PRINCESS CARABOO 1994
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1997 Timothy Voon
Cast: Phoebe Cates, Wendy Hughes, Jim Broadbent, Kevin Kline, Stephen Rea, John Lithgow Director: Michael Austin Screenplay: Michael Austin and John Wells
"A princess of royal blood Caraboo she. Descended from dynasty upon dynasty of South Javanese Royalty. Who ruled the waves of the Pacific Seas; and through evil's twisted fate, our princess be captured by an evil pirate of no name. Escaped she did, by miracle's untwisted hand and thrown upon the green shores of Jerusalem (England), that unfriendly land. Bearing only the clothes she wore, with only a few silver pieces to spare the poor. So this wretched child of Caraboo our lives plead, help me, love me, mercy. Not English, nor Spanish or Hindi speak. Who is this girl full of mystery? She is Princess Caraboo." From 'The Forgotten Annals of Rare Princesses' by T.M.T. Voon.
So the question which is nicely posed to the viewer throughout the movie is - Is Princess Caraboo, who has been accepted whole heartedly into England's highest social circles, truly a princess of the bluest blood, or is she merely the greatest con artist of her time? I'll give you a clue below.
"Give me a turban, or give me a name. Paint a tattoo on my arse and you can call me Prince Voondavoodaloo. I speak no English, or so I claim, but I can say 'Attoya Matoolie Estromish Zardoo', which in my language means 'God Be With You'. So throw me a party, or show me around. I know how to have a good time, all I have to do is smile. I am a prince of the truest blood, or so I claim. I am after all the prince of my heart." From 'The Forgettable Annals of Jerky Princes' by T.M.T Voon
As a film directed towards the family audience, I would say this works. Not a great fan of any film which claims to be a family film, I have to say that this film isn't bad; and since it brought smiles to my parent's faces, who give it two thumbs up, I'll refrain from being nasty.
What we have here is a tale of unprecedented imagination. Also a tale of self-belief. Like 'The Little Princess' which claims that every little girl is as special as a princess, so 'Caraboo' follows this same message to the end. For those of you who get a little sensitive over gender equality and equal opportunities, and since the rec.arts.movies.reviews seems to be overpopulated by politically conscious males, yes, every little boy can also be a prince.
Princess Feel Scale: 0% Princess Diana / *PRINCESS CARABOO* / Sleeping Beauty 100%
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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