Small Details You Missed In Pinocchio

"Pinocchio," Disney's 2022 live-action remake of the 1940 animated classic, makes it clear that the story of the little wooden boy with the ever-growing nose is still capable of delighting audiences of all ages. Geppetto (Tom Hanks), a lonely and heart-broken artisan, wishes to be a father so deeply, a fairy (Cynthia Erivo) is moved to magically grant life to a freshly-carved marionette. Thus, Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) is born. Though he walks, talks, and plays like a little boy, he's still a creature of wood, whose nose grows every time he tells a lie. If he wants to become truly human, he must embark on a quest to prove his worth.

This iteration of "Pinocchio" is a fantastical and emotional fairy tale that explores human nature, familial bonds, and the scary things that lurk in the world's shadows. It's also packed with incredible visuals, ranging from electric landscapes built for fun and frolic to darkened streets full of menace and sharp edges. Jokes, references, and nods are omnipresent, poking fun at everything from Pinocchio himself to our own non-fictional world. In other words, a lot happens in "Pinocchio," to the point that it's easy to overlook much of what the film has to offer. We're here to help. From Jiminy Cricket's dark past to Geppetto's first son, these are the small details you might have missed in 2022's "Pinocchio."

The basic plot of Pinocchio's story, from the original 1883 novel to its many cinematic adaptations, is well-known to viewers around the world and across time. Geppetto, a kindly Italian craftsman living a solitary life, builds a marionette resembling a little boy. The stories diverge on the details at this point: 1883's Pinocchio, for example, is indefatigably ill-behaved and carved from an apparently sentient block of wood. But the most well-known version of the tale to many modern viewers comes from Disney's 1940 adaption, in which Geppetto wishes for Pinocchio to become a living, breathing child. The Blue Fairy proceeds to bring the puppet to life, and tells him that if he can prove his virtue, he will be transformed into a real boy.

Few "Pinocchio" adaptations explore why Geppetto is so lonely, but the 2022 film is a fascinating exception. Viewers who look closely will notice that as a forlorn Geppetto puts the final touches on the Pinocchio marionette, an old photo of a human child sits beside him on his work table. It's heavily implied that this boy, captured in black-and-white, is Geppetto's real son, who seems to have died in childhood at some prior point. This isn't Geppetto's only loss: At another point he quietly and tearfully discusses his departed wife. The photo of the boy, with its mournful implications regarding Pinocchio's creation, is a subtle but devastating gut punch.

During his brief and highly frenetic appearance at the beginning of "Pinocchio," the nefarious Honest John (Keegan-Michael Key) delivers most of his lines in comically rapid-fire monologues. This befits his supposed reputation as a man of the theater. His words come so thick and fast, neither his sidekick, Gideon, nor his mark, Pinocchio, can get a word in edgewise. Even the most observant viewers will struggle to catch all the little jokes and jabs peppering his lines — but taking the time to notice them all is well worth it.

Two jokes about names stand above the rest. While discussing how the name Pinocchio won't work for the living puppet-turned-wannabe actor, Honest John attempts to spell the long and tricky moniker. He gives up halfway through and notes that a K is probably present. This reflects a very real fact that many children (and adults without a knack for spelling) have faced since 1883: Pinocchio is a uniquely difficult name to get right. Even if you know it doesn't have a K, you probably won't remember exactly how many times the letter C crops up, or exactly where. This justifies Honest John's suggestion that Pinocchio pick a stage name. He thinks "Chris Pine" is a great choice. This, obviously, is also a nod to real-world audiences, who know that Chris Pine is a real actor — one with a far more easily spelled name.

One of the major stops on Pinocchio's journey is Pleasure Island, which serves as a descent into humanity's wickedness. He must emerge from this trial with his goodness intact if he's to become a real boy. Finding himself on a coach full of kids on the way to this much-hyped paradise-meets-playground, Pinocchio initially sees Pleasure Island through naïve eyes — and so, in turn, do we. The scenes set in this fantastical place are among the most eye-popping and mind-boggling in the film: Pleasure Island is a lavish wonderland of color and music, where fireworks explode overhead and every building looks like an ornately decorated birthday cake.

This gorgeous imagery is to be expected: Disney knows a thing or two about making grand visions of amusement and spectacle into very real vacation destinations. In fact, Pleasure Island bears many similarities to iconic Disney theme parks. A huge Ferris wheel with a vivid face on the side will remind certain viewers of the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel at Disney's California Adventure Park, which used to sport Mickey Mouse's gigantic face. This Paradise Island feature is set against an old-timey, small town-meets-boardwalk area, which is intensely reminiscent of the Main Street, U.S.A. portions of many Disney parks, distinguished by enticing shops and dessert parlors. Finally, elaborate fireworks and structures with tall, classical spires can be found in both Pleasure Island and real-world Disney parks.

"Pinocchio" really gets going after the titular puppet sets out into the world — something that happens mostly against his will. Having just welcomed him to life a few hours earlier, Geppetto sends his brand-new son out of the house to go to school. But instead of getting a decent education, Pinocchio gets waylaid by scheming actors, a nefarious puppet show, a trip to Pleasure Island, and a transformation into a donkey, among other hardships, scrapes, and obstacles. When Pinocchio doesn't come home after his first day of school, Geppetto gets worried, and sets off to find him. 

Sure, he's panicked and upset. But the old woodcarver's actions from this point on are lamentably foolish. In fact, it's implied that he gets massively ripped off in a genuinely tragic way. Viewers learn second-hand that Geppetto sells his vast collection of clocks to fund his Pinocchio recovery voyage. These are the precious possessions he refuses to sell at an earlier point in the movie, despite the fact that the prospective buyer offers big money for them. What does he rake in from the unseen second buyer? A beat-up old dinghy that barely floats and  definitely won't withstand a major journey. When viewers connect the dots, they realize that Geppetto definitely got exploited in this deal, due to his haste. All those beautiful, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind clocks could have provided Geppetto with a small fortune, rather than a few bucks with which to buy an old boat.

Jiminy Cricket gets a character makeover in "Pinocchio." In Disney's 1940 take on the story, the cricket serves as a kindly narrator who explains the wild plot to the audience, and a largely hands-off advisor to the titular puppet. The 2022 film initially takes the same tack: Voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he floats into the story on the strains of "When You Wish Upon a Star," and addresses the audience directly. But then, the differences emerge. 

While Jiminy Cricket is presented as a well-meaning and vaguely avuncular character deeply invested in Pinocchio's well-being in the 1940 film, 2022's Jiminy is appointed as the boy's official conscience by the Blue Fairy because he's, well, there. No reason is provided for why he's hanging around Geppetto's shop, because he doesn't seem to have a reason to be anywhere: This Jiminy Cricket is an itinerant wanderer who wears threadbare rags until the Blue Fairy magically grants him a fancier wardrobe to befit his new position. 

With this act, "Pinocchio" implies Jiminy Cricket, an adorable symbol of magic and delight, experiences grinding poverty before he enters the story. The film also subtly implies that Jiminy Cricket is immortal. He narrates from the present day, indicated by the modern references he makes, and is framed as specifically recounting his own memories. This means he's a 200-year-old insect.