MovieChat Forums > Le petit prince (2016) Discussion > Unclear: did I miss something?

Unclear: did I miss something?

posted 8 years ago by stevewyzard
6 replies | jump to latest

First let me say thank you to Netflix for giving The Little Prince a brief theatrical run in the USA. I enjoyed the movie, even though I knew going in it would be VERY different from the book. That being said, I wondered if anyone can clarify the following issues:

1) From reading some of the other posts, many viewers have assumed that the "third act" (beginning with the drain pipe falling into The Aviator's yard) is all a dream. After all, the plush fox comes to life, and the old plane is suddenly completely repaired and capable of inter-planetary travel. But later on there's the scene where The Mother wakes up, looks out the window, and sees the fallen drain pipe. Then, The Little Girl appears behind her, brushing her teeth as if she had never left the house. If "it was only a dream", what caused the drain pipe to fall?

2) Throughout the entire movie, The Mother is vehemently against the friendship between The Little Girl and The Aviator. Then suddenly at the end, she's sympathetic to The Little Girl's devotion and even takes her to the hospital to visit him. What caused The Mother to suddenly change her feelings? Was it seeing The Aviator taken away in the ambulance?

"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." C.S. Lewis, 1952

[–] TheLionKingKong 8 years ago

The only thing I didn't understand about the third act was the plush fox coming to life. I didn't think of the possibility the 3rd act was a dream, but now that you mention it, a dream is probably the only explanation for the fox coming alive. Everything else about that act, like flying in outer space, seemed like it could've really happened. As for #2, maybe the mom realized her daughter needed friendship in her life and that the old pilot provided that for her.

[–] prodigy556 8 years ago

It is thought that the fall caused her to pass out and from that point on it is a dream. It could also be her imagination, as the story is about the different way that adults and children see the world. Some instances that support the imagination/ dream theory are evident in the third act. There are many references to events from the real world. The stars in the globe look very similar to the stars that are in the vaccuum. The plane twisting in circles after the starts are released is the same as when the aviator puts a toy plane on a string hanging from the ceiling. What happens to the prince is almost exactly what the little girl fears happened at the end of the story.

The mother starts to change the way she views her daughter after the aviator is taken in the ambulance. She sees a different side of her, not the mini adult she thought she was, but a child. I think the mother just finally realizes that there is more to life than responsibilities.

[–] jpalmquist-99-955350 8 years ago

Is it so impossible for it to be real in the context of the movie, and also an analogy to our world? It's real.

[–] Rek07 8 years ago

To your first question: She went to bed at night, went outside and fell. She then dreamed the 3rd act. Then she woke up before the mother and went inside to start getting ready.

[–] grgor90 8 years ago

it all happened inside her head, but why should that mean it was't real?

[–] stevewyzard (1669) a year ago

7 years later: still love the movie, but I'm wondering if anyone else has anything to add to this thread?