Nevertheless, it's two stars, Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston, did win awards for their acting (not at the Oscars, but at other award ceremonies), which were well deserved because both women are terrific. Ms. Barrymore is the perfect Cinderella (Disney's 1950 animated version notwithstanding), although in this tale she is known as Danielle. And Ms. Huston (The Royal Tenenbaums, Mists Of Avalon) is perfectly mean, in a delectable sort of way, as the step mother. As with the Brothers Grimm version, there is no fairy godmother in the story; but there is Leonardo da Vinci, who, in my opinion, serves a much better purpose: he provides magic without it being unbelievable, and it is Patrick Godfrey (The Count Of Monte Cristo) who does the honors. I mean, pumpkins turning into coaches and mice becoming footmen? What was Charles Perrault, the 18th Century inventor of those fantastic elements, thinking?!

Prince Henry, who is smitten by and then pursues Cinderella, is played by newcomer Dougray Scott. (He later starred in Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde and The Ten Commandments.) Scott does an admirable job balancing swashbuckling tendencies with boredom. It is his boredom that Cinderella challenges. She can't believe how complacent he is, considering how much responsibility he will have as the future king of France; and he can't get over how passionate, committed and alive she is. Writers Susannah Grant, Andy Tennant and Rich Parks have done something at which most modern screenwriters fail miserably: they've given us a compelling story about characters that are full of wit and charm, whom we honestly care about, and whose fortunes are in the balance until the very end.

Like most classic fairy tales, Cinderella contains a timeless lesson that we never tire of hearing: that virtue wins over circumstances. Even though Cinderella is persecuted by her step mother and one of her step sisters, she overcomes this through perseverance, her concern for other people and her love of life and living. I like this version of the tale far better than Perrault's, which uses magic to rescue Cinderella, and is therefore difficult to relate to real life; and that of the Brothers Grimm, which contains some very grim elements indeed (like the step sisters cutting off parts of their feet in order to fit them into the glass slipper, and birds pecking out their eyes), making it equally unbelievable.

Cinderella has been made into countless stage and screen productions, including the 1957 Rogers and Hammerstein TV musical starring Julie Andrews; the 1965 TV musical starring Lesley Ann Warren; and Stephen Sondheim's 1987 stage musical, Into The Woods, starring Bernadette Peters (based on the Grimm version and encompassing other fairy tales as well) - not to mention all the operas and ballets. But this latest version is, in my opinion, one of the best.

The director of Ever After, Andy Tennant, has done a remarkable job weaving all the fascinating elements of both story and production together. Even more remarkable is the fact that most of his work has been for television, and this does have a certain made-for-television feel to it. But not only is it far, far better than most made-for-television movies, it out-shines most theatrical films. As a comparison, I think most viewers will find it to be at least one star better than Princess Bride, a film that is similar only in its storybook nature. I actually found myself reminded of First Knight more than any other film; although, again, this one is far better. For a good story that will capture your imagination and heart, and which the whole family can enjoy, Ever After is a charmer.



Waitsel Smith, March 11, 2009

Text © 2009 Waitsel Smith. Images © 1998 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.