The Little Prince
Count Antoine de Saint-Exupery, (1900-1944), was a famous and beloved French author and aviator. After the fall of France during the Second World War he went into exile in the United States. During this time he wrote his best-known work, the novella “Le Petit Prince,” (“The Little Prince “), which was published in French and English at the same time in 1943. Saint-Exupery flew during the war, although because of his age and physical condition he had to petition General Dwight D. Eisenhower for permission to do so. On July 31, 1944 he took off from Corsica in a Lockheed F-5B-1-LO, (a reconnaissance variant of the P-38 “Lightning”). He was never seen again.
In 1974 a silver screen musical adaptation of “The Little Prince” was created by Paramount Pictures. The director was Stanley Donen, best-known for such classic films as “Singin’ in the Rain,” (1952), and “Charade,” (1963). The team of “Lerner and Lowe” were reassembled to work on the picture. Lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, (1918-1986), and composer Frederick Lowe, (1901-1988), had created such marvelous Broadway musicals as “My Fair Lady,” (1956), and “Camelot,” (1960). A wonderful cast was assembled including Richard Kiley, Bob Fosse, and Gene Wilder. With this much talent how could this movie be anything but a masterpiece?
This week’s movie was “The Little Prince.” Richard Kiley stars as “The Pilot.” He tells us about his experiences as a precocious child who became disenchanted with grown-ups for their lack of imagination. As an adult he embraces aviation. While testing a new airplane the engine fails and he lands in the Sahara Desert. While working on the engine he is surprised by the arrival of a little boy. “The Little Prince,” (Steven Warner), claims to be from a tiny asteroid. When a “Rose,” (Donna McKechnie), begins to grow on his asteroid the Prince tries to make her happy, but she constantly complains. Convinced that his ignorance is the cause, the Prince sets out on a journey through space to learn the secrets of life. After visiting the eccentric inhabitants of some other asteroids he arrives on Earth. He encounters “The Snake,” (Bob Fosse) who conceals his menacing nature from the innocent Prince. He then meets “The Fox,” (Gene Wilder), and the two form a bond of friendship. Now he is building a relationship with the kind-hearted Pilot.
Everyone seems to be trying very hard, but this movie just doesn’t work. It is reasonably faithful to the book, but Donen can’t seem to find a way to provide any energy to the story. This picture is dull and lifeless. The characters are not engaging, and are generally humorless. As much as I usually admire the works of Lerner and Lowe, this soundtrack is boring and forgettable. I can’t remember a single tune. Even Gene Wilder doesn’t seem to be able to enliven his role. The movie was a critical and financial bomb!
Bob Fosse does provide some interesting choreography for his role as “The Snake” for the song “A Snake in the Grass.” Some have suggested that Fosse’s dancing here helped to inspire Michael Jackson’s legendary performance of the song “Billie Jean” on the 1983 television special “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, and Forever.” I am not qualified to judge, but I rewatched both dances and I can certainly see the similarities. The talents of both these artists are incredible. Unfortunately Fosse’s dance just isn’t enough to save “The Little Prince.”