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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

I will admit that I had never read the books on which The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was based prior to seeing the movie. So, I had very little idea of what to expect. After watching the trailers with all the fantasy and talking animals and battle scenes, I couldn’t imagine why I didn’t get into these books as a child. Then I heard about the Christain allegory and blah blah blah and assumed that was why I was never read these books. I mean, that’s hardly the kind of thing you read to nice Jewish girls, right?

Okay, here’s the short story: the four Penvesie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, are sent out of London to the country during WWII. Something about the Blitz. No matter. They end up in the home of a mysterious “Professor,” but they’re bored and, as children are, prone to wandering and they end up in a raucous game of hide and seek. The youngest, Lucy, hides in an old wardrobe. As she sneaks backwards through the fur coats, she finds a gateway to the land of Narnia and has a somewhat questionable tea with a faun named Mr. Tumnus. Of course, no one believes her when she gets back, so she goes again and this time Edmund follows her. While Lucy is off with Mr. Tumnus, Edmund chats up the White Witch (whom he believes is Queen of Narnia). He spills the beans about his siblings (there’s a prophecy that two boys and two girls will restore Narnia to its former greatness) in exchange for Turkish Delight.

Eventually, all four of the children find their way into Narnia, where they are swept up into an epic battle of Good versus Evil. On the side of good is Aslan, a lion voiced by Hot Bad Guy Liam Neeson and a Fox, voiced by Wanna Be Hot Bad Guy Rupert Everett, among others. For the villains, there’s the White Witch and a long line of very unsavory looking figures. And the White Witch wore a series of ever more questionable headgear and attire. I mean, leopard skin and chainmail dresses? So, 1145.

Anyway, guess who wins? I know, I know, big surprise. So, the prophecy comes true, the kids become Kings and Queens in Narnia and live happily ever after. Until they find their way back to the Wardrobe, which brings them back to England and it is as if they have never left. Those poor kids have to go through puberty twice. Well, that’ll teach them to save mysterious countries from the clutches of an Evil Witch and ruling a happy and peaceful land for years… Yeah, these kids got screwed.

Maybe it’s my decidedly non-religious background, but I never caught the allegory until the kid behind me (who spent much of the film kicking my chair) pointed it out. Even after that, I didn’t see it, really. But I did see a brilliant movie that appealed to my childlike sense of wonder. There was plenty of action and a great story. I was so intrigued, I went home and immediately read the first book. I was only sorry I hadn’t read them earlier.