Peter Pan (1924) — PICK

Peter Pan (1953) — PICK

Peter Pan (2000) — PICK

Peter Pan (2003) — PICK

For millions of children and adults, Disney’s Peter Pan is the take on this story. While it’s neither the best retelling nor the best Disney cartoon of the era, it’s a decent enough example of both. The tunes are cheerful if not outstanding, and parents may want to talk to their children about the exaggerated American Indian stereotypes.

Equal to the silent production in my esteem is the 2000 A&E Peter Pan, a filmed staging of the musical starring gymnast-turned-actress Cathy Rigby. (It’s better than the 1960 Mary Martin kinescope in almost every respect.)

Finally, the 2003 P.J. Hogan Peter Pan is decent enough, with a lovely storybook look, but too much self-awareness regarding the romantic tension between Peter and Wendy, making explicit what should be left implicit.

Caveat Spectator: All Peter Pan productions feature mild swashbuckling action. The Disney cartoon includes racial stereotypes, and the 2003 film goes a bit darker and more violent and might be too much for sensitive youngsters.