I love the "Faerie Tale Theatre" series! I finally obtained several episodes last May through the z-shops at amazon.com. Among the fifteen that I have purchased "The Princess and the Pea" is one of my top three favorites (following "Little Red Riding Hood" at #1 and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" following in place at #3). Oscar-winner* Liza Minelli is PERFECT as Princess Alicia and Tom Conti makes for a lovable, "mixed-up" Prince Richard. Rounding out the cast are Tim Kazurinsky as the comic court Fool, Oscar-winner* Beatrice Straight is delicious as the control-freak Queen Veronica and Pat McCormick as the cuckoo-headed King Frederico (referred to his wife as "Fredicans"). A nice added touch is the opening and closing of the film which takes place in a museum where McCormack and Straight play a married couple who discover the famous pea inside a glass case and Kazurinsky, playing a museum guard tells them the tale of how it became famous. The costumes and sets are beautifully designed and the acting and the script are 100% first rate!!! Although it is currently discontinued from video it is soon to be made available hopefully within a year or two. In the meantime, it can still be rented in video stores and I sincerely suggest it to anyone who has seen at least three episodes of this remarkable series!!!
*Minelli, 1972-Best Actress, "Cabaret"; Straight, 1976- Best Supporing Actress, "Network"
*Minelli, 1972-Best Actress, "Cabaret"; Straight, 1976- Best Supporing Actress, "Network"