The film "Bridge to Terabithia" was shot at the film studio "Walt Disney Pictures" in 2007 by director Gabor Chupo based on the novel by American writer Catherine Paterson. The book was written in 1977, the plot was based on deeply dramatic events, the direct participant of which was the son of the writer David Paterson, who at that time was barely 8 years old. The boy was friends with Lisa Hill, his peer, and one day misfortune happened. Lisa died from a lightning strike, strolling in the rain. Shocked, David could not believe that fate could be so cruel, and when he was 11 years old, his mother wrote the novel "The Bridge to Terabithia", where a 10-year-old girl also dies in the course of the plot. Children's drama is deeper and more tragic than adult, the souls of a child are more vulnerable. Therefore, when in 1985 the novel “The Bridge to Terabithia” was put on television, the picture gathered a large teenage audience.
Casting
The script for the 2007 film was written by David Paterson himself - who else but he could feel the whole depth of a tragic story. What actors were shot? "Bridge to Terabithia" is a deeply personal film, and the performers were selected carefully. First, the role of Leslie was predicted by Dakota Fanning. But the actress Anna-Sofia Robb conquered the director with a deep understanding of the image of young Burke, the main character of the film, and she got the role. The film “Bridge to Terabithia” involved several school extras, and ordinary schoolchildren recruited for these episodes. But, since the dramatic plot developed in the picture, it was not possible to limit ourselves to extras. The actors of the film “Bridge to Terabithia” had to be qualified, and the director, along with the agents, began the search, which ended quite successfully. All secondary roles in the film were played by graduates of theatrical studios, young actors. "Bridge to Terabithia" captured everyone they worked enthusiastically, everyone felt responsible, because in this picture everything had to be reliable. Each character was characteristic - these are the sisters of the main character Jess and his parents. Therefore, the actors of the “Bridge to Terabithia” more than once re-read in the form of a book and a script to understand the character of their character.
Dramatic plot
The protagonist of the picture, Jesse Aarons, a ten-year-old boy, a student of a regular American school, suffers from the disorder of his personal life. At school, young Aarons cannot find friends, he is considered a failure, and, apart from bullying, he cannot count on anything. He is also unlucky at home, two older sisters stubbornly ignore his brother, only the younger sister May Belle, who is only six years old, agrees to be friends with Jess.
Once in the house next door, the Burkov family settled, a married couple in whom their daughter, ten-year-old Leslie, was growing up. The girl went to study in the class in which Jess was studying. At first, they avoided each other, but gradually the ice in the relationship melted, and the children began to be friends. One day, while walking along the river, Leslie and Jess found a spreading tree on the opposite bank, in whose branches a small house was hidden. It seemed to the children that the find was fraught with a lot of romance, they crossed the river and settled on a tree. Just in this place above the river from the branches of another tree a rope hung, swinging on which it was possible to jump to the other bank.
A house on a tree
Having the opportunity to visit the tree house at any time , Jess and Leslie came up with their own fairy-tale world, the country of Terabithia, fair and friendly. Jess has strengthened his spirit, began to successfully resist the attacks of high school students and learned to defend Leslie. The friendship between the children grew stronger, Jess began to devote his girlfriend to his secret hobbies, the main of which was painting. Leslie shared his interests and once gave a young artist a set of colors. Jess was touched by such attention, and he brought as a gift to Leslie a charming puppy, whom they called Prince Terrien, dedicated to the defenders of the tree house and began to educate in every way.
Tragedy
The happy time continued until Jessa called for a school music teacher with whom the boy was secretly in love. She wanted to visit the city museum with him. And, of course, Jess agreed. Left alone, Leslie decided to visit the Terabithia, and then take a walk with the Prince. At that time a thunderstorm broke out, a downpour began, and Leslie, clutching at the familiar rope, could not resist. The rope slipped out of her hands and the girl fell to the driftwood near the shore, banging her head hard on one of them. The worst thing happened, from the blow Leslie lost consciousness, she was carried away from the shore, and the girl drowned.
The final
Parents left immediately after the daughter’s funeral. For Jesse, life has stopped. He visited Terabithia alone, for a long time he could not forget his girlfriend, finally called his younger sister May Belle into a tree house, told her about a magical land, and they have since become inseparable friends.
"Bridge to Terabithia", actors and roles:
- Josh Hutcherson - played by Jess Aarons.
- Anna-Sophia Robb - played the role of Leslie Burke.
- Robert Patrick is the character of Jack Aarons.
- Bailey Madison is Jesse's younger sister, May Belle.
- Zoe Deschanel is Miss Edmonds' teacher.
- Devon Wood is a character of Brenda Aarons.
- Emma Fenton is Jess's older sister, Ellie Aarons.
- Kate Butler - sister, Mary Aarons.
- Grace Brennigan is an older sister, Joyce Aarons.
- Latham Gaines - Leslie's father, Bill Burke.
- Judy Mackintosh is Leslie's mother, Judy Burke.
As the actors admitted, "Bridge to Terabithia" got into their souls so much that actress Judy Mackintosh at the “funeral” of Leslie cried with real tears, and many members of the film crew never smiled during the entire production of the film.