Disney's Peter Pan has been loved by families for generations. Unfortunately,
this animated classic hasn't aged entirely well over the years. Much
of this goes over kids' heads, but older viewers might be surprised by some scenes.
For good or bad, here are things that only adults notice in Peter Pan.
As a child, it feels perfectly innocent to fantasize about some magical being coming
to your window to take you away on adventures in faraway lands. As an adult, however, the thought
of strange boys visiting underage daughters via bedroom windows is much less charming.
When Wendy claims Peter Pan has been to the nursery before and must be surely coming
again because she'd found his shadow, her mother seems a bit perplexed. Her father,
on the other hand, brushes it off as childish fiddle-faddle and mocks his wife's concern.
"Goodness gracious. Whatever shall we do?"
However, had the same conversation been with more literal or protective guardians,
Peter likely would've found a father waiting with his shotgun in that nursery instead of a pining,
unattended Wendy. At the very least, it would've been wise to leave the family dog,
Nana, in the house with the kids, rather than tied up outside.
On top of that, the grown mind can't help but question Mr. and Mrs. Darling's decision
to leave their young children home alone for hours without any sort of adult supervision.
If you're not going to have your dog protect your
children while you're out partying, at least find a human to babysit.
Fairies are some of the most iconic creatures in the worlds of fantasy, but their disposition
varies widely between sources. In some instances, they're benevolent and wise, like Cinderella's
Fairy Godmother, while other portrayals of the magical beings show a much darker and
malevolent nature. Peter Pan's sidekick, Tinker Bell, seems to lie somewhere in the middle.
Tink displays a mean, jealous streak the moment she learns Wendy will be accompanying them
back to Neverland, going so far as to make an attempt on her life without Peter's knowledge.
After abandoning Wendy while flying to Peter's hideout, Hangman's Tree, Tinker Bell tells
the awaiting Lost Boys that he gave orders to shoot down a terrible "Wendy-bird" spotted in
the skies. Sadly, the Lost Boys follow Tinker Bell's instructions and attack her, but Peter
manages to fly over just in time to save Wendy from crashing down onto the jagged rocks below.
When Peter asks Tinker Bell if she's guilty or not guilty of attempting to
get Wendy shot down, she has an honest and disturbing response.
"Guilty? But don't ya know you might killed her?"
After being banished for her malicious plot, Tink makes things even worse by
turning on Peter — disclosing his hideout to his arch-nemesis, Captain Hook. Thankfully,
she redeems herself in the end by saving Peter from a bomb that Hook disguises as a gift,
but still, it doesn't excuse Tink's attempts to plant Wendy six feet under.
Being a child forever sounds pretty liberating on the surface, but when examined more deeply,
it definitely has a dark side. While infantile behavior brings carefree fun
and spontaneity, it can also cultivate a short-sighted and selfish nature.
This is exhibited time and again by Peter Pan,
who repeatedly puts others in danger thanks to his immature actions and motives.
From the moment he's introduced, he constantly makes everything about himself.
As a kid, it's easy to mistake Peter's decision to take Wendy and her brothers to Neverland as
a form of "liberation" and a heroic rescue from growing up — which George tells Wendy she'll have
to do starting the next day by moving out of the nursery with her brothers and into her own room.
However, more mature viewers are apt to note that Peter only invites them
to Neverland because Wendy's imminent relocation would put an end to her
adventure stories. And Peter truly loves these tales because they're about him.
But the character's dark side doesn't stop there. Peter also treats all the females in his life like
trinkets rather than people, quickly moving on to the next shiny thing in front of him,
like when he leaves Wendy behind for Tiger Lily. To top it off,
he occasionally drops misogynistic insights and demands that haven't aged well at all.
"Girls talk too much."
"Yes, girls talk too...Hmm? Oh."
"Well, get on with it girl."
"My name is Wendy."
When watching Peter Pan, adult viewers can't help but notice disturbing levels of racism in
the classic film. It's so bad that Disney+ even added a disclaimer before the film,
warning viewers about, quote, "negative depictions and-or mistreatment of people or cultures."
Not only does this film depict Native Americans in horrifically prejudiced ways, the movie is
carpet-bombed with racist slurs against them. Everyone, from innocent children and the heroic
Pan to the villainous Captain Hook, casually speak of them as "savages" and much worse. The
poor treatment of Native Americans and other First Nations people culminates in a singalong titled
"What Makes the Red Man Red," which is loaded with cultural appropriation and racist stereotypes.
Early in the film, we learn that Captain Hook has a perfectly viable reason for being so upset
with Peter Pan. After all, he's responsible for Hook having a hook in the first place.
During a skirmish with the villain, Peter cut off Hook's hand and fed it to a nearby crocodile,
who then developed a taste for the pirate leader's flesh. As a result, the crocodile
constantly hunts Captain Hook and follows him around Neverland hoping for another nibble.
Luckily, the crocodile also swallowed a clock, so he can be easily detected by the distinctive
sound of ticking emanating from his tummy. Hook's encounters with the crocodile make for some of the
funniest moments in the film, but it also stirs up questions within the discerning adult mind.
Specifically, one can't help but wonder why Hook doesn't just organize a group of
his men to execute the beast so he no longer has to live in perpetual fear.
He's a badass pirate captain, in charge of a ship loaded with dangerous men, cannons and other
weapons — he should put those to good use against the crocodile so he can move on with his life.
Plus, the croc doesn't seem to be too elusive or quick moving. However, like most kids, adults
should overlook this leap in logic and enjoy the timeless comedy of these two fighting it out.
An uncomfortable aspect of Peter Pan comes into focus when analyzing the questionable relationship
between Peter and Wendy. The two technically meet for the first time after he breaks into
the nursery window at night while her parents are out, which is unnerving enough. However,
Peter had to have been there at least once before while she was sleeping, considering
Wendy found his misplaced shadow in the nursery — which definitely amps up the creep factor.
Then things get even more uncomfortable. While considering the weighty decision of whether she
should go with a stranger to a strange land, Wendy wonders aloud what her mother will think. Peter,
being unwise in the ways of the world, asks Wendy what a mother is, to which she replies...
"A mother is someone who loves and cares for you and tells you stories."
"Good! You can be our mother."
Moments after this statement, Wendy declares she's so excited to see Peter that she's going to give
him a kiss — and not in the motherly sort of way. This has some weird Freudian connotations to say
the least, and it sets a bit of an odd undertone between the two throughout the rest of the film.
In the latter half of the movie, Wendy sings a touching song called "Your Mother and Mine."
It's a sweet melody praising motherly love, soothing enough to lull her rowdy brothers and
the Lost Boys into a relaxed, blissful state. Wendy's song even brings the pirates to tears.
One pirate in particular, Mr. Smee, Captain Hook's comical boatswain, is shown crying while pulling
up his shirt to reveal a classic "Mom" tattoo on his chest, making this one of the film's more
memorable and humorous moments. Even tough guys love their mommas, and when watching this scene as
an adult, it genuinely pulls on the heartstrings and makes Smee's actions far more relatable.
As a kid, it's easy to take songs about mothers for granted, but once you've moved out on your
own, your mom isn't as easily accessible, and distance makes the heart grow fonder.
More than a few adults watching this movie probably found themselves getting
misty during this touching tribute to mothers everywhere.
They say you should never meet your heroes,
and for those who idolize mermaids, this is particularly true while watching Peter Pan.
Mermaids are generally depicted as friendly, benevolent creatures,
especially in such films as Splash or The Little Mermaid. However, Neverland's resident merfolk
have darker natures, which Wendy learns to her detriment while exploring the island with Peter.
As it turns out, Peter is quite the ladies' man, and Wendy finds herself vying for his attention
while he catches up with fan-girling mermaids in a Neverland lagoon. Once they notice Wendy,
however, the mermaids switch from flirtatious vixens to jealous tyrants.
While Peter looks on laughing, the mermaids attempt to pull her under the water.
This is the second time Wendy nearly meets her fate at the hands of one of Peter's
female friends, and like Tinker Bell, the mermaids own up to their true intentions.
In sociopathic-like fashion, the mermaids acknowledge exactly what they were trying to do...
"We were only trying to drown her."
After losing his temper early in the film, George Darling takes his frustrations out on Nana,
the canine nanny, by banishing the poor dog outside to her lonely, drafty doghouse.
It's sadly ironic as she's the least chaotic and most helpful member of the entire family.
This is extra cruel considering she's not just any dog — Nana thinks of herself as a nursemaid
and that she belongs inside watching over the children. She does all the things a traditional
caretaker would, modifying some activities to accommodate her lack of opposable thumbs.
It's hard not to marvel at her incredible dexterity and ability to carry out a multitude
of domestic tasks. Even professionally trained dogs could learn a thing or two
from Nana's extensive skill set, and yet the Darling family seems to take her entirely for
granted. For example, while George is angrily pacing about, making a scene over his outfit,
Nana continually tries to clean up and care for the kids in the background.
Nana is so loyal that when George struggles to find the rope to tie her up outside, she pauses
mid-banishment to find it for him. While she's just another humorous character for kids to enjoy,
many adults watching the film probably wish they could have their own Nana around the house.
Although some of Peter Pan's content hasn't aged too well, one of its spin-off movies
more than stands the test of time. Directed by Steven Spielberg, 1991's Hook imagines
a life where Peter falls in love with Wendy's granddaughter, Moira, and leaves Neverland to
start a family of his own. It's a heartwarming fantasy featuring a stellar cast — including
Robin Williams as Peter Pan, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, and Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell.
Ironically, the once carefree boy grows into an incredibly stiff-necked workaholic with a fear of
heights. He's also too busy climbing the corporate ladder to spend any quality time with his kids.
But daily life is interrupted for Peter's family when Captain Hook kidnaps his children and takes
them back to Neverland. Peter is forced to face his past in order to save his family's future.
In the process, he remembers what's truly important in life,
reconnects with his inner child, and finds redemption with his loved ones.
It's a grand adventure exploring a boldly reimagined Neverland,
but it's also loaded with fun callbacks to the 1953 classic.
Granted, critics weren't especially fond of it when it first hit theaters, but nevertheless,
Hook is a joyous, family-friendly ride. Plus, the special effects still hold up,
the musical score is excellent, and best of all, the movie doesn't contain any of
the outdated and cringy moments that only adults would notice from the original animated version.
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