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FairyTale: A True Story

FairyTale: A True Story

Fantasy · Drama · Mystery · 1997

In 1917, two children take a photograph, which is soon believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. Based on the true story of the Cottingley Fairies.

Movie details

FairyTale: A True Story

“Believe.”

1997 Fantasy · Drama · Mystery 1h 39m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

In 1917, two children take a photograph, which is soon believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. Based on the true story of the Cottingley Fairies.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over FairyTale: A True Story?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Charles Sturridge

Written by

Albert Ash · Ernie Contreras · Tom McLoughlin

Florence Hoath

Florence Hoath

Elsie Wright

E

Elizabeth Earl

Frances Griffiths

Paul McGann

Paul McGann

Arthur Wright

Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel

Harry Houdini

Phoebe Nicholls

Phoebe Nicholls

Polly Wright

Bill Nighy

Bill Nighy

Edward Gardner

Court is in session

Put FairyTale: A True Story on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.