Betty Bronson beat out Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford for the role of Peter Pan. Both actresses were older than Bronson; better established, more accomplished. Pickford, in particular, was famed for playing children. But neither could have done better, in this role, than Bronson did. No less an authority than J.M. Barrie himself selected her for it.
Bronson is not simply the centerpiece of Peter Pan—she embodies it. She's a free-spirit, dancing her way through scenes: conscious of an audience watching her but not concerned about it. A belle among bells and whistles and shiny objects. She connects with us as an performer as well as a character, constantly reminding us that we’re not just watching a made-up story, but a movie depicting one.
