Ever After (1998) 3 stars out of 4. Starring Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott and Anjelica Huston.
It seems the Brothers Grimm - as well as all the other writers of fairy tales - had it all wrong.
No fairy godmother, no magical pumpkins turning into carriages. Nope, it was pure spunk, resilience, honesty and Leonardo Da Vinci who won Cinderella her prince.
Only her name wasn't Cinderella, it was Danielle. At least that's the way the story goes in Ever After.
Danielle was the daughter of a French nobleman. When her beloved father remarries, he brings Danielle the mother she never had, as well as two stepsisters.
However, shortly after his remarriage Danielle's father dies, and her stepmother, Rodmilla, while not necessarily wicked, turns out to be less than kind to her new stepdaughter.
Director Andy Tennant, who co-wrote the screenplay with Susannah Grant and Rick Parks, has turned the Cinderella legend on its ear.
Call this a PC fairy tale, with a pinch of Gloria Steinem.
Danielle may be a damsel in distress, but she is no weakling. She's more 16th-century Xena, Warrior Princess than a Snow White. She can ride, handle a sword, is well-educated (her favorite book is Thomas More's Utopia) and is not afraid to speak her mind. She believes in the rights of the individual and that all men - and women - are equal.
As portrayed by Drew Barrymore, Danielle is an outspoken, strong-willed young woman who, while working in and around the manor house like a servant, is savvy enough to know when to yield and when to get in the face of her stepmom.
Barrymore is most appealing, and while she is no beauty, she radiates an honesty and frankness that is most appealing. It is easy to understand how she could attract the eye of any man, especially a prince.
Dougray Scott is handsome as Prince Henry, the nobleman smitten by Danielle's outrageous ideas, her passion for life and her frankness.
As Rodmilla, Anjelica Huston gives a deliciously evil comic performance. It borders on campiness but falls short of crossing that fine line.
Her portrayal is very similar to Sigourney Weaver's performance as the evil stepmom in the revisionist Snow White: A Tale of Terror that aired on the Showtime cable channel earlier this year.
Patrick Godfrey is an eccentric Leonardo, reminding one of Desmond Llewelyn's "Q" from the James Bond movies.
The lush French countryside, plus a soothing score by George Fenton adds to the pleasure of this modern retelling of an old bedtime story.
Ever After offers wit and charm. It's colorful, enjoyable and tame enough for the entire family.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at cbloom@iquest.net
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