EverAfter

Plot synopsis:
In 19th century France, a Grande Dame (Jeanne Moreau) summons The Brothers Grimm (Joerg Stadler and Andy Henderson) to correct their interpretation of the Cinderella story. The Grande Dame reveals a glass slipper and tells them the "true" story of Danielle de Barbarac.
Her story begins in the 16th-century. Danielle is eight years old when her father, Auguste de Barbarac (Jeroen Krabbé), marries the widow Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent (Anjelica Huston). He dies shortly after, leaving Danielle at the mercy of her step-mother. For the next ten years, Danielle (Drew Barrymore) acts as a household servant as the Baroness mismanages the estate into disrepair.
While working outside early one morning, Danielle attempts to stop a man from stealing one of her family's horses. This man turns out to be Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), attempting to flee his royal responsibilities and an arranged marriage. He buys Danielle's silence with gold and continues to flee only to have his escape foiled when he chooses to assist a caravan being robbed by gypsies. The Royal Guard arrives, helps the caravan, and returns Henry to the Palace.
Danielle uses the gold from the prince to disguise herself as nobility and buy back a long-term family servant sold by the Baroness to pay her debts. While at the palace, Danielle encounters the Prince again. He does not recognize her from earlier and is instantly intrigued by her. Henry and Danielle-in-disguise have several other chance encounters, during which they fall in love.
The King decrees that Prince Henry must choose a bride before a masquerade ball or follow through with his arranged marriage. Rodmilla discovers Danielle and Henry's romance and attempts to destroy it by informing the queen that Danielle is engaged and leaving the country. She then locks Danielle up to prevent her from attending the ball. Danielle manages to escape with the help of her friends and attends the ball anyway. While there, Rodmilla exposes Danielle's identity as a servant to Henry. Shocked and angry, Henry rejects Danielle.
After the ball, the Baroness sells Danielle to their landowner. Henry chooses to go through with his arranged marriage. During the wedding, Henry realizes his fiancee is incredibly unhappy and calls off the wedding. He then learns of Danielle's situation and goes to rescue her, only to find out she has rescued herself. He then proposes using the glass shoe she lost when fleeing from the ball.
In the end, the Baroness and her daughters are summond to the Royal Court and punished accordingly for their treatment of Danielle and for lying to the Queen. Henry and Danielle live happily ever after according to the Grand Dame, who then informs the Brothers Grimm that Danielle was her great-great-grandmother.

Tags: romantic, fantasy, comedy, boring

Review:
...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.
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!.
Finding their true love and being with him/her despite the odds?This movie is most definitely not a retelling of the Cinderella story.
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...
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.
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.
It's a classic Cinderella tale set in 16th-century France and revolves around an independent young woman named Danielle.
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.
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.
I like the movie because Danielle (Cinderella's "real" name) wins the prince because she is passionate, outspoken, well-read, and won't take nonsense from anyone!
I really like the fact that Danielle makes her own dreams come true instead of hoping they will turn out right - what a wonderful role model (I know *I * am inspired!)  I laughed and cried and bit my fingernails (I am NOT supposed to bite my fingernails) and crumpled the napkins for the popcorn into hopeless little balls.
Drew Barrymore plays a great and convincing Cinderella, or as Margerite called her, "Cinder Girl".
The thing that really made me want to see this movie is what Drew Barrymore said in one of her interviews.."It's so wonderful, because all girls love Cinderella.
And, also the fact that her heart and her mind is what is attractive and intriguing to this wonderful prince, and not the way she looks."Drew Barrymore played a great Cinderella..
When I first went to see this movie in the theatre, I was very skeptical as I'm not a Drew Barrymore fan but she absolutely shines as Danielle and has great chemistry with Dougray Scott as the handsome and funny Prince Henry.
Orphaned as a young girl, Danielle (Cinderella) is raised by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters in rural 16th century France.
And a good story it is, well acted by Drew Barrymore as Danielle, and Angelica Huston as the wicked stepmother.
I believe that Drew Barrymore gave life to that love we all would like to feel for one day for someone an impossible love combined with pain and real truth of the heart.
When I finished watching this wonderful film, I thought that I had seen one of the best movies released this summer!
Drew Barrymore is tremendously appealing in the lead role, Dougray Scott is a refreshing new face that I am anxious to see again in other roles, and Anjelica Huston was terrific as the stepmother, not entirely wicked, but certainly faithful to the tale.
I really liked how the prince of France gets intrigued by her upfront personality as she "tells it how it is."  It's a good inspiration to those who don't fit in because it encourages them to take stands toward change.
much better than i expected, especially for someone who never liked cinderella in the first place.true, the script wasn't very original and sounds quite contrived at parts, but point is, it's really enjoyable to watch while you're in the cinema.never mind if there's not a lot to scream about when you want to scrutinise production fine points later.
we could nitpick on realism and detail, but my guess is this movie wanted more to be a good story than a period piece.a few exquisite subtleties were missed even by some of the audience.
one of them is the quick flash of pained confusion that crossed Rodmilla's features when her dying husband had last words of love only for his daughter.conclusion: this movie - like the heroine - was funny as well as beautiful, had loads of impulsive guts, and created the most responsive cinema audience (you should have heard this crowd cheer, clap and how one guy shouted "Way to go, sister!") i've had the pleasure of being with in a long time.quite a catch :).
And it's visually pleasant (it's not just New Zealand that has great scenery), & it's anchored by Drew Barrymore, who is surprisingly cute with an (occasionally laboured) English accent, and Dougray Scott, who wins the ultimate accolade from me - I didn't recognise him till I saw the credits at the end of the film.Yes, it's a romance.
If this girl is capable of kicking a guy's butt near the end of the movie then this same girl should've been capable of kicking her stepfamily to the curb...but then again, we wouldn't have the Cinderella story that is the whole point of this film.I absolutely hated Prince Henry and it's hard to believe that anyone could fall for him (or that he could suddenly have a change of heart in a split second).
And yeah there is the issue of characters that are supposed to be French but have English accents, but when you're making a film targeted toward teenage girls, I guess these filmmakers thought they could get away with just about anything.As for me I found this interpretation of Cinderella to be so boring and lifeless I couldn't care less.
Her evil stepmother Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) has reduced Danielle (Drew Barrymore) to little more than a maid after the death of her father.
Prince Henry (Dougray Scott) can't stand his home, and runs into Danielle one day as well as Leonardo da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey) rescuing his Mona Lisa painting.
Leonardo would be the fairy godmother.Drew Barrymore is doing a weird British accent in a costume drama taking place in 16th century Italy.
The story itself is good triumphing over evil just like the fairy tale..
Drew Barrymore puts on a spectacular performance, it is in my opinion one of her best films so far.
"Ever After: A Cinderella Story" (1998) stars Drew Barrymore as Danielle, the daughter of a wealthy commoner in 16th century France.
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).
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.
Hence, the actors do a very good job, especially Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Megan Dodds (who plays as if born and raised to that part) and Melanie Lynskey.
Drew Barrymore leads the 90s feminist revolution in what is one of her top performances as "Danielle" (not Cinderella, although her character is identical).
I think having only one wicked step-sister made the film more balanced as to have only the Prince and Danielle herself the "good" characters would have placed completely the wrong tone, as the nature/nurture debate would have given lie to that situation.
Dougray Scott made a great Prince (slightly wobbly english accent aside), he looked the part and certainly managed to convey emotional depths to the role which is usually sidelined to that of beefcake.
Their feelings are so real and so intense that every time I watch the movie I find it hard to believe that they are not really in love with each other but just acting.
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).
Well, it is a fairy story, (sort-of), with an awful step- mother(Huston), and step-sisters, one of whom looks so much like the main character Danielle (Barrymore) that I had difficulty connecting with either!
The other sister is blonde, and instantly recognisable.Prince Henry (Dougray Scott) is the star of this movie for me, although the others get the main billing.
The film is an adventure film based on a fairy tale.The main character in the movie named Danielle de Barbarac that is Cinderella.
For adults, it can be fun to see a version of the movie they have seen so many times and for children it can fit to the holders of love, princesses, princes and castles.
Yes; this movie is chock full of anachronisms, although I'll paraphrase David Drake in saying that this film was intended for modern-day English speaking audiences, and so it ought not be astonishing that the characters neither affect faux French accents nor speak bastardized Ren Faire "forsoothly" language.
This 1998 movie is a delightful take on the Cinderella fairy tale, largely due to the personality and talent of Drew Barrymore who effortlessly blends innocence and feistiness as Danielle de Barbarac who, after her father dies, is downgraded to a servant by her harsh and greedy stepmother (Angelica Houston).
Also in attendance of course are two stepsisters (Megan Dodds and Melanie Lynskey) though they are far from ugly, and the latter has quite a lot of sympathy with poor put-upon Danielle.Enter a handsome, dashing Prince Charming, in the form of 16th century real-life Henri (Dougray Scott), son of the French King, Francois I (Timothy West).
I really loved this movie.Drew Barrymore gives a bravado performance as Danielle-innocent,fragile,yet strong enough to stand up for herself and her dreams.Her performance is only matched by the dashing,charming Prince Henry.The two undoubtedly have great on screen chemistry and make a fantastic couple.The film itself has a magical,fairytale-like theme to it.The costumes,sets were totally convincing and add to the appeal.I maybe a sucker for happy endings but after watching the movie,I think everyone will agree-it was really heartwarming.Dougray Scott makes a fine prince-philosophical,romantic,brave and open to the possibilties of love.Great movie,5 out of 5 stars.Keep them coming!!.
This movie show the "true" story of Cinderella, and i think it's a great movie for any classic fairy tale lover..
I own about 15 different types of Cinderella stories:)I am not a huge fan of Drew Barrymore, But this is one of the 2 roles I love her in.
not to mention a strong Cinderella for once; Not the girl waiting for her prince to come "save" her :)  Besides, Dougray Scott is just awsome!My Favorite line...
A masterpiece in film making and definitely the best portrayal of the Cinderella story..
What can I say but I loved this movie and cannot wait to see it again.The story itself was reworked with excceptional skill providing a mix of entertainment, humour and romance that didn't make the viewer want to retch.
Top marks to Drew, Angelica and the rest of the cast for an outstanding performance.All in all a thouroughbly enjoyable movie that makes you want to strive for the unattainable and instills in the viewer a sense of belief that wonderful things can happen in the world..
it is a more realistic adaption of the story cinderella rather than the fairy tale version.
Anjelica Huston who played the evil stepmother Rodmilla showed her colors by making you so angry at how she treats Danielle (Drew Barrymore) that you just want to walk up to the screen and punch her lights out.
All in all Ever After is a wonderful movie and it does do justice for the Cinderella Story because it is enough different that it doesn't harm the original.
Such a joy is "Ever After," a charming re-working of the Cinderella story.This is definitely not your mother's "Cinderella."  The heroine--here called Danielle and played appealingly by Drew Barrymore--is still good-hearted and sweet, but balances this with resourcefulness and courage.
Said prince (Dougray Scott), rather than being an impossibly perfect, remote cipher, is a strong presence throughout the film--passionate, determined, a little arrogant, and truly charming.
To my pleasant surprise, it was totally unnecessary.The acting was good, the plot was clever, the script EXCELLENT, with Drew Barrymore having some wonderful lines...Some parts are dubious from a perfectly logistical perspective, for example, why does everyone have English accents (occasionally wobbly, too) in France?
I love the way this movie changes the story of Cinderella and makes it into a possiblity.
Well, I expected to like this movie as I think Drew Barrymore is a really good actress (anyone who doesn't think so re-watch E.T.
If only all politicians would listen to what she has to say to Prince Henry, maybe we'd be in a better state than we are now.I really loved this movie and recommend it to anyone who (a) loves Drew Barrymore, (b) loves romantic movies, or (c) just wants to see a brilliant film..
The film is stunningly gorgeous, with a perfect cast and a great script which turns a story line that has been done to death into an original, fresh work.
And how sweet was her revenge.Drew Barrymore made this character come alive with her wonderful acting skill.
This movie relies on a tried and true story line as the strong link holding this film up - thefairy tale story of boy finding and falling in love with girl.
She pulled off a mediocre performance but the character was such a charming one and Drew Barrymore really is a talented actress- Danielle really could have been a GREAT character instead of just a good one.
the cast was just excellent -- drew barrymore was perfect as danielle ("cinderella"'s real name in this story), and this is undoubtedly one of her best performances ever.
dougray scott was very impressive as prince henry, and anjelica huston couldn't have played the "wicked stepmother" better.
If you think that its impossible to make the Cinderella story engaging, see this movie!
A retelling of the old Cinderella fairytale, this is the story of Danielle, the noble girl forced into servitude by her stepmother after her father's death.
You never know, one day he may not come back for her and she could be stuck in that corner forever.In this film, Drew Barrymore does a credible job as Danielle, although she does seem to flounder a bit with the rather odd accent.
I particularly liked the awful stepsister Marguerite, nice to see the bad girl as a blonde and the heroine a brunette.This is one of those films that does not particular warrant a second viewing, although could be a good choice when you are at the video store and just can't decide, but wanting something reliable..
Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott, and Anjelica Huston are great in this movie.
Drew Barrymore plays Danielle De Barbarac, a young woman who after losing her loving father (Who she very close with.) is made a servant by her new stepmother.
I was skeptical at first about this film as I'm not really into period dramas or fairy tales and I did wonder how Drew Barrymore would come over.
This film shows she has come along way from the drug and alcohol rehabilitation and her B-movie bad girl roles.
"Ever After" is a great movie, starring Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott.
Anyhow, this is a wonderful, well-made film, and, though Drew Barrymore is not my favorite, is really a "don't miss"..
This is by far the best adaptation of the Cinderella story I have ever seen.The two ugly sisters are not ugly but both very pretty, but of course the show is stolen by Drew Barrymore herself, playing a determined young lady who strives to do good.Clearly this is the kind of movie Drew should be doing more of.
I had just seen "Never Been Kissed" about the time that I saw this story and have come to the conclusion that Drew must like the tale of Cinderella.
I do disagree with a couple of comments from someone about young girls who love Titanic will be the only ones to love this movie apparently- not true at all- and that Drew Barrymores English accent was not convincing.
Drew Barrymore is outstanding as Danielle, and you really feel for her when her horrid stepmother, played by the ever excellent Angelica Huston, is being cruel to the poor girl.
Overall, this is a lovely movie, with the wicked stepmother and the prince.