Ella Enchanted is yet another twist on the Cinderella story with elements of The Sleeping Beauty and a bit of Shrek thrown in. While it would be enjoyable to younger children, it has humor that older children, teens, and adults will enjoy. To get The Sleeping Beauty aspect going from the first, Ella is born in the village of Frell to her titled parents who are in reduced circumstances. As is the custom, Ella’s mother wants the fairies who live nearby to give the baby gifts. Unfortunately, a rather dizzy-dame and haughty fairy gives Ella the gift of obedience. Even more unfortunately, the gift is unlimited—anything Ella is told to do, by anyone, she must do. Her mother and their house fairy (well-played by Minnie Driver) keep the gift a secret. Ella’s mother dies when Ella is a little girl. When Ella (the beautiful and talented Anne Hathaway) is in her late teens, her father remarries, telling Ella that her stepmother has money he needs and he has a title she wants. He immediately leaves on a long series of business trips. Ella’s stepmother and her two daughters disapprove of the house and Ella. The older stepsister doesn’t take long to figure out Ella’s “gift” or curse or whatever. When the three girls go to the grand opening of a mall, the stepsisters order Ella to shoplift (including a pair of glass slippers). Ella begs them not to make her steal, even as her body marches to do whatever they order. The mall’s grand opening features Prince Charmant, whose father died some years ago and whose uncle has been regent until a coronation ceremony and ball to be held tomorrow night. As Ella is walking home (she was caught shoplifting but perhaps excused because it was her first offense?), Prince Charmant catches up with her and, because she is the only girl who doesn’t swoon at the sight of him, he immediately takes an interest in her. One of the funny aspects of the movie is the import of aspects of the future—Charmant has a screaming fan club of girls, he mentions Medieval Teen magazine, and the music can be from any era. Ella goes to search for her fairy godmother and undo the spell. After she meets elves and ogres, all of whom have grievances and hate the Brothers Grimm, Prince Charmant saves her life, and together they meet a party of giants. Ordered to entertain, Ella has a terrific voice, we learn. She seems surprised, too. (Anne Hathaway does her own singing.) Finally, Ella and Charmant reach the castle and Ella’s secret is discerned by another person, whose orders, if she can’t avoid them, will cause Ella to destroy the kingdom, the prince, and her best hope for living Happily Ever After. The movie is clean and funny, although not a heavyweight, and everything about it is so firmly tongue-in-cheek that even the few people who supposedly get hurt or killed are happily dancing at the end (except a sort-of scary talking snake named Heston). Will Ella find her fairy godmother? Will the spell be undone? Will love conquer all? Hope so.
|
Movie Search
|
|||||||||||||||
 | ||||||
