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The film opens with a series of simple title cards accompanied by an overture, leading into a reenactment of the river picnic taken by Charles Dodgson and Alice Liddell in July 1862. Close attention has been paid to Carroll's poetry, recounting Wonderland's origination on that "golden afternoon" ("It is next time!"), but the people are not depicted as described in biographies, diaries, etc. Dodgson begins to tell the story to a sleepy Alice, who suddenly finds herself alone in a towering forest of daisies. The white rabbit appears and Alice follows him down an enormous rabbit hole, with a fairly convincing falling sequence achieved by a projection effect.
![]() Swimming into a misty lake, Alice meets the mouse, who guides her to the shore and, in lieu of a Caucus-race, sings a song about overindulgence, You've Gotta Know When to Stop. Strangely, the birds and beasts insist on receiving prizes for simply dancing around, and the Dodo presents Alice with an "elegant thimble". Soon the creatures leave, offended by Alice, and the White Rabbit returns, mistaking her for his housemaid. He and Alice sing an argumentative duet, The Last Word is Mine, before she gives in and goes to find his house. Once inside, another drink makes her grow again, filling the entire room. Forced perspective, miniature sets and moving platforms are again used to great effect. ![]() Alice finds her way to a small Georgian house and is greatly amused by the frog and fish footmen at the door. Inside the peppery kitchen, she meets the hateful Duchess with her mistreated baby, the deranged, plate-throwing cook and the Cheshire Cat. The Duchess sings Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy. |
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