Silent Movie: Peter Pan

The Washington Center’s rare fully-authentic screening of the classic 1924 silent film version of J. M. Barrie’s world-renowned stage play PETER PAN will be a glorious musical echo of the past – – with the Center’s House Organist Dennis James performing his solo organ transcription from his painstaking reconstruction of the original orchestral musical score that accompanied the film when it was first released nearly 100 years ago. Experience silent films the way they were meant to be seen and heard, accompanied by our 1924 Wurlitzer Organ! Our Silent Movie Series is a signature event at the Washington Center. We welcome film fans of all ages to step back in time to revel in the authentically recreated sounds and nostalgia from times gone by.

One of the world’s greatest children’s stories, Peter Pan was first produced in 1904 as a children’s pantomime for the London stage. When Barrie sold the film rights to Hollywood, the role of the boy who never wanted to grow up was coveted by every actress in Hollywood from Lillian Gish to Gloria Swanson. But Barrie’s choice was the relatively unknown 17-year-old Betty Bronson, who captivated audiences with her radiant, child-like innocence. Famous for its extraordinary visual effects and enchanting storybook sets, Peter Pan conjures up a world of mermaids, fairies, pirate ships and magical forests where childhood is forever and make-believe is real. For many years Peter Pan was one of the most sought after lost films of the silent era, until a pristine 35mm print with the original tints was found in 1971. The film underwent a complete restoration in 1995, and Dennis James was commissioned to restore the original score for debut performance in 1998.