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So much average

People are voting emotionally.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

For a 1950's live production originally telecast in black and white (or was that because we did not own an expensive color TV back in the 60's?) my baby boomer childhood has wonderful memories of this simpler time when the family would gather around our black and white 24 inch television and be entertained by Peter Pan somehow magically flying out of the Darling families bedroom window with the children in tow. It is a time in my imagination that left me as a six year old just breathless.I have subsequently viewed Peter Pan many more times and in the decades that have followed I have passed the original Peter Pan dream VHS film on to my own children. The musical score with Mary Martin playing Peter Pan and Cyril Ritchard playing the dual role as the mean spirited (and for its time) quite scary Captain Hook as well as the Darling families father was just priceless and with so many exciting musical numbers to wow children of all ages.Quite simply television should bring back the luster that has seemed to have been forgotten by television programs such as this fine live musical telecast. If you ever get a chance to view this telecast which is rarely seen on television anymore I suggest that you gather up the family regardless of their age shut off your cell phones, computers, IPads, PlayStations and XBoxes and watch this original 1950's musical version of Peter Pan in its purest black and white form. Your family will enjoy the musical score and dance sequences, Tinkerbell's luminous glow, the tick-tocking clock that resides in the crocodiles stomach and constantly scares the nasty Captain Hook, and the children of Neverland wishing to find adoptive parents that will love them as much as our parents loved us.Exposing your children to a magical performance such as this Peter Pan version is worthy of a five ***** star perfect 10 out of 10 rating.

This and the Cathy Rigby versions are fantastic in their own way, they are both such fun to watch and have a real sense of magic. With personal preference, I'm leaning towards Rigby's for the better flying sequences, being a little more polished, the continuous energy and being a little closer to the book. That is not to knock off Martin's in any way, it has great nostalgic value, the accents are more natural-sounding(pretty much the only real criticism with the Rigby version was how overdone some of the accents were) and does a marginally better job of bringing out the inner child within you. The ending is a little better done here too, it's genuinely heart-rending. The costumes and sets here are beautiful and colourful. The music is lively, charming and hugely memorable, Never Never Land and the poignant Distant Melody being the one that stood out the most(Mysterious Lady was a little pointless but so much fun to watch), and the scoring is lush in orchestration and rich in sound. The script is filled with snappy lines, it's often hilarious especially with Hook and Smee- and with Tiger Lily's priceless "Famous Indian proverb, when in doubt RUUNNNNNNN!"- and it seemed like everybody in the cast thought so, while the choreography is full of energy(like the Rigby version especially with the Pirates and the Indians) and the whole storytelling has a light-hearted charm. The Lost Boys are immensely likable, no sense of nerves at all, the Indians and Tiger Lily are characterful and magnetic dancers and the Pirates are a genuinely rollicking lot. Maureen Bailey is charming and spunky as Wendy, her voice is pleasant and strong if a little too mature-sounding at times. Nana is adorable and this version has one of the cutest Michaels, John is spirited and the narration is wonderfully sincere. Cyril Ritchard and particularly Mary Martin are what you'll remember most about this Peter Pan. Ritchard is both funny and menacing, the funniest parts at their best are hilarious though it's not a performance that is played-for-laughs, there are times like in the capture of the children where Hook is quite dangerous. He also plays Mr Darling, a tradition is for Captain Hook and Mr Darling to be played by the same actor, and he is very convincing at being uptight As Peter, Martin is just wonderful, Cathy Rigby may be more boyish and more athletic but the energy and likability levels between the two actresses are equal. But Martin just edges out Rigby in the singing department(though I still adore Rigby's voice), Martin's voice is just beautiful to listen to but she also brings lilt and emotion to her singing that Rigby doesn't quite do as effectively. Never Never Land is moving, gorgeously sung and not just one of the highlights of the production but also a standout of any individual rendition from any musical seen recently. All in all, a wonderful classic that is more than a nostalgic childhood favourite. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I agree that the lead character of "Peter Pan" was masterfully played by the late Mary Martin. The dance routines with the "Indians" were very humorous, but may be considered racist today, especially since the chief was played by a blond (Sondra Lee). My children particularly liked the music and singing. Also they were thrilled with the movie magic of flight, which was pretty good, considering this was a televised stage play from over 40 years ago. I would say the biggest drawback to this movie is also its greatest attribute, which is Peter Pan himself (or herself). My 2 year old kept saying he is a girl. I know it has become a tradition for Peter to be played by a female, but it is rather confusing to young children.

This version of Peter Pan was, in my opinion, better than the Disney animation. Peter Pan is played by Mary Martin, and the film is made like a theatre production. It was much more enjoyable to watch than the animation, although I never really enjoyed the story of Peter Pan and the lost boys. This film has its charm because of the techniques used in production. It's interactive more than anything else, and the flying scenes are amazing. It is amazing what they could do to create the story, and I guess that is why it is better (in my opinion) than the animation. I would recommend this to children as I think it is enjoyable and I think Mary Martin did a good job.