Parents' Guide to

The Little Prince

By Polly M. Robertus, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Tender fable may appeal more to adults than kids.

Movie NR 1974 88 minutes
The Little Prince Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

alantaylor
alantaylor Adult
September 23, 2023
age 13+

Meaningful to teens and adults without children, but children will feel cheated, and parents might feel uncomfortable; you need to love trajedies and deep thoughts to enjoy this

This story is based on one of the top selling books of all time, and is a classic a lot of teens and adults get exposed to in schools and newspapers, and it's rated G and I've seen nursery supplies based on the book. Don't be fooled though, it's a bit of a bait-and-switch for children looking for fun, and adults looking for quality. My son went into it thinking it was going to be a fun adventure and had lots of hopes for the little boy and expected something that felt like a Disney movie only to witness a suicide at the end. We tried to soften it, telling him maybe the (SPOILER) boy didn't realize how bad it would be, only to hear the little boy say he was going to become a shell--so he knew what he was doing. Although he doesn't become a shell, he disappears and it feels like a dream, the deed was done. My son has seen plenty of bad guys get quickly killed off in movies, and even somewhat decent people seeing their end (like Kerjak from Tarzan), and someone taken out by a snake bite (like barfbag in Holes) but this was a whole different ball game: main, angelic character, dying slowly due to allowing a snake to bite him--not painfully or with blood. There's all this anticipation and all this "wait, this wasn't supposed to happen," because in a normal movie people plot to solve their problems. In a normal movie if a person loses their mode of transportation they try to fix it, they don't take their own life, and certainly not on the advice of a stranger or to prove your love to a greedy character. To make it worse I had a dream not too long ago that my only child was going to die slowly and he looks like the main character and so I was feeling totally uncomfortable. We both hated the feeling, this isn't a typical death--you need to love trajedies to appreciate it. He was in a bad mood after the movie and I was feeling ill. My husband thought the movie dragged on for too long in parts, it just wasn't his idea of quality and he couldn't understand why it's considered such a classic. (I'm his wife in case you are wondering about the name) This book the movie was based on was written after the Great War and is supposed to help you ponder the corruption out there, the focus on sacrifice for one you love, and the importance of putting children first. It was just what people needed in the same way that Star Wars was a perfect fit for the late 70s. It helped people sort out their thoughts. You may enjoy Gene Wilder's appearance, and some of the songs. But please be careful, it's not another one of those let's bond over this fun adventure movies. It would probably be better to read the book as it's not something you benefit more from visually.
bigmoviefan2020
bigmoviefan2020 Adult
November 26, 2020
age 5+

A stunning film!

NR
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In this live-action take on Antoine de Saint-Exupery's classic story, a child from another world enlists the help of pilot to save the lone flower than grows on his planet. When a pilot (Richard Kiley) crash lands in the Sahara desert, he's surprised to find a little boy (Steven Warner) who claims to be a prince from another planet. The Little Prince tells the pilot stories of his inter-planetary travels -- stories with much philosophical context. The movie features appearances by Bob Fosse as the Snake and Gene Wilder as the Fox. In the end, the Prince allows himself to be bitten by the snake so that he can be reborn on his own world and take care of his beloved flower.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

THE LITTLE PRINCE does a very effective job of translating Antoine de Saint-Exupery's thoughtful and tender fable to the screen -- but tune out the forgettable Lerner and Loewe tunes. Older children are more likely to enjoy this parable, which may prove baffling or disturbing to the younger children to whom it would seem targeted, based on the age of the Little Prince. Nostalgia for childhood, after all, is an unlikely theme to appeal to children.

It's somewhat slow moving, even without the brief songs, but the visuals are imaginative and the performances excellent. Steven Warner makes an ideal Little Prince in appearance and actions, but his British accent and slight lisp may be hard for children to understand. Bob Fosse and Gene Wilder add some pep. The sad and sweet ending, in which the Pilot, aloft again, hears the Little Prince's laughter in the stars, may not compensate for the upsetting death of the Prince, the scene of his death may be very upsetting to young viewers. Quiet pacing of the story belies its complexity, but this is generally a fine and tender film. Those who give it a chance will find its wisdom moving and strangely unforgettable.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Little Prince's motivations. Why did he decide to let himself be killed for the flower? What did the Little Prince teach the pilot. Older children may want to read the book.

Movie Details

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