Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Andy Tennant directed this Cinderella variant. The Brothers Grimm arrive at the home of a wealthy Grande Dame (Jeanne Moreau) who speaks of the many legends surrounding the fable of the ... See full summary »

Director:

Andy Tennant

Writers:

Susannah Grant (screenplay), Andy Tennant (screenplay)

Stars:

Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott

6 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Drew Barrymore	...	Danielle
Anjelica Huston	...	Rodmilla
Dougray Scott	...	Prince Henry
Patrick Godfrey	...	Leonardo
Megan Dodds	...	Marguerite
Melanie Lynskey	...	Jacqueline
Timothy West	...	King Francis
Judy Parfitt	...	Queen Marie
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Auguste
Lee Ingleby	...	Gustave
Kate Lansbury	...	Paulette
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Louise
Walter Sparrow	...	Maurice
Jeanne Moreau	...	Grande Dame
Anna Maguire	...	Young Danielle

Storyline

Andy Tennant directed this Cinderella variant. The Brothers Grimm arrive at the home of a wealthy Grande Dame (Jeanne Moreau) who speaks of the many legends surrounding the fable of the cinder girl before telling the "true" story of her ancestor. In flashback, the story then focuses on eight-year-old Danielle, daughter of a wealthy widower, a 16th-century landowner. After returning to France with his new wife Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) and her two daughters, he dies of a heart attack. Ten years later, Danielle (Drew Barrymore) is now treated as a servant by the trio. Fortunately, she has an encounter with Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), who is fleeing an arranged marriage. Later, when Danielle poses as a Lady, the Prince takes an interest in her. Inventor-artist Leonardo Da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey), accepting the French court's patronage, offers advice to Prince Henry on matters of the heart.

---

Plot Keywords:

cinderella | fairy tale | leonardo da vinci | strong woman | stepsister stepsister relationship | 

---

Taglines:

Desire. Defy. Escape.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for momentary strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Fox [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cinderella

Filming Locations:

Chateau de la Roussie, 24200 Proissans, Sarlat-la-Caneda, Dordogne, France

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,526,904, 2 August 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$65,705,771

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$32,299,895

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jude Law and Jonny Lee Miller turned down the role of Prince Henry.

---

Goofs

In the market scene, Marguerite introduces their servants to the prince and he replies that he'd love to meet them. A noblewoman would never think to introduce her servants to a prince and the prince would never refer to them as "ladies," since that term was used only for nobility and not for any group of women, as in modern terminology.

---

Quotes

[looking at the books in the Franciscan monastery]
Danielle: It makes me want to cry.
Henry: Pick one.
Danielle: I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens.
Henry: What is it that touches you so?
Danielle: I suppose it is because when I was young my father would stay up late and read to me. He was addicted to the written word and I would fall asleep listening to the sound of his voice.
Henry: What sort of books?
Danielle: Science, philosophy... I suppose they remind me of him. He died when I was eight. Utopia was the last book he brought home...
Henry:
Danielle:
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

While the theatrical version was rated PG-13, the VHS version was edited to remove three swear words in order to be suitable for a PG rating. The DVD and Blu-ray versions are uncut.

---

Connections

Featured in David Walliams' Awfully Good: Awfully Good Movies (2011)

---

Soundtracks

Canarios
Composed by Robert Foster
Courtesy of KPM Music Ltd.

User Reviews

Loved - loved - LOVED this movie!

Cinderella is a timeless classic, a fairytale for all ages. 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. It is sweet, light, innocent and beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. 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. Overall, this is not so much a movie about the acting, but it's more about the sometimes sappy, usually saccharine, but wonderfully heartfelt classic story. Instead of the magic of the original fairytale, Ever After replaces it with the "magic" of wit, humour and heart. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Funny and charming, Ever After is one of those great movies that can be watched over and over again.