FairyTale: A True Story (1997)
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- PG
- 1h 39min
- Drama, Family
- 24 Oct 1997 (USA)
- Movie
In 1917, two children take a photograph, which is soon believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 1 win & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Harvey Keitel | ... |
Harry Houdini
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| Jason Salkey | ... |
James Collins
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| Peter O'Toole | ... |
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Lara Morgan | ... |
Jean Doyle
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Adam Franks | ... |
Adrian Doyle
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| Guy Witcher | ... |
Denis Doyle
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| Joseph May | ... |
Houdini's Assistant
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John Bradley | ... |
Portly Gentleman
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| Anna Chancellor | ... |
Peter Pan
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Florence Hoath | ... |
Elsie Wright
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| Phoebe Nicholls | ... |
Polly Wright
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Leonard Kavanagh | ... |
Stage Manager
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Elizabeth Earl | ... |
Frances Griffiths
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| Paul McGann | ... |
Arthur Wright
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| Anton Lesser | ... |
Wounded Corporal
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| Bob Peck | ... |
Harry Briggs
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| Lynn Farleigh | ... |
Mrs Thornton
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Sarah Marsden | ... |
Lucy
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Tara Marie | ... |
Judith
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Alannah McGahan | ... |
Margie
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| Bill Nighy | ... |
Edward Gardner
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| Tim McInnerny | ... |
John Ferret
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| Peter Mullan | ... |
Sergeant Farmer
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Jim Wiggins | ... |
Albert, the Postman
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| David Calder | ... |
Harold Snelling
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| Anthony Calf | ... |
Geoffrey Hodson
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| John Grillo | ... |
Mr West
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| Benjamin Whitrow | ... |
Mr Binley
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Dick Brannick | ... |
News Vendor
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| Barbara Hicks | ... |
City Woman
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Christopher Godwin | ... |
City Businessman
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Andrew Cryer | ... |
First Soldier
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| Paul Popplewell | ... |
Second Soldier
(as Paul Popperwell)
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David Norman | ... |
O'Neill
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Matilda Sturridge | ... |
Dorothy
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Charlotte Champness | ... |
Alice
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Anna Ramsay | ... |
Charlotte
(as Anna Ramsey)
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| Peter Wight | ... |
Newspaper Editor
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Willie Ross | ... |
Old Print Worker
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| Ina Clough | ... |
Lady calling to Fairies
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Carol Noakes | ... |
Station Photographer
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Stephen Chapman | ... |
Boy in Hospital
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| Bill Stewart | ... |
Chess MC
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| Don Henderson | ... |
Sydney Chalker
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Stuart Howson | ... |
Red-faced Man
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James Danaher | ... |
Joseph Wright
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Martin Gent | ... |
Pushy Photographer
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Anthony Collin | ... |
Older Photographer
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Tom Georgeson | ... |
First Reporter
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| Angus Barnett | ... |
Second Reporter
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Suzy Barton | ... |
Lutey, a Fairy
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| Ali Bastian | ... |
Lull, a Fairy
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Anna Brecon | ... |
Elabigathe, a Fairy
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Sean Buckley | ... |
Mr Bandylegs, a Fairy
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Lindsey Butcher | ... |
Tib, a Fairy
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Norma Cohen | ... |
Nanny Button Cap, a Fairy
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Matt Costain | ... |
Prince Malakin, a Fairy
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Philip Fowler | ... |
Fenoderee, a Fairy
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Katie Gibbon | ... |
Pinket, a Fairy
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Sophie Griffiths | ... |
Sib, a Fairy
(as Sophy Griffiths)
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Sara Li Gustafsson | ... |
Loireag, a Fairy
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Tara Kemp | ... |
Gull, a Fairy
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William Lawrance | ... |
Tom Cockle, a Fairy
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Caleb Lloyd | ... |
Lob, a Fairy
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Marianne Melhus | ... |
Florella, a Fairy
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Genevieve Monastesse | ... |
Morgana, a Fairy
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Simon Penman | ... |
Peerifool, a Fairy
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Briony Plant | ... |
Yarthkins, a Fairy
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| Anna-Louise Plowman | ... |
Shellycoat, a Fairy
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Jane Read-Wilson | ... |
Asrai, a Fairy
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Isabel Rocamora | ... |
Queen Mab, a Fairy
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| Tom Sturridge | ... |
Hob, a Fairy
(as Thomas Sturridge)
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Mark Tate | ... |
Habetrot, a Fairy
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Hayley Tibbins | ... |
Patch, a Fairy
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Adam Blaug | ... |
Fairy - Wire performer (uncredited)
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Felicity Brangan | ... |
Miss Ashton (uncredited)
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Martin L. Evans | ... |
Lad (uncredited)
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| Harry Fielder | ... |
Theatre Stagehand (uncredited)
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| Mel Gibson | ... |
Frances' Father (uncredited)
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| Hal Lindes | ... |
Angel (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Charles Sturridge | ||
Written by
| Albert Ash | ... | (story) & |
| Tom McLoughlin | ... | (story) and |
| Ernie Contreras | ... | (story) |
| Ernie Contreras | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| Albert Ash | ... | co-producer |
| Bruce Davey | ... | producer |
| Wendy Finerman | ... | producer |
| Margaret French-Isaac | ... | associate producer |
| Tom McLoughlin | ... | co-producer |
| Selwyn Roberts | ... | co-producer |
| Paul Tucker | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Zbigniew Preisner | ||
Cinematography by
| Michael Coulter | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Peter Coulson | ||
Editorial Department
| Julius Gladwell | ... | first assistant film editor |
| Robert Laycock | ... | second assistant editor |
| Richard Milward | ... | assembly editor |
| Julian Ryan | ... | second assistant editor |
Casting By
| Mary Selway | ||
| Sarah Trevis | ||
Production Design by
| Michael Howells | ||
Art Direction by
| David Lee | ... | supervising art director |
| Sam Riley | ||
Set Decoration by
| Totty Lowther | ... | (as Totty Whately) |
Costume Design by
| Shirley Russell | ||
Makeup Department
| Nuala Conway | ... | hair coordinator / makeup coordinator |
| Peter Swords King | ... | hair designer (as Peter King) / makeup designer (as Peter King) |
| John Munro | ... | assistant hair stylist / makeup assistant |
| Liz Tagg | ... | assistant hair stylist (as Elizabeth Tagg) / makeup assistant (as Elizabeth Tagg) |
| Dave Bonneywell | ... | special makeup effects artist (uncredited) |
| Duncan Jarman | ... | prosthetic technician (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Jo Burn | ... | unit production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Russell Channon | ... | third assistant director |
| Micky Finch | ... | first assistant director |
| Kate Hazell | ... | second assistant director |
| Selwyn Roberts | ... | second unit director |
| Amy Sugdon | ... | second assistant director |
| Simon Downes | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| George Ball | ... | location property master |
| Roger W. Deer | ... | storyboard artist (as Roger Deer) |
| Steve Fitzwater | ... | assistant construction coordinator (as Steven Fitzwater) |
| Martin Hubbard | ... | carpenter |
| Nick Milner | ... | stand-by propman |
| David Packard | ... | runner |
| Wesley Peppiatt | ... | dressing props |
| Doug Purdy | ... | prop storeman |
| Graeme Purdy | ... | property master |
| Malcolm Roberts | ... | construction coordinator |
| Julie Sheppard | ... | assistant art director |
| Alfie Smith | ... | stand-by chargehand props |
| Lucinda Sturgis | ... | property buyer |
| Nick Turnbull | ... | dressing props (as Nick Turnball) |
| Robert Voysey | ... | HOD Plaster |
| Stuart Williams | ... | stand-by carpenter: second unit |
| Martin Asbury | ... | storyboard artist (uncredited) |
| Michael Finlay | ... | painter (uncredited) |
| Rob Finlay | ... | art department assistant (uncredited) |
| Roger Holden | ... | key greensman (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Mick Boggis | ... | adr mixer |
| Peter Bond | ... | sound editor |
| Paula Boram | ... | foley artist |
| Lucy Fawcett | ... | foley artist |
| Michael Feinberg | ... | foley editor |
| Richard Finney | ... | sound recordist: second unit |
| Gavin Le Mare | ... | sound maintenance |
| Laura Lovejoy | ... | foley editor |
| John Midgley | ... | sound mixer |
| Sarah Morton | ... | sound editor |
| Clive Pendry | ... | re-recording mixer |
| June Prinz | ... | boom operator |
| Ted Swanscott | ... | foley mixer |
| Nasereen Chafekar | ... | post-production sound assistant (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| David Beavis | ... | special effects supervisor |
| Steve Crawley | ... | wire effects supervisor |
| Graham Hills | ... | special effects technician |
| Andy Lee | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Avtar Bains | ... | digital effects artist: Framestore |
| William Bartlett | ... | digital effects artist: Framestore |
| Philip Campbell | ... | digital lab supervisor: Framestore (as Phil Campbell) |
| Matthew Cope | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Andrew Daffy | ... | 3D animator: Framestore |
| Robert Duncan | ... | senior digital effects artist: Framestore |
| John Fuller | ... | 3D animator: Framestore |
| Drew Jones | ... | digital film effects producer: Framestore |
| Andy Lomas | ... | senior 3D animator: Framestore |
| Rupert Porter | ... | digital effects assistant: Framestore |
| Pedro Sabrosa | ... | visual effects assistant |
| Tim Webber | ... | visual effects supervisor |
| Libby Hazell | ... | visual effects production assistant: FrameStore (uncredited) |
| Paul Kavanagh | ... | animator: Framestore (uncredited) |
| Catherine Tate | ... | digital effects artist: Framestore (uncredited) |
| Gavin Toomey | ... | digital effects designer (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Chris Aberdien | ... | stunts |
| Jim Dowdall | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Steve Griffin | ... | stunts (as Steve 'Street' Griffiths) |
| Chris Webb | ... | stunts |
| Bill Weston | ... | stunts |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Kenneth Atherfold | ... | grip: second unit (as Kenny Atherfold) |
| John Barry | ... | electrician |
| Adam Biddle | ... | focus puller: second unit |
| Eddie Collins | ... | director of photography: second unit |
| James Coulter | ... | grip: Yorkshire |
| Nick Coward | ... | video assist operator |
| Uinkar 'Bobby' Dhillon | ... | clapper loader (as Bobby Dhillon) |
| Terry Edland | ... | gaffer |
| Shaun Evans | ... | clapper loader: second unit |
| Flavio Ferrari | ... | camera trainee |
| Philip George | ... | drone pilot |
| David Harrison | ... | electrical rigger (as Dave Harrison) |
| Tony Hayes | ... | best boy |
| John Jordan | ... | focus puller |
| Paul Kemp | ... | electrician |
| Denis Kingston | ... | steadicam operator |
| Nigel Kirton | ... | steadicam operator |
| Eddie Knight | ... | gaffer: second unit / rigging gaffer |
| Mark Laidlaw | ... | generator operator |
| Wayne Leach | ... | electrician |
| Alan McPherson | ... | electrician (as Alan Macpherson) |
| Simon Mein | ... | still photographer |
| Stewart Monteith | ... | rigging electrician |
| Ricky Pattenden | ... | electrician |
| Jan Pester | ... | steadicam operator |
| Dave Ridout | ... | rigging electrician |
| Malcolm Sheehan | ... | camera grip |
| Philip Sindall | ... | camera operator |
| Frankie Webster | ... | electrical rigger |
| Gifford Hooper | ... | aerial camera operator (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Suzy Catliff | ... | additional casting |
| Jenny Duffy | ... | casting assistant (as Jennifer Duffy) |
| Louis Elman | ... | adr voice casting |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Alan Flyng | ... | wardrobe assistant |
| Tony Hughes | ... | wardrobe assistant |
| Rosemary Lis | ... | wardrobe assistant (as Rosemary Worth) |
| Richard Pointing | ... | wardrobe supervisor |
| Pat Williamson | ... | wardrobe mistress |
| Allan Hay | ... | costumer (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Piers Dunn | ... | assistant location manager |
| Simon Marsden | ... | assistant location manager |
| Richard Sharkey | ... | location manager |
| Nick Waldron | ... | location assistant |
Music Department
| Jason Bentley | ... | additional music composed by |
| Bruce Broughton | ... | executive charge of music |
| Urszula Chajdecka | ... | music copyist |
| James Horner | ... | executive charge of music |
| Jacek Kaspszyk | ... | conductor |
| Halina Laciak | ... | music executive |
| Rafal Paczkowski | ... | music mixer / music recordist |
| Conrad Pope | ... | orchestrator |
| Karyn Rachtman | ... | music supervisor |
| William Ross | ... | orchestrator |
| Anna Sikorzak-Olek | ... | musician: harp solo |
| Alan Silvestri | ... | orechtrator |
| Janusz Strobel | ... | musician: guitar solo |
| Zdzislaw Szostak | ... | conductor |
| Sinfonia Varsovia | ... | orchestra |
Script and Continuity Department
| Maria Apodiacos | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Phil Allchin | ... | unit driver |
| Allan Bradshaw | ... | unit driver (as Alan Bradshaw) |
| Fred Chiverton | ... | unit driver |
| Peter Graovac | ... | transportation coordinator |
| Mark Richards | ... | unit driver |
| Phil Edwards | ... | driver minibus (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Chris Allies | ... | title designer |
| Alan Billam | ... | stand-by crew |
| Nick Bowen | ... | stand-by crew |
| Mark Brady | ... | stand-by crew |
| Diane Christian | ... | assistant accountant |
| Tara B. Cook | ... | production secretary |
| Ivana Crvelin | ... | executive assistant: Wendy Finerman |
| Sam Davies | ... | production runner |
| Ian Differ | ... | trainee: FT2 |
| Simon Drake | ... | magic advisor to Mr. Keitel |
| Timothy Easthill | ... | assistant accountant |
| Muriel Gérard | ... | unit publicist (as Muriel Gerard) |
| Nick Kirby | ... | flying effects: Peter Pan |
| Cassius Matthias | ... | production associate |
| Justin Miller | ... | assistant accountant |
| Tony Miller | ... | production accountant |
| Hermione Ninnim | ... | production coordinator |
| Nicky O'Reilly | ... | production assistant |
| Jason Reilly | ... | stand-by crew |
| William Richards | ... | stand-by crew (as Bill Richards) |
| Isabel Rocamora | ... | aerial choreographer |
| Daniel Shepherd | ... | floor runner |
| Isobel Thomas | ... | production runner (as Isabel Thomas) |
| Jeannie Udall | ... | unit nurse (as Jeanie Udall) |
| Bonnie F. Watkins | ... | assistant: Mr. Davey |
| David Williams | ... | assistant wireman (as Dave Williams) |
| Robert Wishart | ... | stand-by crew |
| Dori Greenberg | ... | second assistant: Wendy Finerman (uncredited) |
| Ante Novakovic | ... | assistant: Harvey Keitel (uncredited) |
Thanks
| Maurice Atack | ... | thanks |
| Ruth Brandon | ... | thanks |
| Joe Cooper | ... | thanks |
| Geoffrey Crawley | ... | thanks |
| Glen Hill | ... | thanks |
| Walter White | ... | thanks |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Becker Entertainment (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Belga Films (1998) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Independent Films (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Medusa Distribuzione (1998) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Paramount Pictures (1997) (United States) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1998) (France) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1998) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- América Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (DVD)
- Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (tv)
- Buena Vista International (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
- Concorde Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
- Hollywood Pictures Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
- ITVX (2023) (United Kingdom) (video) (VOD)
- Icon Home Entertainment (2015) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- LW Editora (Brazil) (DVD)
- Nine Network Australia (2000) (Australia) (tv) (Broadcast Premiere)
- Paris Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
- SBS Movies (2023) (Australia) (tv)
- VideoVisa (2000) (Mexico) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1998) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Pinewood Studios (movie studio)
- Shepperton Studios (movie studio)
- Action Vehicles (period vehicles)
- Anglia Catering Services (catering)
- Atlantic Records (soundtrack album available on)
- Classic Vehicles Unlimited (period vehicles)
- Dolby (in selected theatres)
- Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital (peter pan sequences by kind permission of)
- Hover-Cam (aerial sequences)
- Icon Records (soundtrack)
- Image Animation (prosthetics)
- Image Animation (special makeup)
- International Film Guarantors (completion guaranty provided by)
- Knowledge Adventure (be sure to look for the cd-rom available on)
- Lee Lighting (lighting equipment provided by)
- Lucasfilm THX / TAP Theater Alignment Program (Quality assurance services were provided by)
- Michael Webb Transport Location Services (film transfer)
- Motion Picture Association (MPA)
- Newmarket Capital Group (production financing)
- Panavision Grips (giraffe crane provided by)
- Random House (books in stores everywhere)
- Samuelson Film Service (camera equipment provided by)
- Sapex Scripts (post-production script services)
- Sinfonia Varsovia (music performed by)
- Studio Buffo (music mixed at)
- Studio Polskiego Radia SZ/S4 (music recorded at)
- Technovision Cameras (technocrane provided by)
- Warner Bros. De Lane Lea (sound re-recorded at)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Based on factual accounts, this is the story of two young girls that, somehow, have the ability to take pictures of winged beings... which certainly causes quite a stir throughout England during the time of the first World War. Everyone, except the girls who think it's quite normal, are excited about this "photographic proof" that fairies exist... even the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini pay the girls a visit.
Written by BOB STEBBINS |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | "From the Academy Award-winning producer of Forrest Gump and the Academy Award-winning producer of Braveheart comes a motion picture event the whole family can believe in." See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Opening Weekend United Kingdom | GBP272,295, 15 Feb 1998 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film is based on the true story of the Cottingley Fairies. In the summer of 1917, Frances Griffiths (then ten years old) and her cousin Elsie Wright (then sixteen years old) were living with Elsie's parents in the town of Cottingley in West Yorkshire. Using Arthur Wright's camera, the girls took a series of pictures of themselves with fairies in the nearby woodland brook of Cottingley Beck. (The woodland scenes in "FairyTale: A True Story" are filmed in Cottingley Beck, the actual location where Frances and Elsie supposedly encountered the fairies in 1917.) The photographs became public in 1919 (not during World War I, as depicted in the film), when Elsie's mother gave the photos to Edward Gardner, President of the Theosophical Society of Bradford. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published the photos with an article on spiritualism in "The Strand" Magazine in December 1920. Opinions over the authenticity of the photos were divided. Several photographic experts examined them and pronounced them "genuine," while other photo experts found "evidence of fakery." (A few experts who examined the photos noted that the "fairies" had "Parisienne-style haircuts," which were popular in the day.) In the end, no real harm came from the photos. The two girls never accepted any money for them, or tried to swindle anyone with their claims of fairy encounters. Years later, as adults, the girls admitted they had faked the photos using cardboard cutouts of fairies taken from a children's book. Elsie explained that they were too embarrassed to admit the truth about the photos after Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the legendary creator of Sherlock Holmes, accepted them as genuine. However, Frances insisted until her death that at least one of the "fairy photos" was real. Frances died in 1986, and Elsie died in 1988. The original photos, and the cameras the girls used to take them, are now in the National Media Museum in Bradford, England. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Gattaca/The House of Yes/A Life Less Ordinary/FairyTale: A True Story/Sunday (1997). See more » |
| Soundtracks | See the Conquering Hero Comes See more » |
| Quotes |
Harry Houdini:
Cover your ass! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Cover my what? See more » |