There's something you need to know before settling yourself in to watch this Hallmark Hall of Fame version of Peter Pan: it's not the Mary Martin version. The libretto is almost identical, and the songs are in extremely similar places, but they're different. It'll be very hard, but you need to try to not compare it to the famous Mark Charlap and Carolyn Leigh musical. If you're able to do that, you'll be able to appreciate this delightful family friendly musical.
Mia Farrow stars as the boy who never grew up, and she has an entirely different take on the role than most who tackle it. Rather than the false macho bravado actresses usually take in hopes of convincing the audience they can act manly and tough, Mia acts as a vulnerable, gawky adolescent boy—which, if you think about it, makes more sense since Peter Pan is a boy, not a man. Her naturally lean fame and famous pixie haircut doesn't jar the audience into thinking she's pretending to be anyone she's not. She's all elbows and knees, just like a young boy, and vacillates between tears and laughter as only a child can.
Danny Kaye stars as Captain Hook and Mr. Darling, and he's fantastic. While the chorus members often seem a little amateur, he stands out as the most professional one in the cast. My one criticism of the production is Michael Kidd's choreography, and while it distracts from several cute songs, when Danny Kaye performs, it's obvious he didn't really pay Kidd much attention. His own gestures and flare shine out so that you can forget about the lousy choreography behind him.
I really enjoyed this Peter Pan version. Put the famous one out of your mind and give it a watch with the kiddies. This one isn't watched very often, but I think Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's songs were underrated. They're different, but very sweet.
