ELLA ENCHANTED
US, 2004, 103 minutes, Colour.
Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancey, Carey Elwes, Patrick Bergen, Joanna Lumley, Steve Coogan, Aiden Mc Ardle, Viveca A. Fox, Lucy Punch.
Directed by Tommy O’ Haver.
2004 seems to have been a year for a Hollywood obsession with royalty and Cinderella stories. Not only was there The Prince and Me, The Princess Diaries 2, there was A Cinderella Story. And Ella Enchanted (with Anne Hathaway of The Princess Diaries having another bout with fairy tales).
This Cinderella variation is quite good fun. It is in the vein of that very amusing spoof of fairy tales, The Princess Bride. This one is not so sharp or smart but, taken with a grain of salt, it is good fun.
Poor Ella starts life with a blessing (or curse) that she will obey every order she is given. This proves difficult at school, but is worse when her mother dies and father (Patrick Bergin) brings home an ugly stepmother (Joanna Lumley in her Patsy, Ab Fab, style) and two stepsisters (Lucy Punch is excellent as the older, presumptuous one). Hugh Dancey is Char – Prince Charmont – who has to learn to be a humane prince, especially when his wicked uncle wants the kingdom with its singing elves, worker giants and ugly ogres. Who should be the wicked uncle but Cary Elwes, who all those years ago was Westley who married the princess bride. One can grow old and smile (said Hamlet) and then be a villain.
Sets are enjoyable though the special effects look like smaller budget work. Still, there is Eric Idle as the narrator, Steve Coogan as the evil adviser, Aiden Mc Ardle who wants to be a lawyer instead of an elf that sings, Jimi Mistry as a face in a mirror and Minnie Driver as Ella’s aunt. Speaking of singing, there is a musical turn as Ella sings ‘Somebody to Love’ and there is an old-fashioned finale with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’.
It has all the makings of being turned into a stage pantomime for Christmas.
1.The Princess Bride tradition, the fairy tale, the modern take on the fairy tale, the comic tone, ironies, parallels, fun? The quality of this film in this tradition – but not quite as sharp?
2.The intended audience, children, girls, parents? Characters and incidents and comedy for each?
3.The title, the Cinderella story, audience expectations, the parallels, the breaking of the parallels? The enchanted and spell?
4.The voice-over, Eric Idle as the Common Man, his verse, his tongue-in-cheek approach, the humour, the various jobs and his various appearances?
5.The mediaeval setting, the fairy tale, nobility, the commoners, the prince, the bad uncle? The elves, the giants and ogres? Wars, tyrants, magic? Social justice issues? And all treated in an up-to-date style with historical fans, malls and moving escalators…?
6.The range of songs, the musical score, the modern tone, Ella’s song, the grand finale with ‘Don't Go Breaking My Heart’?
7.Ella, her birth, the fairy coming and giving her the gift of obedience, her mother and aunt, in attendance, their not wanting the gift? The father, his poverty, having to travel to make ends meet? Ella growing up, obedient to everything, the spell taking her over despite her mind and heart? At school, with her friends? The fairy disappearing and needing to be found? Her mother dying, bequeathing her the wisdom that her own personality was within? The father going on his work, marrying again, the ugly stepmother and her daughters?
8.The marriage, the character of the father, the ugly stepmother, Joanna Lumley’s style, the sisters and their ugliness, taking the closet space, throwing things out, wanting everything? Their being fans of Prince Char? The mother and the plan, their being anti-Ella? The stepmother and her fostering her daughters, condemning Ella – and the comedy of her final facelift?
9.Ella, nice, her friendship and the girls getting rid of the friendship and forcing her to be sent away? Her aunt, her devotion to her niece? Hattie and using the obedience? The awkwardness for Ella, doing the opposite of what she wanted – and the comic style – freezing in mid-air…?
10.The uncle as the villain, Char and his coming home from education, his going to be crowned, the girls as hysterical fans as of a rock star, his approach, not wanting the adulation? The sisters and their being the biggest fans, Hattie and her throwing herself at Char?
11.The character of the uncle, the snake in his voice, the sinister plans, the revelation of the past, his killing Char’s father, bringing up Char, welcoming him home, intending to kill him, take the crown? Learning from Hattie about Ella’s spell? Using her, giving her the knife? His poisoning the crown – and the irony of his outburst and putting it on his own head?
12.Char, his type, the handsome young prince, wanting to have his feet on the ground, with Ella, and his saving her several times, going riding with her, her giving him ideas? Ella and his change of heart, her changing her mind? The encounters with the ogres and the giants, the elves, the elf wanting to study law and Char ready to change the laws? The plans for the coronation, the dance and his proposing to Ella, her refusal, Ella coming with the knife, her finding strength within herself not to kill him? The crown, the uncle putting it on his head? Ella saving Char? The happy marriage?
13.Ella and the fairy world, the spell, the talking book, going on the journey with her, the elves and their having to sing songs, the elf wanting to study the law? The ogres and their meanness? Their saving Ella? The giants and their being oppressed, working in the concentration camp and the vegetable garden? The role of the uncle, Ella in love, the knife, the control and her heart winning over her spell?
14.The talking book, his character, being released? In love with Ella’s aunt and her giving her the book? The comedy of his opening, showing where people were?
15.The elf who wanted to study law?
16.The grand finale, the crown, the marriage?
17.Hattie, her disagreeable character, using Ella, making her obey? Her dim-witted sister?
18.The wit, the jokes, the satire, the enjoyable modern parallels with the world of the fairy story? A satisfying and entertaining romantic comedy?
