Alice in Wonderland (1933)

by Mark Murton

Directed by: Norman Z. McLeod

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: On a winter afternoon in Victorian England bored young Alice (Charlotte Henry) dreams that she’s visiting a fantasy land behind the mirror.

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): As the film opens, the camera pans across from a roaring fire to Alice slumped in a chair with an oversized book on her lap. On the floor nearby are two kittens, one black and one white.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry sitting in chair with black and white kittens nearby

As the camera closes in on Alice we see she has her arm around her longhair calico cat, Dinah. At the bottom of the screen, the white kitten, in the form of just its tail, puts in its final appearance.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry sitting in chair with longhair calico cat Dinah and black and white kittens nearby animated gif

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry sitting in chair with longhair calico cat Dinah

Alice is keen to go outside but her guardian, Miss Simpson (Ethel Griffies), won’t allow it until it has stopped snowing. Plonking Dinah down on the chair, Alice goes to look out of the window to see if it has stopped snowing yet, during which the black kitten puts in its final appearance, again in the form of just its tail.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry standing at window with Miss Simpson Ethel Griggies and black kitten's tail just in frame

Going back to her chair, Alice scoops up Dinah and lifts her up to show her their reflection in the mirror above the fireplace. Dinah meows several times as they look at themselves.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry lifting longhair calico cat Dinah from chair

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry looking into mirror with longhair calico cat Dinah

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry picking up longhair calico cat Dinah and looking into mirror animated gif

Returning to her chair again, Alice continues to talk to Dinah as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

Alice in Wonderland - sleepy Alice Charlotte Henry sitting in chair with longhair calico cat Dinah

Miss Simpson leaves the room and as the door is heard closing Alice opens her eyes. Standing up, she pushes the chair, still containing Dinah, towards the fireplace. Alice scrambles up on the seat, almost treading on the poor cat in the process! From here she is able to pull herself up onto the mantelpiece and duly pass through the mirror into Wonderland.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry sleeping in chair with longhair calico cat Dinah as Miss Simpson Ethel Griffies leaves

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry climbing onto chair with longhair calico cat Dinah

At the end of the film, Alice awakes with Dinah still on her lap. “There was a looking glass room,” Alice informs Dinah, adding, “and you were the Red Queen.” This is because at the end of her dream the Red Queen was throttling her and when she awoke Dinah had her paws outstretched towards her neck.

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry being throttled then waking up with longhair calico cat Dinah in chair animated gif

Faux Cat: During her time in Wonderland Alice encounters all the familiar characters from the book, including the Cheshire cat (voiced by Richard Arlen).

Alice in Wonderland - Cheshire Cat on tree branch

Alice in Wonderland - Alice Charlotte Henry looking up at Cheshire cat in tree

While most of the cast playing the bizarre inhabitants of Wonderland were the actors inside costumes which obscured their identities, the Cheshire Cat appears to be a large puppet with Arlen supplying just the voice). We get to see the cat disappear until only his eyes and smile are glowing eerily.