Thumbelina (Faerie Tale Theatre episode)
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| “Thumbelina” | |||||||
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| Faerie Tale Theatre episode | |||||||
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| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 4 |
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| Written by | |||||||
| Directed by | Michael Lindsay-Hogg | ||||||
| Original airdate | June 11, 1984 | ||||||
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Thumbelina is the 12th episode of the television anthology Faerie Tale Theatre. The story is adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen story of Thumbelina and stars Carrie Fisher as the title character. The episode relies heavily on the use of bluescreen technology to create the illusion of Thumbelina being minuscule in size. A few original songs composed by Robert Folk were featured in the episode, including "Progress" sung by Burgess Meredith.
[edit] Plot
The story follows quite accurately the details of the original tale, with only a few changes made. Firstly, the sub-plot of Thumbelina being captured by the mayfly who was enchanted by her beauty was removed. Instead, as soon as Thumbelina escapes from the lilypad she crawls on shore and makes a home for herself among the leaves until winter arrives and she is saved by the fieldmouse.
During Thumbelina's stay with Mr. Fieldmouse and burgeoning friendship with Mr. Mole, Thumbelina encounters the Swallow who is frozen in Mr. Mole's tunnel. Thumbelina visits the Swallow in secret and nurses him back to health until springtime. The Swallow offers to take Thumbelina away but she declines, saying that she owes Mr. Fieldmouse her life. After she becomes engaged to Mr. Mole, Thumbelina visits the tunnel one last time just as the Swallow flies again overhead. This time, she cries out to him, begging to be taken away.
Additionally, the final act where Thumbelina falls in love with a flower prince has been altered and extended. When the Flower Prince (also known as "Prince of the Flower Angels") proposes to her, she declines on the condition that she cannot marry without her mother's consent. The Flower Prince has to find Thumbelina's mother and so he asks the Swallow for help, giving him an enchanted scarf that will keep the Swallow warm in winter on a search beyond the Flower Prince's kingdom. The Swallow manages to find Thumbelina's mother but cannot speak to her as humans cannot understand the language of birds. The Flower Prince circumvents this by entering the dreams of Thumbelina's mother, telling her where Thumbelina may be found. The next day Thumbelina and her mother are reunited, and the wedding commences.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Carrie Fisher | Thumbelina |
| Conchata Ferrell | Mother |
| Burgess Meredith | Mr. Mortimer Mole |
| William Katt | Flower Prince |
| David McCharen | Swallow |
| Stan Wilson | Swallow (voice) |
| David Hemmings | Narrator |
| John Pielmeier | Fieldmouse |
| Lu Leonard | Mother Toad |
| Donovan Scott | Herman Toad |
| Maryedith Burrell | Beggar Woman |
| Mitchel Evans | Barrister Fish 1 |
| Gary Schwartz | Barrister Fish 2 |
