Ever After Review
30 June 2013
I'll warn you now. Be prepared for some serious fangirl raving.
I love this film. It's been my favourite since I was a little girl... Back when my family had a TV, we would check out the Saturday night family movies. Some we'd watch. Some we wouldn't. Here, as a seven or eight year old, I first entered the fairytale world of Ever After. Every time Ever After would come on TV, I'd beg my parents to let me watch it. Then, when I was ten, our TV exploded and Ever After became a distant childhood memory. I went from little girl to teen with Ever After still held as my very favourite film until about the age of seventeen... I had a little birthday money in my purse and was wondering around the cheap DVD bins at the Warehouse. Then, all of a sudden. There it was. Ever After. Right. There. In. Front. Of. Me. *Squeeaaal* *grab it quick before some other romantic heart finds it!*
And she lived happily Ever After.
Anyway, now the DVD is amongst my prized possessions. Every time I need a romantic fix, I put it on. It still is one of the sweetest, most heart-wrenching, funny films I know. It makes me laugh and cry, sometimes right after each other. It's still right up the top of my favourite films.
Oh, I'll just warn you now. There are spoilers everywhere. :)
SYNOPSIS
I love this film. It's been my favourite since I was a little girl... Back when my family had a TV, we would check out the Saturday night family movies. Some we'd watch. Some we wouldn't. Here, as a seven or eight year old, I first entered the fairytale world of Ever After. Every time Ever After would come on TV, I'd beg my parents to let me watch it. Then, when I was ten, our TV exploded and Ever After became a distant childhood memory. I went from little girl to teen with Ever After still held as my very favourite film until about the age of seventeen... I had a little birthday money in my purse and was wondering around the cheap DVD bins at the Warehouse. Then, all of a sudden. There it was. Ever After. Right. There. In. Front. Of. Me. *Squeeaaal* *grab it quick before some other romantic heart finds it!*
And she lived happily Ever After.
Anyway, now the DVD is amongst my prized possessions. Every time I need a romantic fix, I put it on. It still is one of the sweetest, most heart-wrenching, funny films I know. It makes me laugh and cry, sometimes right after each other. It's still right up the top of my favourite films.
Oh, I'll just warn you now. There are spoilers everywhere. :)
SYNOPSIS
Once upon a time...
"a dazzling rendering of the Cinderella story" (The Washington Post) brought new life to an age-old legend and made us believe in the strongest magic of all: the power of the human heart. Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Houstan star in this enchanting adventure about having the courage to make your dreams come true.
A "modern" young woman of the 16th century, Danielle (Barrymore) is as independent and wise as she is beautiful and kind. Against remarkable odds, she stands up to her scheming stepmother (Houstan) and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her, including the crown prince of France (Dougray Scott)!
Now you can relive this captivating, contemporary retelling of the classic fairytale. No matter what you're looking for, "action, romance, adventure... Ever After delivers it all!" (ABC-TV)
SCENERY
The scenery in this fairytale film is very pretty. There are brief glimpses at the royal family's castle and Pierre le Pieu's manor. The royal gardens, in particular, are very pretty. The de Barbaraque manor, though simple, is gorgeous. There is a lot of forest, farm, and meadow scenery. And I just love the Franciscan monastery Danielle visits - books, books, and more books!
"a dazzling rendering of the Cinderella story" (The Washington Post) brought new life to an age-old legend and made us believe in the strongest magic of all: the power of the human heart. Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Houstan star in this enchanting adventure about having the courage to make your dreams come true.
A "modern" young woman of the 16th century, Danielle (Barrymore) is as independent and wise as she is beautiful and kind. Against remarkable odds, she stands up to her scheming stepmother (Houstan) and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her, including the crown prince of France (Dougray Scott)!
Now you can relive this captivating, contemporary retelling of the classic fairytale. No matter what you're looking for, "action, romance, adventure... Ever After delivers it all!" (ABC-TV)
SCENERY
The scenery in this fairytale film is very pretty. There are brief glimpses at the royal family's castle and Pierre le Pieu's manor. The royal gardens, in particular, are very pretty. The de Barbaraque manor, though simple, is gorgeous. There is a lot of forest, farm, and meadow scenery. And I just love the Franciscan monastery Danielle visits - books, books, and more books!
STORY
This is the story of a fairytale and a young girl... Danielle de Barbaraque is an innocent young girl with an adoring, widowed father. At the age of eight, her father remarries and brings his new wife, Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, and her two daughters, Marguerite and Jacqueline to join their family. Only weeks later, he falls off his horse and dies, leaving Danielle at the mercy of the cold and jealous baroness.
This is the story of a fairytale and a young girl... Danielle de Barbaraque is an innocent young girl with an adoring, widowed father. At the age of eight, her father remarries and brings his new wife, Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, and her two daughters, Marguerite and Jacqueline to join their family. Only weeks later, he falls off his horse and dies, leaving Danielle at the mercy of the cold and jealous baroness.
Ten years pass, and we meet Danielle again, this time as a household servant of the baroness and desperately trying to hold the pieces of the manor together. On a mission to rescue a servant and a close friend from an unjust sentence of deportation, Danielle dresses as a courtier and races to the palace. There she meets the arrogant and headstrong Prince Henry. The prince is intrigued with her beauty, intellect and quick wit, but Danielle refuses to reveal her identity, and leaves him with a pseudonym... her dead mother's name.
Prince Henry has a problem. He desires to marry for love, while his father - King Francis - is insistent that he marry the Spanish princess in fulfilment of a treaty with Spain. There is a lot of contention between father and son, until they strike a bargain. In five days the king will hold a ball and at the stroke of midnight during the ball, Prince Henry is to announce his bride-to-be... the prince has until then to choose his own bride, or he will marry the Spanish Princess. Of course, this sets all of the surrounding courtiers - including Rodmilla and her two daughters - in a frantic hunt to catch the prince.
However, the prince has his sights set for this mysteriously brave and smart courtier he met at the palace. The only issue is: he has to find her. By chance, and by the tattling of Danielle's childhood friend, Gustav, the prince once again encounters this 'courtier'. Danielle, at first, denies her growing feelings for the prince and when it is too late to deny it, she can't tell him the truth about her identity. Meanwhile, the ambitious Rodmilla is deviously trying to place her eldest daughter, Marguerite, in the prince's path, in the hopes that she might win his favour. On the evening of the ball, when she discovers that Danielle and the prince have been secretly seeing each other, Rodmilla locks her step-daughter away and spreads lies, convincing the prince that this courtier he loves is in actuality engaged. The prince is furious and devastated and Danielle is heartbroken.
I am so tempted to tell you how it ends... but I won't. :) I'll leave you to discover some of the story for yourself. :)
I am so tempted to tell you how it ends... but I won't. :) I'll leave you to discover some of the story for yourself. :)
CHARACTERS
Danielle de Barbaraque is played by the beautiful Drew Barrymore. By nature, Danielle is sweet, determined, caring, respectful, and loyal... and a bit of a tomboy :) Her stepmother practically makes her a household servant, but Danielle is determined to save her childhood home from ruin and works hard. When she first meets Prince Henry, she thinks him arrogant and his lack of respect for the common people and the land disgraceful. At first, she denies the growing attraction she has towards the prince, and when she can't hide it anymore, she has to tell him the truth about who she really is. This requires a lot of bravery on her part.
I just love this heroine! One of my ultimate favourites for sure.
Danielle de Barbaraque is played by the beautiful Drew Barrymore. By nature, Danielle is sweet, determined, caring, respectful, and loyal... and a bit of a tomboy :) Her stepmother practically makes her a household servant, but Danielle is determined to save her childhood home from ruin and works hard. When she first meets Prince Henry, she thinks him arrogant and his lack of respect for the common people and the land disgraceful. At first, she denies the growing attraction she has towards the prince, and when she can't hide it anymore, she has to tell him the truth about who she really is. This requires a lot of bravery on her part.
I just love this heroine! One of my ultimate favourites for sure.
Prince Henry is played by Dougray Scott. Although I love this film, I am not enamoured much with this prince. He is spoiled, stubborn, and selfish. Danielle accuses the prince of being arrogant and having all the land there is and taking no pride in working it. And although Prince Henry neatly replies, “First, I’m arrogant… Now I have no pride. However do I manage that?” both the statements are entirely true. It is only meeting Danielle and spending time with her that he begins to appreciate things he always took for granted about his life.
Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent is played by Anjelica Huston. She is cold, devious, proud, and very jealous. She's terribly jealous of Danielle, because the little girl was her husband's favourite... this jealousy plays out all the way through. When Rodmilla hears about the prince's mission to find a bride, she does everything she can to throw her favourite daughter, Marguerite, under the nose of the prince, including lie, cheat, bribe, and lock up Spoiler and trade off End of Spoiler Danielle. She gets her just punishment in the end, though... just you wait for it. :)
Leonardo DaVinci is played by Patrick Godfrey. Leonardo doubles as Prince Henry's friend and confidante and Danielle's 'fairy godmother'. He brings a great deal of laughter and wisdom to this film. He brings Danielle and Henry to the realisation that class shouldn't come between two people who are in love with one another.
Marguerite de Ghent is played by Megan Dodds. She is just as cold, devious, and vindictive as her mother. Doing everything possible to draw the prince's attention to herself, she is spiteful and mean not only to Danielle but also to her own sister. She is so self-seeking, even to the point of turning on her mother. Marguerite is the one who nicknamed Danielle 'Cinderella'... teasing her about falling asleep by the fireplace and being covered in cinder-soot.
Jacqueline de Ghent is played by Melanie Lynskey. Jacqueline is the younger daughter of Baroness Rodmilla. She is as sweet as Marguerite is bitter. She is very sympathetic to Danielle and helps her in any way she can. She even helps Danielle get her happy ending. Jacqueline gets her own happy ending too. :)
For those of you who know Cinderella stories, you are probably wondering why there is a kind sister as well as a horrible one. Apparently, the older Cinderella stories actually featured only one mean sister. The other one was kind to 'Cinderella'.
For those of you who know Cinderella stories, you are probably wondering why there is a kind sister as well as a horrible one. Apparently, the older Cinderella stories actually featured only one mean sister. The other one was kind to 'Cinderella'.
King Francis is played by Timothy West and Queen Marie is played by Judy Parfitt. Again, the interludes between the king and queen are very funny... but also serious as the king is insistent that Henry marry the Spanish princess, while the queen wants Henry to find his own way in the world.
Although each of these people are the servants of the de Barbaraque manor, they all become like members of Danielle's own family. Each of them works together to ensure that she has her happy ending, regardless of the actions of their devious mistress.
There is Paulette, who is played by Kate Lansbury. Louise is played by Matyelok Gibbs. Maurice is played by Walter Sparrow, and Gustav is played by Lee Ingleby
There is Paulette, who is played by Kate Lansbury. Louise is played by Matyelok Gibbs. Maurice is played by Walter Sparrow, and Gustav is played by Lee Ingleby
Pierre le Pieu is played by Richard O'Brien. He is one of the slimiest Period Drama villains ever. Le Pieu is Danielle's neighbour and is constantly harassing her to marry him and thus combine the wealth of the two farms. It may seem like he has a pretty minor role, by my very brief mentioning of him, but he features more than you would think. Blegh. He is gross.
COSTUMES/HAIRSTYLES
The costumes.... *gasp!*... more fangirl ravings...
The costumes are just beautiful! The colours and pouffiness... just amazing. The pictures will speak for themselves, so I'll refrain from over-talking. :)
The costumes.... *gasp!*... more fangirl ravings...
The costumes are just beautiful! The colours and pouffiness... just amazing. The pictures will speak for themselves, so I'll refrain from over-talking. :)
The Ball... :)
RATING
This film gets a 5. Hands down.
The rating for this film is PG for medium level violence. Although I don't find this film particularly violent, there are a few reasons why I'd recommend this film for older children (twelve and over)... Rodmilla is really quite mean, and younger children will not really understand all of the jealousy and contention going on. She also flirts with a steward, and that is a little uncomfortable. There is also a sword fight between Prince Henry and a gypsy. Pierre le Pieu is really slimy and horrible... he also makes you feel uncomfortable. As you've seen, there are low-cut dresses that frequent this film, also some of the upper class men wear tight breeches.
This film gets a 5. Hands down.
The rating for this film is PG for medium level violence. Although I don't find this film particularly violent, there are a few reasons why I'd recommend this film for older children (twelve and over)... Rodmilla is really quite mean, and younger children will not really understand all of the jealousy and contention going on. She also flirts with a steward, and that is a little uncomfortable. There is also a sword fight between Prince Henry and a gypsy. Pierre le Pieu is really slimy and horrible... he also makes you feel uncomfortable. As you've seen, there are low-cut dresses that frequent this film, also some of the upper class men wear tight breeches.
If you're not sick of photos... I'm going to put some more here :)