Hans Christian Andersen

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Hans Christian Andersen

1952

2h 0m

Kids & Family

Musical

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

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6 Reviews

75%

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5,000+ Ratings

Imaginative cobbler Hans Christian Andersen (Danny Kaye) is asked to leave his hometown because his frequent stories are distracting the children from school. From there he moves to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he sees and falls in love with Doro (Jeanmaire), a ballerina. He writes "The Little Mermaid" for her, and it becomes the ballet's latest work. However, Doro is already married to Niels (Farley Granger), meaning Hans must content himself with producing popular children's stories.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Danny Kaye is refreshingly re strained in the title role, and Jeanmaire is excellent while dancing.

Jul 24, 2019

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

This largely fictionalized musical biopic of the famous writer was one of Danny Kaye's most popular films, nominated for multiple Oscars.

Rated: B-

Jun 7, 2012

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 4/5

Jan 23, 2004

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Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Dec 30, 2002

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

As with all Danny Kaye movies my response is to wish for a tranqulizer gun

Rated: 2/5

Aug 22, 2002

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Bob Grimm

Las Vegas Mercury

Rated: 3/5

Aug 1, 2002

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Audience Member

Stop complaining that it’s not a true biography. It tells you it is not right at the start. Yes, there was a time when children and adults could sit through a beautiful ballet piece (as in the film). There was a time when children had an attention span longer than a gun shot in a video game. The score is brilliant and an entire generation grew up singing to it. Wonderful sets, cinematography and acting. If you are too contemporary to not respond warmly to Danny Kaye and the boy in The Ugly Duckling, your fellow humans can do without you. This is a fantastic, classic, and beautiful film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Amazing movie love it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/23/21

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Audience Member

The funniest musical about Hans Christian Anderson ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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steve d

A complete waist of time.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best musical movie ever made! With the best movie song ever sung: Thumbelina!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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bill t

A bit of an annoying "biography" of Hans Christian Andersen, played by the ever annoying Danny Kaye. "Biography" in quotes, as this is a total reimagining of his life here, and it's not very good, him falling in love with a ballerina, and then we get song after song, and yes, BALLET NUMBERS. Oh god, just shoot me now.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Charles Vidor

Director

Danny Kaye

Hans Christian Andersen

Zizi Jeanmaire

Doro

Farley Granger

Niels

Roland Petit

The Prince

John Qualen

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Synopsis

Imaginative cobbler Hans Christian Andersen (Danny Kaye) is asked to leave his hometown because his frequent stories are distracting the children from school. From there he moves to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he sees and falls in love with Doro (Jeanmaire), a ballerina. He writes "The Little Mermaid" for her, and it becomes the ballet's latest work. However, Doro is already married to Niels (Farley Granger), meaning Hans must content himself with producing popular children's stories.

Director: Charles Vidor
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter: Moss Hart
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: Samuel Goldwyn Company, The See
Genre: Kids & Family, Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 25, 1952, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 28, 2017
Runtime: 2h 0m

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