Before Peter Pan and Alice, there was a tragic family story in London
In short: The 2020 film Come Away reimagines the origins of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland as siblings. Set in a house on the outskirts of London, the story explores how a family copes with the sudden, tragic death of their eldest son, David, through the lens of childhood imagination.
Directed by Brenda Chapman in her live-action debut, Come Away serves as an homage to classic literature. The narrative frames the familiar tales of Peter Pan and Alice as the early life of a woman who grows up to be the mother of Wendy, John, and Michael Darling. The film stars Angelina Jolie and David Oyelowo as the parents, Rose and Jack, who struggle to hold their family together after their son David dies in a river accident.
The plot weaves together iconic archetypes, reimagining the Mad Hatter as an eccentric shopkeeper and Captain Hook as a crime boss named Captain James. The siblings, Alice and Peter, navigate a world of London street urchins and underworld debt collectors, eventually leading Peter to flee his home and head toward Never Neverland. The film suggests that the magical elements of these classic stories are rooted in the siblings' desperate need to escape their harsh reality.
Despite a high-profile cast that includes Michael Caine and Derek Jacobi, the film received mixed to negative critical reception. Critics noted that while the production was visually ambitious, it struggled to capture the cohesive magic of the source material. It earned a total worldwide gross of $1,746,860, with its opening weekend bringing in $108,000 from 475 theaters. The project, which began development in 2016, was ultimately viewed by many as a muddled attempt to blend disparate literary worlds.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Come Away
- Also: Wikidata — Come Away · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Come away · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-come-away.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
