Dreamchild is a 1985 drama film directed by Gavin Millar. It stars Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Nicola Cowper and Amelia Shankley. It tells a somewhat fictionalized story of Alice Hargreaves' (Brown) journey to the United States from England to receive an honorary degree from Columbia University. See also: 1984 in film, other events of 1985, 1986 in film, list of years in film. Events Top grossing films Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson Rambo: First Blood Part II, starring Sylvester Stallone Rocky IV, starring Sylvester Stallone The Color Purple... There are many articles named Drama: Drama, the art form. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Gavin Millar is a Scottish film director. ... Coral Edith Brown, later Browne (23 July 1913-29 May 1991) was a stage and screen actress. ... Sir Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm CBE (born September 12, 1931) is a British actor. ... Peter Gallagher At i Cucini Restaurant, Santa Monica. ... Amelia Shankley (b. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my [birth]right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked... An honorary degree (Latin: honoris causa ad gradum) is an extra-ordinary academic degree awarded to an individual as a decoration, rather than as the result of matriculating and studying for several years. ... Columbia University is a private university in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City and a member of the Ivy League. ...

As a child, Hargreaves was the inspiration for the character of "Alice" from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland stories. Now an old woman, the movie focusses on memories and delusions she is having while being compelled to recount the stories of Lewis Carrol, the pen name of the Reverend Charles Dodgson (Holm). The movie jumps back and forth between the movie's present—the 1930s—and Hargreaves' past, the mid-1800s. The director does a good job of preventing confusion for the viewers. Flashbacks are clearly portrayed and divided from the present timeline. A self-portrait of Lewis Caroll, taken with assistance. ... Alice in Wonderland is the widely known and used title for Alices Adventures in Wonderland, a book written by Lewis Carroll -- as well as several movie adaptations of the book -- and is also the setting for several short stories. ... The Reverend is an honorary prefix added to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. ... Photograph of Lewis Carroll taken by himself, with assistance Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (January 27, 1832 – January 14, 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was a British author, mathematician, Anglican clergyman, logician, and amateur photographer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ...

Though lighthearted and whimsically mischievous in the stories, the characters from the Alice stories take on a unmistakable dark and nightmarish quality in Hargreaves' memories and delusions. Instead of engaging in playful banter, they instead mock Hargreaves as she jumps back and forth between her present-day self and her form as a child (Shankley).

Storyline

The movie begins on the ship bearing Hargreaves and Lucy (Cowper), her assistant, from England to New York. As she and Lucy deboard, they are set upon by legions of journalists, all trying to get a story or quote from her. Clearly bewildered by all the excitement, she is befriended by an ex-report, Jack Dolan (Galagher) who helps her and Lucy through the legions of the press. Dolan quickly becomes her agent and finds endorsement oppurtunities for her. Throughout it all, a romance develops between Jack and Lucy. Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my [birth]right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with reporter. ... An agent is an autonomous entity with an ontological commitment and agenda of its own. ...

But all is not well with Mrs. Hargreaves. Being so advanced in age, she needs Lucy to be her constant companion. When left alone in their hotel room, she begins to hullicinate and sees Mr. Dodgson in their room and then, later, the Mad Hatter and March Hare. Joining them for their insane tea party, they berate her for being so advanced in age and forgetful. The Hatter (far right), as depicted by Tenniel The Hatter, popularly known as The Mad Hatter (though he is never actually given that name in the book) is a fictional character encountered at a tea party in Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland. ... The March Hare, often called the Mad March Hare, is a character from the tea party scene in Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland. ... This article describes tea parties, gatherings for afternoon tea. ...

Via flashbacks, it is conveyed that Dodgson had an infatuation with the young Alice. Was it an innocent admiration he had for the girl or something innappropriate? Hargreaves is clearly troubled by her recollections of Dodgson. The parameters of her relationship with him were somewhat tortured. Dodgsen was unwaveringly adoring of Alice, and while she was usually kind, she could sometimes be cruel and mocking of him, especially of his occasianal stutter. Hargreaves tries to rectify her feelings and past relationship with the author in her mind. Stuttering is a speech disorder in which pronunciation of the (usually) first letter or syllable of a word is repeated involuntarily. ...

By the time she delivers her acceptance speech at Cambridge, she's come to terms with Dodgson and the way she treated him. Via a flashback, the viewers see her give him an apology that can be interpretted as all-encompassing.

Reaction

Because of its reference to pedophilia, some viewers found this movie disturbing, and saw it as a pedophilia apologetic film. Though the film does hint that Dodgsen may have had an innapropriate longing for Alice, it does not depict overt pedophilic acts, though the viewer may imagine some such acts did occur. However, through many of Alice's actions during flashbacks, it is fairly clear that she was adept at squelching any amouros attempts on Dodgsen's part. Pedophilia (Am. ...

Perhaps because of the slight references to pedophilia, this movie is unavailable via videotape or DVD in the United States. However, it was available via videotape for a few years shortly after its initial release. Bottom view of VHS videotape cassette with magnetic tape exposed Videotape is a means of recording television pictures and accompanying sound onto magnetic tape as opposed to movie film. ... The official DVD logo. ...

Trivia

The nightmarish creatures from the stories were created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Jim Hensons Creature Shop is a company founded in 1979 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. ...

Amelia Shankley, the actress who portrayed young Alice, was 13 when this movie was made. However, she convincingly portrayed Alice as a young girl (about nine or ten) and as a young woman (mid-teens) preparing for marriage.

External link

• Dreamchild at The Internet Movie Database