To See or Not to See: The Little Prince

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
―Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

The Little Prince is an iconic piece of fiction. Translated into over 200 languages and dialects, this book from 1943 is studied, shared, and re-read. It was one of the more memorable books we read together as a French class (in fact, I reas this book in more than one French class over the years). Not only is the story well-known, but the illustrations are also widely recognized. So, naturally, it was only a matter of time before this lovely little children’s book was turned into a family-friendly film.

This film adaptation has been highly anticipated here in the U.S. Originally premiered in 2015 at the Cannes Film Festival, it has taken over a year for it to be seen here. Slated for a March release date, it suddenly was shelved until earlier this month when Netflix premiered it. Thank goodness for Netflix!

The Little Prince is, in one word, delightful. The story is told through the life of one of its characters–the Aviator–who is now an old man. When his new next door neighbor, the Little Girl, moves in, he tries to befriend her. The Little Girl initially adheres to her mother’s strict timeline for studying for school, though; one day, that changes. The Aviator and the Little Girl become fast friends; he teaches her how to be a child rather than rushing to become an adult. In teaching her, he tells the story of The Little Prince.

The combination of modern animation and stop-motion shows the struggle portrayed in the story. The adult world that has forgotten how to dream versus the childlike wonder in looking at the world, or soulless corporations who cookie-cutter everything versus the freedom of imagination. Paired with that is a beautiful score by Hans Zimmer.

The other great thing about The Little Prince adaptation is the cast. Included in the cast are wonderful voices–Jeff Bridges (making the perfect, grandfatherly Aviator), Rachel McAdams (the Little Girl’s extremely uptight mother), Marion Cotillard, Benecio del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Paul Rudd, and Paul Giamatti.

In the end, The Little Prince is just as charming and heartwarming as a film as it was as a book. This is a prime example of what a clever, well-loved adaptation can be.

Photo Credit: NetFlix