Film | Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Production Year : 1998
Certificate (UK): PG
Running Time: 121mins
Directors: Andy Tennant
Cast : Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston and Dougray Scott, for more on this film click here.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm137010688/tt0120631

'Once upon a time there was a young girl who loved her father very much' is how most fairytales begin. This one however begins with an elegant old lady, talking to two young men, she proceeds to inform them of the 'real story' of the glass slipper. 

Our tutors asked us to read some books over the summer and one of the books was called.... Collection of Grimm Tales by the Brother's Grimm. It is one book with several versions of lots of different classic fairy tales. The Cinderella story in the book however is called 'Ashputtle'. 

Cinderella is a strong character, not meek or polite as we would probably expect in this film. Drew Barrymore, plays Danielle de Barbarac, is smart, polite, loyal and strong. In fact the first time she meets the Prince she infers that he is 'arrogant'.  A very different meeting than Grimm and Walt Disney's interpretation. Although it does have a slight playfulness to it Cinderella is more witted and far less 'girly' and 'meek'.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/471752129687157599/

 The Prince is put across to us quite differently again. He is introduced quite early on, he is the one who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, slightly accident prone. One main aspect of this film that interests me most is that the Prince seems to be as big of a character as Danielle de Barbarac (Cinderella). Regular fairy tales seem to introduce the Prince later on in the film, show him as a small part of the story and he is really, properly shared with the audience once the female character grows as a person and realises she can do things for herself, instead of for others. 

'Ugly Step Sisters', 'tweedle dee and dum' as some have referred to them as, are slightly different from what we would expect. For example in this story there are a few variations for the stories we all might have heard  1. they aren't ugly, 2. they are as thick as how they are portrayed in the books and 3. they aren't the same in personality, one is more sympathetic and kind whilst the other seems to have gained all the jealousy and 'ugly' heart. Marguerite is favoured by her mother, perhaps this is why they are different in personality. Jacqueline is a fresh relief for this story, she appears to have a better understanding than her sister and even her mother. Jacqueline isn't blind to her mothers actions, she appears to be a bit sympathetic to Danielle. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/181410691209799294/

I feel that the way in which this film has been taken is rather enjoyable, I enjoy the twist on the classic fairy tale. It is stuck in a time zone however which I feel that Walt Disney's version isn't restricted too. I love the concept of this Cinderella and think it is a good balance to the character. The costumes were beautiful, even when Cinderella wear's her servants clothes.
I like the film and I could sit down a watch this again, however I do not feel, for me anyway, that it is a film I could watch over and over again. I would watch it again but instead of having it on DVD I'd rather enjoy it whilst it's on TV.


The pictures are not my own, the links as to where I found them can be found below the pictures as a hyper-link.

Lottie xo