Do you believe? Young Frances and Elsie do. They say they’ve encountered the supernatural. They’ve met fairies. The photos the girls take of the winged beings put them at the center of a real-life controversy that sweeps England during World War I. Everyone is caught up in the excitement, including two of the era’s most renowned men: Sherlock Holmes’ author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter O’Toole) and master illusionist Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel). Are the girls’ photos real or a clever hoax? One thing is for sure: with enchantment, a sense of wonder and glorious special effects, FairyTale: A True Story is superb family entertainment.
Starring Paul McGann, Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Harvey Keitel, Jason Salkey.
Parents need to know that wounded soldiers fill the train station where young Francis meets her relatives. There is some intense material (e.g. Francis’s father is missing in World War I, but she clings to the belief he will return). Kids will absorb a bit of 1917 England, and meet historical figures Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini. – Common Sense Media
Rated PG