Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998) User Reviews (396)

...and they lived happily ever after; but what happened before that?

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 8/10 · 12 February 2004]

I remember when this movie was released, I saw it so many times in the theater with my friends. We were 13, perfect age group for the film and we adored everything about this movie. It's years later and I bought the movie on DVD making me wonder if the movie did hold up as well as I remembered. Well, it doesn't hold the same magic as I saw when I was a kid, but Ever After still holds a certain charm that is absolutely irresistible. I think between the writing and the characters, this was a great update on a classic story. Every little girl has dreamed of being Cinderella, the girl who has been dumped on her whole life and then the man of your dreams comes to save you as you live happily ever after. Drew Barrymore takes lead through this charming fairy tale of a strong woman with the good faith that one day things will go as they should and she'd live in a utopia.

Danielle de Barbarac is a young girl who lives in a manor with her widowed father whom she adores. When Danielle is eight, her father marries the haughty Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, who has two daughters about Danielle's age. Soon after, Auguste dies. Rodmilla is envious of Danielle, and treats her like a servant after Auguste's death. The Baroness has fallen into debt. Marguerite, her spoiled older daughter, has grown to be cruel, arrogant, and bad-tempered; while the younger, Jacqueline, is kindhearted, soft-spoken, and constantly overlooked. In the orchard one day, Danielle encounters a man attempting to steal her father's old horse. She pelts him with apples, knocking him to the ground, and is horrified to learn that the man is Henry, the Prince of France. Henry explains that his own horse was lamed in his attempt to escape stifling royal life. He forgives Danielle in exchange for her silence, and rewards her with money. Danielle resolves to use the money to rescue Maurice, an old family servant whom Rodmilla had sold. While her step-family is out of the house, Danielle dons a noblewoman's dress and goes to court. She finds Maurice about to be shipped to the Americas, and demands his release. Prince Henry sees this and is impressed with Danielle's intellect, strength of character, and beauty. Danielle refuses to tell Henry her name, though eventually she leaves him with the name of her mother, Comtesse Nicole de Lancret. Leading him to want to speak with her more only to fall in love with her not knowing that she is a true Cinderella.

I still like this movie very much. Drew and the other actors may not have a great accent but they still all tried their best. Angelica Huston, what a great choice as the wicked step mother and I use that term lightly. There is this beautiful scene between her and Danielle, she starts to tell Danielle about her father and how Angelica barely knew him, you see a sense of humanity in her and then she starts to look at Danielle with love but realizes how hurt she still is that her father cared more for Danielle than his own wife. You understand how she could be angry and jealous, not justifying what she did to Danielle, but her motivation is understandable and I love the punishment she receives for what she did. There's still a scene that gets a great reaction from me, when Marguerite just spitefully tells Danielle how her mother is dead and Danielle just goes up to her and gives her one hell of a punch, I think that's when I fell in love with her! What strength was given to the character making the film more than just a "happily ever after" film, but a wonderful fairy tale with enjoyable characters, a wonderful romance, humor and most of all leaves you with a smile on your face.

8/10

The "real story" that Cinderella was based on

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 20 April 2015]

"Ever After: A Cinderella Story" (1998) stars Drew Barrymore as Danielle, the daughter of a wealthy commoner in 16th century France. When her father unexpectedly dies, Danielle becomes the servant girl of her arrogant stepmother (Angelica Huston). When she runs into the prince of the kingdom (Dougray Scott), he becomes captivated by her honesty, humility, wisdom and beauty. Meanwhile, her stepmother schemes to have her shallow daughter (Megan Dodds) marry the prince. Melanie Lynskey plays the younger stepsister while Patrick Godfrey plays Leonardo Da Vinci and Lee Ingleby plays Danielle's guy-friend from her youth.

This is a quality costume dramedy/romance. Shot entirely in France at no less than four châteaus (castles), as well as some sweet wilderness areas, the film is awe-inspiring just to look at. The story is a little convoluted, so you have to pay attention to keep track of what's going on. Drew shines as the protagonist and Scott is great as the prince. The movie proves that you don't have to have overt sex scenes and nudity for a film like this to be effective or successful (which it was at the box office). I also like the message concerning the idiocy of societal classes and how one of the stepsisters is actually a quality soul.

The film runs 121 minutes.

GRADE: B+

Kick-Ass Cinderella

[gbheron · 7/10 · 29 April 2000]

Cinderella kicks butt in this feminist retelling of the classic fairy tale. Orphaned as a young girl, Danielle (Cinderella) is raised by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters in rural 16th century France. After a few chance encounters with the crown prince (who falls in love with her), Danielle finds herself on a collision course with her family who have royal designs of their own. Shot on location in France, the dialogue often veers very close to preachy, but knows when to cut the politics and return to the story. And a good story it is, well acted by Drew Barrymore as Danielle, and Angelica Huston as the wicked stepmother. This one is worth the rental.

Once upon a time...

[grendelkhan · 25 March 2004]

...A filmmaker decided to do another rendition of Cinderella; and what a beautiful rendition it is!

Cinderella was always my favorite fairy tale, but this movie, at first, looked like yet another poor updating. Imagine my surprise when I watched it on video. It was beautiful, funny, thoughtful, smart, and wonderful. It brings the romance of the story fully to life and touches the heart. Sure, there are errors in history and anachronisms; but, it's a fairy tale. King Arthur wouldn't have worn plate armor, either.

Drew Barrymore delivers her best performance ever. The accent is a bit distracting, but she is consistent with it, unlike certain Robin Hood's I could name. She delivers on the promise she demonstrated as a youngster and brings those Barrymore genes to life. She handles the comedy as ably as the romance. You laugh when she first hits the Prince with an apple (pretty good shot, too!). You ache for her as her world seems to fall apart when Prince Henry learns the truth. You cheer when she renders justice to her oppressors.

Dougray Scott is a fine handsome Prince, a thinker as well as a fighter. His eyes are opened to the world he lives in by this passionate girl. Angelica Huston really adds the evil to the "evil stepmother". The rest of the supporting cast are uniformly great.

The addition of Da Vinci, if historically incorrect, is a nice twist on the Fairy Godmother. Who better to help a child of reason and enlightenment?

This is a true romance, a rare thing in today's movies, including the so-called "romantic comedies." It is a wonderful piece of work and a fine update to a classic tale.

And they lived happily ever after, indeed!

Loved - loved - LOVED this movie!

[segacs · 9/10 · 5 February 2005]

Cinderella is a timeless classic, a fairytale for all ages. And "Ever After" is pitch-perfect as an adaptation of the Cinderella story to screen.

As a fairytale, this movie follows a predictable pattern and storyline. It is sweet, light, innocent and beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. The cinematography is one of the stars here and this is a fabulous movie to watch - for the scenery, the costumes and the visual effects.

Anjelica Huston steals the show as the evil stepmother, but Drew Barrymore puts in a fine performance here, and Patrick Godfrey is wonderfully eccentric as Leonardo Da Vinci. Overall, this is not so much a movie about the acting, but it's more about the sometimes sappy, usually saccharine, but wonderfully heartfelt classic story. Instead of the magic of the original fairytale, Ever After replaces it with the "magic" of wit, humour and heart. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Funny and charming, Ever After is one of those great movies that can be watched over and over again.

Interesting re-imagined version of Cinderella, with good acting and reasonable writing

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 16 August 2006]

As this came on TV, I decided to grant it a chance, in spite of not being a great fan of fairy tales. I found it quite entertaining, even if there are maybe a few lapses in writing. The plot is quite good, and progresses nicely throughout. The pacing is fair. The dialog is well-written and equally delivered. The acting is all pretty good... it was a pleasant surprise to see Melanie Lynskey(whom I so far have only seen one other place... as Rose on Two and a Half Men, a role that doesn't require all that much talent) play a much more grounded character, and do so very well. Dougray Scott was good. Anjelica Huston portrayed the evil stepmother of the story really good. Barrymore was well-chosen for the tom-boyish lead who is not stripped of feminine traits. The humor is decent... personally, I didn't laugh much, though several of Drew's character's actions had me cheering for her. The cinematography and editing was quite good throughout. The prelude and prologue are both well-written and fit in well with the tone and direction of the film. The mood isn't too sweet and while this is a fairy tale, it still managed to entertain me(and I have never found works in that genre to be of any interest to me). The only thing I truly didn't like about this was the line near the beginning which tried to place one definite meaning upon the smile of the Mona Lisa. I refer to the marvelously talented director Stanley Kubrick, who quite eloquently and perfectly expressed why such a thing should never be done. I recommend this to fans of fairy tales and/or the actors involved. 7/10

Beautiful Love Story

[LeadingLadybug · 10/10 · 12 February 2006]

"Ever After" is a wonderfully imaginative romance. It's a classic Cinderella tale set in 16th-century France and revolves around an independent young woman named Danielle. Although she works as a servant for her stepmother, Danielle is anything but weak and subservient. She is passionate and strong-willed, qualities that lead her to the French court dressed as a wealthy courtier to save a man's life. There she meets the handsome Prince Henry, who is jaded by his suffocating royal lifestyle. He is fascinated by Danielle and her thirst for life and adventure, and they fall deeply in love - but her jealous stepmother will do anything to keep them apart.

Drew Barrymore turns in a stunning performance as Danielle. Her emotions are raw and realistic and she gives the character charm, wit, and beauty.

Anjelica Huston brings a third dimension to her role as the "evil" stepmother, who is usually just portrayed as a flat character. In this movie she is an ambitious mother who would do anything to make her own daughter a queen.

The Prince is also usually a pretty flat, cliché character, but Dougray Scott brought a refreshingly human side to him and portrayed his struggles and conflicts very well.

The script is strong for a romantic fairy tale and the cinematography is gorgeous. There is one scene in which Danielle is floating on her back in the river, a dreamy and breathtaking moment that describes her carefree nature perfectly. The music composed by George Fenton is lovely - I recommend the soundtrack for this movie too, especially "Walking On Water."

A wonderful movie for all lovers of romance! 10/10

Modern retelling

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 3 June 2020]

This film has the classic Cinderella story but with a modern twist. At times it does become a bit too blunt and implausible, with the protagonist sounding like a forced soapbox, but I still appreciated the fresh take and the story was still enjoyable.

Really enjoyed this -even 20 years later!

[lisefriis · 9/10 · 14 June 2019]

Well-written, well-acted. Beautiful location/ scenery. Musical score is outstanding - perfect period/era fit & exquisite performances. A worthwhile and entertaining movie. Drew B, Angelica H. and cast including some soon-to-be-famous colleagues never seem trite or campy, but very authentic. Comic moments & surprising twists on the traditional Cinderella story make this a gem.

Slightly Disappointed, But Oh Well

[Jjfilmeyfilm · 7/10 · 1 November 2021]

Posted on Letterboxd on August 25 2021.

To be completely honest, I was expecting better from this film

A historically accurate revision of a classic fairytale without any edgyness? Sign me right up, please; that sounds like a welcome change to the grimdark "wurh make everything edgy and evil" thing you normally see from revisions.

Well... This film delivered on that QUITE well. I'd take it any day over the average Diseaseney live action revision, adaptation etc. That's not to say it's without it's errors...

For starters, in a realistic point of view, how does a noble end up being demoted to "commoner" just because of the untimely death of a parent? Unless her title was relinquished or abdicated in some way, she'd still be a noble, the heir to the estate and it's servants at that. That didn't feel well thought out, to me. But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong in every single way and it is permissable for an unrelated stepfamily to gain the estate, but just unlikely. Thankfully, there's nothing supernatural rammed into the story.

Historical nitpicking aside, Drew Barrymore's accent, particularly in parts where her character got a bit shouty, fell apart quicker than a jenga game with polar bears. One moment she goes from speaking like the queen's goddaughter and within a femtosecond she sounds like a character from a highschool Shakespeare production. But oh well, she wouldn't have been my number one pick for this role anyway; I wasn't expecting The Godfather from her, but she did do the job surprisingly well. Dougray Scott's prince made up for the majority of my issues with her, in my opinion.

One of the movies huge redeeming factors is the costume design, particularly of Cinders and her wicked step-mother, played by the brilliant if slightly typecast Anjelica Huston. Every seam of every section of every item of clothing just manages to slide across the fine line between infectious Hollywood brilliance, and being within *relative* historic tastfulness. My particular favourite is, quite predictably, the dress that is actually worn to the ball. I won't spoil anything here, but it is quite extravagant.

So, how is it? I'd give this film a solid 6/10. I appreciate the non-edgyness of this revision, but if the choice in main role was swapped, the acting a little less hammed, plus the odd inconsistency at the start which I won't address again rewritten, I'd bump it up to 8/10. Anjelica Huston is a great and odious villain as usual, the costume design is sublime (in my opinion), plus the film doesn't overextend itself into a snore-catagory borefest; it does what it needs to do, and leaves you with a fairly enjoyable experience in mind.

Watch this if you're a romance enjoyer who wants something new, yet familiar.

Stay the hell away if you don't like soppy acting and inordinate amounts of 90s cheese.

That is all.

Two excellent actresses stuck in a mediocre "empowerment" fable

[cathyyoung1 · 5/10 · 5 June 2000]

I have absolutely no problem with a revisionist, "feminist" retelling of the Cinderella story in which the heroine is a more assertive and self-reliant character -- as long as it's well done. The problem is that "well done" is not a phrase I would use with regard to "Ever After." I suppose it's an OK movie if you're a 13-year-old girl, but it is an insult to the intelligence of any adult viewer, male or female.

The movie is ALMOST worth seeing for the wonderful performances of the radiant Drew Barrymore as Danielle (the Cinderella character) and the deliciously wicked Anjelica Huston as the stepmother, Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent. (Then again, I saw it on cable and didn't even pay the price of the rental.) But these fine talents are wasted by an inane script with banal dialogue, characters who are both improbable and trite, and absolutely no sense of historical reality.

I understand, of course, that this is not a historical film and is based on a fairy tale. Yet the filmmakers chose to move it to a concrete setting in 16th Century France, and to introduce such real-life characters as King Francois I and Leonardo da Vinci. If they do that, they should make at least a minimal effort to strive for some historical accuracy. Yet the royal couple behaves more like modern upper-middle-class American parents; what we get here is a family with all the glamour of royalty and none of its class prejudices. There's also a lot of confusion about the heroine's social status. She is repeatedly described as a commoner, yet her name is "Danielle de Barberac"; the "de" is generally a signifier of nobility. In fact, normally under the laws of that time, if the Baroness had married a commoner, she would have assumed her husband's status and become a commoner herself (and if Danielle was a commoner, so was her father).

I don't mind Cinderella being reinvented as feisty, independent or educated. However, when she is turned into an intellectual, a champion of social justice, AND an amateur athlete and swordwoman all wrapped into one ... well, that's a bit much.

*** SPOILERS AHEAD***

I can accept the scene where Danielle rescues Prince Henry from the gypsies by hoisting him on her back and walking off (after the gypsy leader promises that she can leave with anything she can carry). In fact, I don't know if the filmmakers knew this but this scene resembles an allegedly true story from the Middle Ages when a city was under siege by an enemy force, and as part of the terms of surrender, the leader of the enemy forces promised to let all the women leave town, taking away anything they could carry. The women walked out of the city carrying their husbands on their backs.

On the other hand, the scene where Danielle gets away from the evil aristocrat to whom the stepmother has sold her as a slave is simply laughable. She holds a rapier to his throat, forces him to hand over the key to the shackles he has put on her, and simply walks out of his castle free as a bird. How ridiculous. The moment the rapier wasn't at his throat anymore, he would have simply either run after her, tackled her and thrown her to the ground, or called his servants who would have grabbed her. I guess it was so important to make sure that she wasn't rescued by the prince but rescued herself that reality could fall completely by the wayside.

PERFECT!!!!!

[geisesanja · 10/10 · 17 July 2019]

This movie is pure magic. Positively perfect in every way shape or form. If you haven't seen it, please do. It is an old story with several new twists. But it doesn't matter. The characters are perfect. The direction is perfect. It's worth it's weight, and then some, in gold. Watch it with the family and learn the meaning of sacrifice. And yes, I hate to admit it but true love.

Barrymore Ever After.

[anaconda-40658 · 7/10 · 19 August 2015]

Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998): Dir: Andy Tennant / Cast: Drew Barrymore, Dougrey Scott, Angelica Huston, Richard O'Brien, Melanie Lynskey: Winning charm brought to life with enchanting set pieces, beautiful photography and a title suggesting fairy tale love. Drew Barrymore plays a slave girl who impresses the Prince yet he doesn't understand her. One of the film's finer points is that it can make you laugh so naturally. When surrounded by bandits Barrymore is given opportunity to walk away with anything she can carry, so she stoops down and hoists the bewildered Prince over her shoulder. It is moments such as this that are rewarding but unfortunately the screenplay has not enough such moments. Directed by Andy Tennant who made Fools Rush In, and given an ending that will surprise no one. Barrymore is fantastic playing this slave girl as a bold underdog. Dougrey Scott plays a great foil to her lifestyle, as the Prince who is constantly overwhelmed with her persona. Supporting characters are the pitiful one-dimensional with Angelica Huston as the wicked step-mother as well as Richard O'Brien who makes a wasted appearance. Well made in terms of production but its familiarity may hinder its overall appeal. Modernization works in the end where Barrymore doesn't necessarily encounter stagecoaches but the slipper stays in tact. Score: 7 / 10

Not Great But Not Terrible

[Aria-5 · 5/10 · 6 August 1998]

This is a rather shallow movie. If you like intelligent well thought out movies, don't go see this. Drew's character was well done but Dougray's Henry was really annoying. His constant oozing over Danielle was disgusting. There are better movies out there.

Sob!

[tsfpwde · 23 May 2001]

Isn't it what most people dream of? Prospering despite the difficulties in their lives? Finding their true love and being with him/her despite the odds?

This movie is most definitely not a retelling of the Cinderella story. It has aspects of that, the basic plotline, but a twist all its own. Gone is the pumpkin and the rats into footmen. Gone are the ugly stepsisters, the two equally horrid. No, in this one there is naturally one horrid stepsister, but the other is quite lovable. Dougray Scott is marvelously funny in his role as a Prince trying to find his way, and Angelica Huston is a brilliant evil stepmother, and Drew Barrymore makes a stunning Danielle... With other quirky characters thrown in along the way. Gustave, DaVinci, even the King and Queen are given personalities. The detail is incredible, the costumes gorgeous, and the dialogue enrapturing. This movie is counted among my most favorites, and I highly recommend it to any with a passion for romance.

Best Ever!

[Moonlyn · 10/10 · 13 February 2005]

To me this was the best remake of a fairytale ever! And I don't care if it's because I'm a girl and this is girlie material- I still loved it! Drew Barrymore personified this interpretation of Cinderella like no other. Angelica Houston was a kick ass evil stepmother. The combination of these two dynamite stars in these two classic roles created an unequaled magic. And of course let's not forget the freakishly handsome Dougray Scott who played Prince Henry. He graced the screen with a hypnotic charm that challenges any prince any day. This is my all time favourite movie. I can watch it over and over again. And I challenge any man to watch this film and understand what romance is really all about.

Angelica Huston is terrific in this new twist on the "Cinderella" legend...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 13 September 2006]

The best thing about EVER AFTER are the performances of Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott and, most of all, Angelica Huston as the deliciously evil wicked stepmother. Good chemistry between Barrymore and Scott helps keep the female fans interested in the slowly developed romantic interest, and an appreciation for costumes, settings and photography broadens the appeal for everyone else.

But it's by no means perfect. First of all, it can't make up its mind whether it's a modern parable, an old-fashioned love story, a comic soap opera or all of the above. At times the dialog has an anochronistic slant, much too modern to be spoken by characters in period costumes that look authentically medieval.

And there are portions of the film that simply sag and stay stifled until some new twist comes along. But evidently young romantics find it the answer to their dreams as long as Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott find their way toward a happy ending, even without a glass slipper. Both young players deserve meatier material but certainly have enough charm to keep the flimsy story entertaining enough.

Good

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 17 July 2021]

Easily in the top 3 or 4 hundred Cinderella remakes of all time.

Ever After...Never Before **1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 26 May 2009]

The movie has a lovely musical score.

I write never before since this version of the Cinderella classic really tries to bring in social class inequities into the mix of things. Problem is that the fairy tale is for young people basically so the message can get lost quite rapidly.

The acting kudos here really go to Anjelica Huston who really captures the role of the stepmother in the way that it was supposed to be. A baroness who looks on Drew Barrymore, her step-daughter with utter contempt and disdain, for in this version, she soon realizes that she must get rid of her created Cinderella so that her daughter, Marguerite, can marry the prince. Do I see that the other step-daughter was actually sympathetic to the Barrymore Cinderella character?

The prince's father comes off as a real idiot here. The mother, acts as a queen, and as a mother for what is in her son's best interest.

Could not stop watching

[jaredd · 10/10 · 5 July 2019]

I missed this when it came out, probably due to the negative reviews. Wow, is this film so good! Humor, romance, intelligence, action, etc. are all there and en pointe.

Intrepid heroine, an above-average Hollywood pap

[lasttimeisaw · 7/10 · 17 February 2016]

A romance-comedy retells the story of Cinderella, directed by Andy Tennant (SWEET HOME ALABAMA 2002, HITCH 2005 and FOOL'S GOLD 2008), in an attempt to revamp the fairytale with a historical context, in the early 16th century, France. A beautiful young girl Danielle (Barrymore), who is being treated as a servant by her stepmother, the baroness Rodmilla (Huston) after the sudden death of her father Auguste (Krabbé). Upon a chance meeting with Prince Henry (Scott), a romantic feeling has seized both of them, but Danielle is in her courtier disguise, in a moment of desperation, she uses her dead mother's name to hide her real identity.

While running from an arranged marriage from his parents King Francis I (West) and Queen Marie (Parfitt), Henry decides to marry the girl his heart really wants, so Rodmilla has an eye to the main chance to marry off her own daughter Marguerite (Dodds), and she has no qualms to hamper the true love between Danielle and Henry at all cost. The storyline is basically the same with the fairytale, but all the fantasy elements have been entirely trimmed off, no fairy godmother, no pumpkin carriage, even the slipper has no magic, instead, a real historical figure, Leonardo da Vinci (Godfrey) is introduced as the game-changer, with his painting MONA LISA, which was actually purchased by King Francis I.

One refreshing upgrade of the story is that Danielle's characteristic has been rendered a modern retouch, she is no longer a damsel in distress, she is the ill-fated Cinderella, but she doesn't need her knight errant to rescue her out of her misery, on the contrary, it is her who saves Henry from a gypsy mob by pluckily carrying him on her shoulder, and near the coda, it is also herself who defeats the Gothic-looking merchant Pierre Le Pieu (O'Brien) even before Henry's arrival, set side by side with Kenneth Branagh's flashier Cinderella (2015), EVERAFTER is unwaveringly innovatory to elevate its heroine out of the cliché and more modest in its art production.

So much for the good intention, the script still seems unbalanced, Marguerite's wilful turning against her mother is the work of a sophomoric writing, so is Henry's sudden change of mind, these parts are unfortunately being rushed out without thoughtful polishing. Barrymore's winsome appearance can smoothly erase viewers' memories about her problematic child-star past, and the film does revive her career, at the age of 23, she manages to pull off a second life on the big screen. This movie also marks Dougray Scott's Hollywood breakthrough, but one might argue, his sombre mien doesn't quite fit the role as an unsophisticated prince (maybe Jude Law would be a better casting choice), his Prince Henry is not dewy-eyed enough to believably amazed by Danielle's class-defying viewpoint and her extremely ample vigour for life, and his natural reserves doesn't help either.

As always, the evil stepmother is the most delectable part, and who can portray unbearable haughtiness better than the almighty Anjelica Huston? She is absolutely a hoot to watch, period. Melanie Lynskey's Jacqueline, Danielle's other step-sister, is another surprise, she is more defiant towards her mother and more sympathetic to Danielle, and wonderfully throws the last bon mot "of course not, mother, I'm here just for the food." in the otherwise bromide-laden ending.

Cinderella revisited (and revised)

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 16 March 2006]

The Cinderella tale revised (and some may say improved upon) by turning the title character into a 16th Century servant girl with a feisty spirit, an educated mind, and a fearsome right hook! Drew Barrymore vacillates between victimized puppy, coy young woman and pre-feminist challenger in the lead, convincing the Prince of France that she's of nobility while captivating him with her inner-strength; still, she's fetching, despite an uneven accent and too many movie-star close-ups of her self-conscious smile. Anjelica Huston is perfectly fine as the hissably evil stepmother (she's appropriately contemptible without stepping over into camp) and Dougray Scott is the twinkling Prince (with an over-sized codpiece which seems like a sight-gag nobody took note of). Lovely locations and production design, though the film disappoints by cheating us out of two very important moments--an escape and a ceremony--and by stretching this tale out a tad too long. ** from ****

Delightful retelling of a classic fairytale!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 20 February 2009]

This movie is beautiful, and I am not just saying that. The cinematography and costumes(especially Danielle's swan dress) was gorgeous, especially in the ballroom scene. I loved the fact that they made it 16th century, that was really clever. The music was so beautiful, that at times I was reduced to tears. Now for the characters. Drew Barrymore, with an excellent English accent, has never been more beautiful as feisty servant Danielle, and the twists Andy Tennant put in allowed the romance of her and Dougray Scott(also excellent) to shine even brighter. Angelica Huston was deliciously evil as Rodmilla the evil stepmother, and Patrick Godfrey was surprisingly good as Leonardo Da Vinci. The stepsisters were also a delight to watch. The witty dialogue had some truly funny bits, like the scene in the woods, and some tearjerkers, the death of Danielle's father. The introduction of the Grimm Brothers was also great. All in all, I highly recommend this movie to all those who love romance. 10/10. Bethany Cox

Good Try.

[Breumaster · 6/10 · 3 May 2020]

It was interesting for quite a time, but at the end it was very mediocre.

A Diane du Pothers bio?

[uruguay-2 · 3/10 · 31 October 2000]

This is supposed to be the true story of the Cinderella myth, of a young girl who married the dauphin. I supposed that this is inspirited in the Diane (Danielle?) du Pothers life, a cult dame who became the mistress (not the wife who was the famous Catherine of Medicis) of Henri II the Valois, who rule the country with him until his death in 1558. The movies recreates very well the Renacimiento ages, that includes one of the most prominent figures Leonardo Da Vinci. But there is too much boring dialogue, Danielle looks too much strong and the historical failures are evident.(for example the Spanish dynasty was a German family so they were thin and blond, not like Cuban refugees, or Thomas More wrote Utopia only five years before Da Vinci Disease, so how Danielle could read that book when she was a child, Queen Mary was Charles the V sister, and was the step mother not the mother of the dauphin, also I can not remember if France have lands in America at that time etc). I prefer one hounded more time Disney magical and charming movie, thing that here does not appear. However the cast was good. The best performance was made by Angelica Houston, a very versatile actress who needs more important roles. There is also good Dougray Scott as the prince, and in her little moments Melanie Lynskey (the perfidy girl of Heavenly Creatures). Even I still think that Kate Winslet was the best option for the role, Drew Barrymore looks beautiful, and her performance is not bad, more than that she convinced as the goody heroine, this movie is a kind of lucrative Hollywood redemption to an ex bad girl. I give to this boring movie a three for their performances and the age reconstrution..