success of Walt Disney's 1937 film Snow White motivated the Fleischer Studios to produce this animated feature at a budget of $700,000. This was Max Fleischer's first feature-length-Technicolor animated feature. It only used one episode from the Jonathan Swift book. Modern sources note that the figure of "Gulliver" was rotoscoped throughout the entire film. The movements of actor Sam Parker were traced from live action film to become the figure of "Gulliver." The rest of the characters were represented through animation. Modern sources also add that 500,000 celluloids and twelve tons of paint were used for the 115,700 composite scenes in the film. Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin's song "Faithful Forever" and Victor Young's original score were nominated for Academy Awards.
       Several live action films were based on the Swift novel. In 1960, Columbia produced The 3 Worlds of Gulliver, directed by Jack Sher and starring Kerwin Matthews, and in 1977, EMI produced a British-Belgium co-production titled Gulliver's Travels, starring Richard Harris and directed by Peter Hunt. An animated IMAX version of Swift's story, directed by Ian Pearson and Scott Speirs, completed production in late 2003 but, as of spring 2005, it was not scheduled for release. ...

More Less

In the opening sequence of the film, the credits are superimposed over a three-dimensional sailing ship. The song "Faithful Forever" is not listed in the onscreen credits, but is sung in the film. According to a news item in MPD, the success of Walt Disney's 1937 film Snow White motivated the Fleischer Studios to produce this animated feature at a budget of $700,000. This was Max Fleischer's first feature-length-Technicolor animated feature. It only used one episode from the Jonathan Swift book. Modern sources note that the figure of "Gulliver" was rotoscoped throughout the entire film. The movements of actor Sam Parker were traced from live action film to become the figure of "Gulliver." The rest of the characters were represented through animation. Modern sources also add that 500,000 celluloids and twelve tons of paint were used for the 115,700 composite scenes in the film. Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin's song "Faithful Forever" and Victor Young's original score were nominated for Academy Awards.
       Several live action films were based on the Swift novel. In 1960, Columbia produced The 3 Worlds of Gulliver, directed by Jack Sher and starring Kerwin Matthews, and in 1977, EMI produced a British-Belgium co-production titled Gulliver's Travels, starring Richard Harris and directed by Peter Hunt. An animated IMAX version of Swift's story, directed by Ian Pearson and Scott Speirs, completed production in late 2003 but, as of spring 2005, it was not scheduled for release.

Less

SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Daily Variety
16 Dec 1939
p. 3
Film Daily
21 Dec 1939
p. 9
Hollywood Reporter
16 Dec 1939
p. 3
Motion Picture Daily
7 Feb 1938
p. 1
Motion Picture Daily
19 Dec 1939
p. 1, 4
Motion Picture Herald
16 Dec 1939
p. 25
New York Times
21 Dec 1939
p. 29
Variety
20 Dec 1939
p. 14
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
Dave Fleischer
Dir
PRODUCER
Max Fleischer
Prod
WRITERS
Story adpt
PHOTOGRAPHY
ART DIRECTORS
Scenics
Scenics
Scenics
Scenics
MUSIC
Atmospheric mus created and cond by
PRODUCTION MISC
Tech adv
ANIMATION
Anim
Arnold Gillespie
Anim
Anim
Anim
Anim
Anim
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
Dir of animation
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the book Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World by Lemuel Gulliver by Jonathan Swift (London, 1726).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
SONGS
"It's a Hap Hap Happy Day," music and lyrics by Sammy Timburg, Al Neiburg and Winston Sharples; "Faithful Forever," music and lyrics by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+
DETAILS
Release Date:
22 December 1939
Premiere Information:
World premiere in Miami, FL: 18 Dec 1939
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Paramount Pictures, Inc.
22 December 1939
LP9331
Physical Properties:
Sound
Color
Technicolor
Duration(in mins):
74
Length(in reels):
8
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

On 5 Nov 1699, Lemuel Gulliver, an English seaman, is shipwrecked on the shores of Lilliput, a country of peanut sized people, the tallest of whom is no higher than Gulliver's boots. While Gulliver sleeps on the beach, meek King Little of Lilliput betroths his daughter, Princess Glory, to Prince David, the son of Bombo, the bombastic king of neighboring Blefusco. Trouble arises when King Little insists that his favorite song, "Faithful," be sung at the ceremony, while Bombo is equally insistent that his favorite number, "Forever," be the only song sung at the wedding. Their dispute ends when Bombo declares war and storms out just as Gabby, the town crier, bursts into the palace to announce that a giant is sleeping on the beach. At first alarmed, the people of Lilliput work through the night to tie Gulliver up and transport him to their town. When he awakens, however, they soon discover his benevolence after Bombo's armed soldiers flee at the sight of the giant, and Gulliver merely laughs. In celebration, the Lilliputians plan a feast in Gulliver's honor, while Bombo's henchmen, Snoop, Sneak and Switch, plot dastardly schemes against the Lilliputians. When all the Lilliputians are asleep, Gulliver sees the heartbroken Princess Glory during her secret rendezvous with Prince David and determines to help them. He attempts to arbitrate the broken romance by suggesting that both of the disputed songs be combined and sung. Gulliver's attempt seems doomed, though, when Bombo's war ships arrive off the shore of Lilliput and the three spies prepare to shoot the giant. Seeing the spies aiming the gun at Gulliver, Prince David gallops to the giant's ...

More Less

On 5 Nov 1699, Lemuel Gulliver, an English seaman, is shipwrecked on the shores of Lilliput, a country of peanut sized people, the tallest of whom is no higher than Gulliver's boots. While Gulliver sleeps on the beach, meek King Little of Lilliput betroths his daughter, Princess Glory, to Prince David, the son of Bombo, the bombastic king of neighboring Blefusco. Trouble arises when King Little insists that his favorite song, "Faithful," be sung at the ceremony, while Bombo is equally insistent that his favorite number, "Forever," be the only song sung at the wedding. Their dispute ends when Bombo declares war and storms out just as Gabby, the town crier, bursts into the palace to announce that a giant is sleeping on the beach. At first alarmed, the people of Lilliput work through the night to tie Gulliver up and transport him to their town. When he awakens, however, they soon discover his benevolence after Bombo's armed soldiers flee at the sight of the giant, and Gulliver merely laughs. In celebration, the Lilliputians plan a feast in Gulliver's honor, while Bombo's henchmen, Snoop, Sneak and Switch, plot dastardly schemes against the Lilliputians. When all the Lilliputians are asleep, Gulliver sees the heartbroken Princess Glory during her secret rendezvous with Prince David and determines to help them. He attempts to arbitrate the broken romance by suggesting that both of the disputed songs be combined and sung. Gulliver's attempt seems doomed, though, when Bombo's war ships arrive off the shore of Lilliput and the three spies prepare to shoot the giant. Seeing the spies aiming the gun at Gulliver, Prince David gallops to the giant's rescue, but plunges over the cliff as he deflects the shot. David's fall brings Bombo to his senses,and the lovers are united to the combined harmony of "Faith" and "Forever" while Gulliver sails off into the sunset in a small boat made for him by the Lilliputians.

Less

GENRE
Genre:
Sub-genre:
with songs, Animation


Subject

Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

TOP SEARCHES

Jurassic Park

In May 1990, Michael Crichton’s manuscript for Jurassic Park was set to be published by Alfred A. Knopf Inc. in Oct 1990. It was sent to several ... >>

The Symbol of the Unconquered

This Black independent film was shot in Fort Lee, NJ, under the working title The Wilderness Trail. A 6 Nov 1920 Moving Picture World item ... >>

Shoes

The print viewed for this record was a restoration of filmmaker Lois Weber’s 1916 feature-length picture, Shoes, completed in 2010 by the Eye Filmmuseum, Netherlands, ... >>

The Vampire

The 31 Jul 1915 Motion Picture News announced the upcoming production as the sixth from Popular Plays and Players, Inc., to be released through Metro Pictures Corp. ... >>

The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.