Hook is a 1991 American fantasy adventure film
directed by Steven Spielberg and written by James V. Hart and Malia
Scotch Marmo. It stars Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Robin Williams as
Peter Banning/Peter Pan, Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, Bob Hoskins as
Smee, Maggie Smith as Wendy, Caroline Goodall as Moira Banning, and
Charlie Korsmo as Jack Banning. It acts as a sequel to J. M. Barrie's
1911 novel Peter and Wendy focusing on an adult Peter Pan who has
forgotten all about his childhood. In his new life, he is known as Peter
Banning, a successful but unimaginative and workaholic corporate lawyer
with a wife (Wendy's granddaughter) and two children. However, when
Hook, the enemy of his past, kidnaps his children, he returns to
Neverland in order to save them. Along the journey he reclaims the
memories of his past.
Spielberg began developing the film in the early 1980s with Walt Disney
Productions and Paramount Pictures, which would have followed the story
line seen in the 1924 silent film and 1953 animated film. It entered
pre-production in 1985, but Spielberg abandoned the project. James V.
Hart developed the script with director Nick Castle and TriStar Pictures
before Spielberg decided to direct in 1989. It was shot almost entirely
on sound stages at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. It
received mixed reviews from critics, and while it was a commercial
success, its box office intake was lower than expected. It was nominated
in five categories at the 64th Academy Awards. It also spawned
merchandise, including video games, action figures, and comic book
adaptations.
Plot
Peter Banning is a
successful corporate lawyer living in San Francisco. As a workaholic, he
spends little time with his wife, Moira, and children, 12-year-old Jack
and 7-year-old Maggie, and even misses Jack's Little League Baseball
game. They fly to London to visit Moira's grandmother, Wendy Darling,
and attend a banquet ceremony at Great Ormond Street Hospital honoring
her charity work. While they are away, Jack and Maggie are abducted
mysteriously from the nursery, but an elderly Tootles, a former Lost
Boy, tells Peter Captain Hook is responsible. Wendy informs him he is in
fact the real Peter Pan, but he lost all of his childhood memories when
he fell in love with Moira. In disbelief, he gets drunk up in the
nursery, but Tinker Bell appears and takes him to Neverland to rescue
his children from Hook.
Hook and his pirates confront Peter but become depressed when they
realize he does not remember his former life and identity. Tinker Bell
makes a deal with Hook that Peter will regain his memories in three days
for a climactic battle. He is reacquainted with the Mermaids and meets
the new generation of Lost Boys, led by Rufio, who refuses to believe
that he is the real Peter Pan. They help him train, and in the process
he regains his imagination and lost youth. One of them, Thud Butt, gives
him marbles that were left behind by Tootles. Elsewhere, Smee talks
Hook into manipulating Jack and Maggie into loving him to break Peter's
will. While Maggie is not taken in, Jack comes to view Hook as a father
figure.
Hook arranges a makeshift baseball game for Jack, which Peter watches as
Hook treats Jack like his own son. Peter runs off and tries to fly, but
is led to the old treehouse of the Lost Boys by his own shadow. Tinker
Bell helps him remember his childhood and how he fell in love with
Moira, and he realizes his happy thought is being a father. He flies up
into the sky, returning as Peter Pan, and Rufio surrenders his sword and
leadership back to him. The child-minded Peter returns to Tinker Bell
who grows human-sized and kisses him, reminding him of his reason for
being in Neverland. On the third day, he and the Lost Boys attack the
pirates as promised, leading to a lengthy battle. He rescues Maggie and
promises to be a better father to Jack. Rufio fights a duel with Hook
but is mortally wounded and dies in Peter's arms.
Peter and Hook duel, leading to Peter's victory. Refusing to leave
honorably, Hook attacks Peter, but the stuffed crocodile, whom Hook once
feared, springs to life and devours him. Peter gives his sword to Thud
Butt promoting him the new leader of the Lost Boys and leaves Neverland
for good. He awakens in Kensington Gardens, meeting a sweeper who bears a
strong resemblance to Smee and bidding farewell to Tinker Bell, who
confesses her unrequited love to him before vanishing. He climbs up the
drain pipe of Wendy's house, reuniting with his family and returning
Tootles' marbles to him. Tootles discovers the bag contains pixie dust,
and he flies out the window to visit Neverland. Wendy suggests that
Peter's adventures are over, but he replies, "To live would be an
awfully big adventure."
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_(film)
