Paramount Pictures released Alice in Wonderland in 1933, adapting Lewis Carroll’s beloved novels into a full-scale fantasy film. For Charlotte Henry, it was her first leading role — and she landed it alongside one of Hollywood’s most impressive supporting casts ever assembled for a single picture.
The roster of stars was remarkable. W. C. Fields played Humpty Dumpty, Edna May Oliver took on the Red Queen, and Cary Grant appeared as the Mock Turtle. Gary Cooper played The White Knight, Edward Everett Horton was The Hatter, Charles Ruggles portrayed The March Hare, and Baby LeRoy appeared as The Joker. Henry, surrounded by seasoned veterans and natural scene stealers, held her own from start to finish.
The story follows Alice and her cat Dinah living quietly together until a White Rabbit dashes by and disappears down a hole. Alice gives chase and falls in, landing in a strange world of doors and impossible choices. She drinks from a bottle labeled “Drink Me, Not Poison” and grows enormous. She weeps, flooding the room with her tears, then eats a cookie that shrinks her back down.
Swimming through her own tears, Alice meets Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Her journey continues through a tea party with the Mad Hatter and March Hare, a run-in with the grinning Cheshire Cat, and a visit with Humpty Dumpty, who takes the time to explain exactly what an unbirthday is.
After an encounter with a caterpillar that changes her size yet again, Alice returns to her normal height — just in time to face the Queen of Hearts. The two play croquet, with flamingos used as mallets. Alice is eventually revealed to be the Queen or Princess of the land and welcomed into a castle, before a chaotic rush through Wonderland ends with the Queen choking her. She wakes up safely in her own room.
The production design was a major focus for Paramount. The costumes and sets were built to closely mirror the original illustrations by John Tenniel, the artist who defined how Wonderland looked in the 19th century. The sets carry a flat, cartoonish quality that feels intentional — they match seamlessly with the animated footage woven into the live-action scenes.
Charlotte Henry brought real energy to the role of Alice. She played the character with spunk and determination, never wilting under pressure from the bigger names around her. Her performance gave the film a strong center to hold all its eccentric pieces together.
