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Synopsis:
Dr. Lemuel Gulliver (Kerwin Mathews) is shipwrecked and lands on the shores of Lilliput, where he tries to help mediate a rivalry between the Lilliputians and their neighbors on Blefescu.

Genres:

• Fantasy
• Literature Adaptation
• Rivalry
• Royalty and Nobility

Review:
This live action adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s 18th century novel — featuring special effects by Ray Harryhausen — is an enjoyably innocuous children’s fantasy with just enough subtle satirical humor to appeal to adults. With that said, Harryhausen fans expecting to see ample use of stop-motion animation will be disappointed, given that there are only two short sequences involving his famed technique; instead, the primary visual appeal of the film lies in the remarkably effective scaled cinematography, which allows Gulliver to appear either over-sized or minuscule in comparison with his island neighbors. While the intricacies of Swift’s highly specific satire of British government are inevitably lost (particularly since the last two sections of the novel are left out altogether), screenwriters Arthur Ross and Jack Sher manage to poke more generic fun at both the petty nature of wars (the kings of Lilliput and Blefescu are locked in mortal combat over the correct way to crack eggs!) and the frighteningly absurd motivations behind witch hunts (which were often simply a convenient way to get rid of enemies). Bernard Herrmann wrote the score, which isn’t quite as distinctive as one might expect — but evidence of his musical genius comes through in certain sections, and adds an appropriately jaunty backdrop to Gulliver’s escapades.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Kerwin Mathews as Gulliver
  
• Excellent use of scaled cinematography
• The humorously ridiculous rivalry between the Lilliputians and the Blefescuians
• Bernard Herrmann’s score

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• MRQE (Movie Review Query Engine)
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Digitally Obsessed Review
• SF, Fantasy, and Horror Review
• TCM Article