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princesssarisa · 2 years

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Cinderella September-through-November: "Ever After: A Cinderella Story" (1998 film)

Here we find one of the most beloved period romance films of the '90s, which many people consider the greatest screen version of Cinderella, even though it's far from a straightforward adaptation of the fairy tale. Ever After re-envisions the classic story in two ways: first of all, not as a fantasy but as realistic historical fiction set in 16th century France, and secondly, with a feminist twist. In its framing scenes set in the 19th century, the Brothers Grimm are summoned to visit an elderly French noblewoman (Jeanne Moreau), who tells them the story of her great-great grandmother, the "real" Cinderella.

Drew Barrymore stars as 18-year-old Danielle de Barbarac, who was raised as a tomboy and a bookworm by her loving father, but after his death was reduced to servitude by her stepmother Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent (Anjelica Huston). One morning she throws a volley of apples at a man she catches stealing her father's old horse... and this young man turns out to be the rebellious Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), who pays her a purse of gold to keep her quiet about his adventuring. Disguising herself as a countess in a borrowed gown, Danielle sets out to use the money to free a manservant whom her stepmother sold into slavery to pay her debts. In doing so she again meets the Prince, who doesn't recognize her, and his casual snobbery toward the poor earns her disdain, but her courage, intelligence and idealism earn his respect.

Thus begins a five-day romance arc that includes visiting a magnificent monastery library, treking through nature, and first battling but then befriending Romani bandits. Danielle's convictions teach Henry to rethink his classism and to use his position to improve others' lives, while Henry in turn helps Danielle to find new inner strength and willingness to defy her abusers at home. Meanwhile, Leonardo da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey), newly arrived at the French court, befriends both the Prince and Danielle, and ultimately becomes Danielle's "fairy godfather" of sorts, helping her to attend the royal masquerade ball and crafting her mother's wedding dress into a stunning angel costume. But Henry still doesn't know that his love isn't really a countess, and Baroness Rodmilla is determined to see him marry her elder daughter Marguerite. At the ball she exposes Danielle's identity as a "servant" and Henry rejects her. To make matters worse, Rodmilla then washes her hands of Danielle by selling her as a slave to a lascivious gentleman. But just in time, Henry realizes his mistake and Danielle's own fighting spirit frees her from her captor, leading to a fairy tale-worthy "happily ever after."

This film effectively has everything viewers could want from a period romance: the romance itself, of course, but also action, humor, clever dialogue, suspense, and an excellent balance between capturing the spirit of a fairy tale and fleshing it out in a "realistic" and human way. While there isn't complete historical accuracy (to name one minor detail, the Mona Lisa is depicted on canvas when it was actually painted on a wood panel), the 16th century atmosphere is wonderfully vivid, with the lush visuals capturing both the beauties and the grittiness of the era. And the characters are equally vivid. Danielle is a feisty Cinderella for the '90s, who swims and climbs trees, quotes Thomas More, talks back to royalty, punches her stepsister in the eye, and wields a sword to rescue herself at the climax; yet Barrymore infuses her with enough humanity and vulnerability to save her from being a cardboard feminist role model. Scott's Prince Henry is truly her "match in every way," strong-willed yet good-hearted, and flawed yet with an arc of positive growth. Their chemistry is excellent as they make their quick progress from bickering to friendly bantering to love. Huston's scheming Rodmilla is a quintessential wicked stepmother, Godfrey's Leonardo is fittingly wise and witty, and the supporting cast is excellent all around, with a particularly fresh spin on the characters of the two stepsisters. While the pretty elder sister Marguerite is a loathsome brat, the younger, plainer Jacqueline is a decent person, just cowed by her mother and sister, and she eventually chooses to break free from them. (This marks the start of a minor tradition among the more recent Cinderella retellings, including Disney's direct-to-video sequels: giving one of the stepsisters a redemption arc.)

It's no wonder that Ever After is such a beloved film, both among Cinderella lovers and among fans of period romance in general. Young girls (or boys) who grew up loving the Disney film, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, and/or other traditional Cinderellas should give this version a viewing once they reach middle school or high school age. Whether or not it becomes their favorite Cinderella, it will most definitely engage them.

@superkingofpriderock, @ariel-seagull-wings

#cinderella #fairy tale #cinderella september through november #ever after: a cinderella story #1998 #film #drew barrymore #twentieth century fox #live action

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ariel-seagull-wings · 3 years

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TOP 11 EVIL STEPMOTHERS (FROM CINDERELLA)

@theancientvaleofsoulmaking @astrangechoiceoffavourites @anne-white-star @superkingofpriderock @sunlit-music @princesssarisa

I ranked the heroes and their main ally. Now i’ts the turn of the villain. Greedy, spitefull, manipulative, envious, Cinderella’s Stepmother is probably one of the most grounded fairy tale villains ever created. Quintessential abusive relative, sometimes only to her stepdaughter, sometimes to her husband, and sometimes even to her own children, we probably will see someone like the Stepmother on the news, and that what makes so frightening for readers and viewers alike. So tonight, i will share the ranking of my favorite portrayals of this villain on screen.

11º Barbara Rauer as the Stepmother in Sechs Auf Einen Streich (2011)

This version of the Stepmother is extablished pretty early to be simply mean. Not only will she exploit and humiliate her stepdaughter, but she also denies a servant to see her ill brother unless Cinderella covers her work, and puts her daughter’s feet in the most unconfortable shoes ever just they are beautifull and will atract the atention of suitors. Plus, she is one of the few Stepmothers that recognizes Cinderella at the ball and drags her out by the arm, for the poor to be trown at the mud by her daughter. In an age where media started to be dominated by simpathetic, tragic villains, Barbara Rauer’s performance brings to light the charm of a classic villain that delights on being mean, and that is why she enters this ranking.

10º Eve Arden as the Stepmother in Faerie Tale Theatre (1985)

Being fun without intentional effort: at first, this Stepmother begins acting dissimulated, casually trowing all the hardwork over Cinderella’s shoulders while trying to pass as a fair tasks divisionist. But later, she doesn’t need at all to pretend, opting for telling blatantly that she dislikes Cinderella and sees her as competition against her daughters for societal atention and liking. All the while keeping the calm, casual, almost cheery voice tone, wich we can see as the main reason she exerts control over her stepdaughter: no need to treaten, to beat, showing that sometimes the worst abuser is the one with the sweetest voice and smile.

09º Jo Van Fleet as the Stepmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1965)

The lady who wants perfection above all. She wants her daughters to stop having cracking joints and constantly twinkling their eyes, and to be eloquent in conversations so they can impress rich, noble suitors. Unfortunally for her, she has to learn that without virtues like kindness and honesty, those things that she considers synonimus with perfection become empty and superficial.

08º Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997)

Perfectionism mixed with the drama of a stage diva. Peters’s Stepmother feels like an aging star, who is desperate in clinging to her youth and past glories if the method of using her daughters to achieve her dreams fails. The highlight of this version is when she dramatically asks to try the glass slipper, hoping for a chance to marry the Prince herself.

07º Angelica Houston as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent in Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent once acted in a nice way, years ago, before the passing away of her husband. Now, she turned herself into a cruel, bitter person, who besides comiting domestic abuse against her stepdaughter Danielle and putting her daughters Marguerite and Jacqueline to constantly compete against each other, is active in selling people into slavery. All the while keeping a facade of gentle, noble lady.

06º Paolo Montarsolo as Don Magnífico in Jean-Pierre Ponelle’s La Cenerentola (1981)

The time when the Stepmother becamed a Stepfather. What is interesting about Don Magnifíco as a villain is that, while he is not cold and calculating like most portrayals, and is more on the comedic spectrum, he doesn’t stop being cruel and intimidating, letting implied that he beats his stepdaughter Angelina if she disobeys him, constantly complaining about he is frustrated for having daughters instead of sons, and of course there is the fact that he is a man in the 19th century, wich means he would receive more power to handle his stepdaughters money inheritance and the benefit of the doubt from society, who more easily excuse violent man for their horrible behaviour. Don Magnífico is a treat to not be underestimated, wich makes his carmic punishment of bankrupcy even more satisfying to watch.

05º Margaret Lockwood as the Stepmother in The Slipper and The Rose (1976)

One line made Lockwood number five:

“How dare she forgive me”?

It shows that she will never acept Cinderella’s happiness, and probably will still be a pebble on the shoe to be dealt with.

04º Carola Braunbock as the Stepmother in Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973)

Tall, with a sharp eye expression and strong voice, Braunbock’s Stepmother is a villain of comanding and intimidating presence, but who doesn’t necessarily holds all the power and control that she thinks she holds, so it’s fun watching the many times she is outwited.

03º Faina Georgievna Ranevskaya as the Stepmother in Zolushka (1947)

Another comanding and intimidating presence, but who this time holds more control, using treats against her own husband’s well being to treaten Cinderella so she will be compliant to all her demands, including forcing the glass slipper to apparently fit one of her daughters, following to comanding the King’s messengers to march announcing herself as future Royal Mother in Law, before finally receiving the comeupance in form of public humiliation. This is the most proud, loud and pompous encarnation of the Stepmother i ever saw, and this is what makes her one of my favorites. She is like the distant russian cousin of Brian Blessed.

02º Eleanor Audley as Lady Tremaine in Disney’s Cinderella (1950)

My first encarnation of the Stepmother. What can i say about Lady Tremaine that hasn’t been sayed already? She dissimulates the facade of a reasonable autority figure pretty well, her voice is powerfull, and her eye expressions... they give me the chills just thinking about it. This makes her one of my favorite Disney Villains, tough not necessarily my number one encarnation of the Stepmother.

This place actually goes to:

01º Toshiko Sawada as the Duchess in Cinderella Monogatari (1996)

When we first meet the Duchess, she seems a kind, reasonable, if a bit cold, person. It is when her husband has to go for a long travel that she reveals her true face, and even then just to the audience, the animals and the three girls who are under her responsability: she puts Cinderella out of her room so her daughters can take it for themselves, makes her dress rags and gives her lots of heavy work. At one moment, she gets so angry with her stepdaughter that she treatens to push her out of the house, but her daughters convince her not to, because “Who would make the domestic tasks for us”? If that isn’t enough, she went so far as framing Cinderella for stealing grapes from the royal vines. And it only goes downhill from there, while lots of people still believe the Duchess to be a good person, until the Shoe Test happens, she finally gets so desperate that she asks to try the shoe, and a happy ending can finally be reached by the heroine who truly fits the piece of costume.

Dangerously inteligent, dissimulated, ambitious, calculating and cruel till the end, the Duchess was a villain whose pat you always feared to cross, and probably still can, and that is why she is my number one portrayal of the Stepmother.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Raquel Welch as the Stepmother in Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995); Elsa Lanchester as Widow Sonder in The Glass Slipper (1955)

#fairy tales #moodboards #wallpapers #fairytales #fairytale #rankings #cinderella #cinderella 1947 #cinderella 1950 #cinderella 1965 #cinderella 1997 #rodgers and hammerstein #zolushka #three wishes for cinderella #cinderella monogatari #the slipper and the rose

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beebubbly · 3 years

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Ever After

Prince Ethan x MC

A twist on A Cinderella story

SUMMURY: Casey, a beautiful young woman, is treated as a servant by her stepmother and stepsisters. One day, she crosses paths with Prince Ethan, heir to the kingdom, who falls in love with her.

There are those who swear that Perrult’s telling of Cinderella with its fairy godmother and magic pumpkins would be closer to the truth than many of the other versions, one including the legendary slippers to be made of fur.

Perhaps its time to set the record straight; what’s that phase?

Once upon a time...

There lived a young girl who loved her father very much. Her father was a merchant who went abroad and often brought a tribute back for his darling daughter. Casey missed him terribly when he was away, but knew he would always return.

Casey’s mother had passed away not long after Casey was born. Her father had started to believe it was time for change, hopefully for the better. Upon his travels he met and fell in love with Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent and the two married quickly making their little family complete with the addition of Rodmilla and her two stepdaughters.

But like all stories, there is an unhappy event. One day as Casey’s father was leaving for a new trade, he had a heart attack and sadly passed away. It would be ten years before another man who would enter her life, a man who was still a boy in many, many ways.

In the years that passed since her father’s passing Casey became more of a servant than a member of the family. She worked hard, allowing the hard chores as a distraction from the grief of losing her father.

Luckily, she still had the other servants who she had grown up with and loved like family. Unfortunately, Rodmilla was used to the luxurious lifestyle and the household fell into debt, one of the servants- Elijah had been sold in attempt to pay off some of the debt.

Casey found herself in the forest that was near the house, she picked apples for the household to enjoy. Casey picked an apple and was studying it when the sound of hooves caught her attention. The palace guards rode past her paying her no heed.

Once satisfied with the apples Casey made her way back to the house when a horses whining caught her attention. Curiously, she paused in her walk.

“Come on, you stupid beast” she heard a man’s voice follow.

She watched as a man on the back of one of the families horses jumped the hedge and galloped near.

“Oh, no, you don’t” Casey shook her head running towards the man, dropping most of the apples from her hold.

Taking one of the apples Casey threw it hard at the man effectively knocking him from the horse. The man tumbled from horseback and fell into the hay. Casey grabbed more apples from the ground.

“Thief!” she yelled at the man, attacking him with apples. “This will teach you for trying to steal my fathers horse!”

Another satisfying hit to the man, who attempted to scrambled to his feet, a cloak covered his head and face.

“Please, my own slipped his shoe. I have no choice” The man said as Casey attacked him with more apples.

“And our choice is what? To let you?” Casey asked him.

“I was borrowing it!”

“Get out, or I’ll wake the house” Casey warned him pelting him with another hit.

“Ow!”

The man managed to get the cloak from his head, and stand up enough for Casey to see his handsome face, dark hair and blue eyes. Imminently, she recognised him to be the prince. With a gasp, Casey fell to her knees, dropping the apples.

“Forgive me, your highness. I did not see you” Casey said bowing her head to the ground, not daring to look up at the man before her. Prince Ethan looked down, realising he was wearing the royal coat of arms- clearly visible.

“Your aim would suggest otherwise” Ethan said, rubbing at the welt that was forming on his head. She had a powerful arm.

“And for that I know I must die”

“Then er-” Ethan hesitated, he was not about to be caught by his guards. “speak of this to no-one and er- I shall be lenient”

Ethan climbed back onto the horse, he glanced down at the young woman. She had long dark brown- almost black hair with a thin braid. She glanced up at him for a split second.

“We have other horses, Highness” she told him. “Younger, if that is your wish”

“I wish for nothing more than to be free of my gilded cage.” he found himself telling her. “For your silence”

He tipped a number of gold coins onto the ground in front of her, with one last look at the young woman he clicked his tongue and rode off.

Casey looked up watching the dark haired prince ride off with her horse. She wondered what had brought him to run away from home. Glancing down at the coins before her, Casey sucked in a deep breath.

There was a lot of money, quite possibly enough to buy back Elijah! But the only problem was her stepmother, if she caught wind of money- it would be gone in a heartbeat. Casey picked up the gold coins, carefully tucking them into her dress before she stood and started to pick up the apples.

This might just be her lucky day, first the prince speared her life and now she would be able to help her family, with Elijah back, his girlfriend would be reunited with him and that would mean the world to her.

Casey made her way quickly to the house once she finished picking up the apples. She had just entered when she heard her name being yelled by her stepmother.

"Coming!" Casey called back, tipping the apples into a basket.

"Ooh, she's in one of her moods." Jackie warned her as she entered the room with the two older women.

"Did the sun rise in the east?" Sienna asked looking at Casey's bright smile.

"Yes, Sienna, it did" Casey said tipping the gold coins onto the table. "And it is going to be a beautiful day."

The two women gasped at the sight, taking a step closer to the table.

"Look at all those feathers! Child, where did you get this?" Jackie asked.

"From an angel of mercy. And I know just what to do with them." Casry smiled at Sienna.

"Elijah?"

"If the baroness can sell your boyfriend to pay her taxes, then these can certainly bring him home." Casey told her. "The court will have to let him go."

"But the king has sold him to Cartier. He's bound for the Americas." Sienna shook her head.

Casey moved around the room, picking up a cup of salt and the bread.

"This is our home, and I will not see it fall apart." Casey told her firmly, putting a hand to her shoulder.

"We are waiting!" Rodmilla called.

"Oh, take heed, mistress, or these coins are as good as hers." Jackie warned her putting the coins back into Casey's dress handing her another plate.

"Morning, madam." Casey greeted as she entered the room where her mother and two stepsisters sat eating breakfast. "Marguerite. Jacqueline."

"Hello." Jacqueline replied softly.

"I trust you slept well."

"What kept you?" Rodmilla questioned as Casey put the salt carefully on the table.

"I fell off the ladder in the orchard, but I am better now." Casey told her.

"Someone's been reading in the fireplace again. Look at you, ash and soot everywhere." Marguerite commented in distaste.

"Some people read because they cannot think for themselves." Rodmilla said as Casey put the bread onto the table.

"Why don't you sleep with the pigs, cinder-soot, if you insist on smelling like one?" Marguerite told Casey.

"Ooh, that was harsh, Marguerite. Casey, come here, child." Rodmilla grabbed Casey's hands. "Your appearance does reflect a certain crudeness, my dear. What can I do to make you try?"

"I do try, Stepmother. I do wish to please you." Casey told her. "Sometimes, I sit on my own and try to think of what else I could do, how I should act-"

"Oh, calm down, child. Relax."

"Perhaps if we brought back Elijah, I would not offend you so." Casey suggested.

"It is your manner that offends, Casey. Throughout these hard times, I have sheltered you, clothed you and cared for you." Rodmilla said. "All that I ask in return is that you help me here without complaint. Is that such an extraordinary request?"

"No, my lady."

"Very well. We shall have no more talk of servants coming back. Is that quite understood?"

"Yes, my lady." Casey nodded as she turned to leave.

"After all that I do, after all I have done, it's never enough." Rodmilla turned to her daughters as Casey left the room.

If Rodmilla wasn't willing to help get Elijah back, then she was going to do it herself. Casey had a plan.

Dressed in a nice light blue dress and her face clean, Casey made her way to the castle where she knew Elijah would be. She spotted the cage where men were being pushed into. It set off.

Casey ran up stopping the men from leaving by grabbing the rein of the horse.

"I wish to address the issue of this gentleman." Casey told the man on the waggon with the cage, motioning to Elijah.

"He is my servant, and I am here to pay the debt against him."

"You're too late. He's bought and paid for." The man told her.

"I can pay you 20 gold francs."

"Madam, you can have me for 20 gold francs. Now drive on!" the man ordered but Casey stood her ground.

"I demand you release him at once, or I shall take this matter to the king." Casey demanded.

"The king's the one that sold him. He's now the property of Cartier."

"He is not property at all, you ill- mannered tub of guts." Casey said furiously. "Do you honestly think it right to chain people like chattel?"

"I demand you release him at once." Casey repeated stepping closer to the cage.

"Get out of my way!" the man yelled in her face.

"You dare raise your voice to a lady, sir?" a voice called out to them.

Casey turned to find Prince Ethan sat on a horse watching them. She bowed her head at him respectfully.

"Your Highness." the man chuckled. "For- Forgive me, sire. Uh, I meant no disrespect."

"Uh, it's just, uh, I'm following orders here. It's my job to take these criminals and thieves to the coast."

"A servant is not a thief, Your Highness, and those who are cannot help themselves." Casey turned to look at Prince Ethan. The attention of the many people were now on them.

"Really? Well, then, by all means... enlighten us" Ethan motioned a hand for Casey to continue.

"If you suffer your people to be ill- educated, and their manners corrupted from infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them" Casey told him passionatly.

"What else is to be concluded, sire, but that you first make thieves and then punish them?"

"Well, there you have it. Release him." Ethan ordered the man after a moment.

"But, sire-"

"I said release him."

"Yes, sire. The man nodded getting down to release Elijah. Casey followed behind, but sent Ethan a thankful smile over her shoulder.

"I thought I was looking at your mother." Elijah said as he hugged Casey, she handed the man the bag of gold coins.

"Meet me at the bridge." Casey whispered to Elijah.

"Prepare the horses. We will leave at once." Casey announced in a louder voice. Elijah, curious nodded and walked off quickly.

Casey made her way over to Prince Ethan, she curtsied slightly.

"I thank you, Your Highness." she told him sincerely before she set off wanting to get away in case he recognised her or someone realised she wasn't a courtier.

Ethan climbed down off his horse and followed after the woman that had peeked his intrest.

"Have we met?" Ethan frowned at her.

"I do not believe so, Your Highness."

"I could have sworn I knew every courtier in the province." Ethan told her.

"Well, I am visiting a cousin" Casey said thinking quickly as Ethan walked alongside her.

"Who?"

"My cousin."

"Yes, you said that. Which one?"

"Th-The only one I have, sire."

"Are you coy on purpose, or do you honestly refuse to tell me your name?" Ethan almost huffed.

"No. And yes."

Casey paused for a moment before she continued walking briskly.

"Well, then, pray, tell me your cousin's name, so that I might call upon her to learn who you are." Ethan said walking in front of her and backwards so he could still see her.

Ethan stopped for a moment letting her brush past him.

"For anyone who can quote Thomas More is well worth the effort."

This made Casey stop and turn to face Ethan. She was intrigued that he knew of the book.

"The prince has read Utopia?"

"I found it sentimental and dull." Ethan told her as he took a few steps towards her.

"I confess, the plight of the everyday rustic bores me."

"I gather you do not converse with many peasants." Casey noted as Ethan stepped closer again.

"Certainly not. No, naturally." Ethan gave a light scoff.

"Excuse me, sire, but there is nothing natural about it." Casey shook her head lightly, frowning at him as she walked away.

"A country's character is defined by its 'everyday rustics,' as you call them. They are the legs you stand on, and that position demands respect not-"

"Am I to understand that you find me arrogant?" Ethan raised an eyebrow as he stepped in front of her again, standing close to her.

From this distance Casey could see the prince had bright blue eyes and feel the warmth from his body.

"Well, you gave one man back his life, but did you even glance at the others?" Casey glanced back at the others who were still imprisoned, Ethan followed her gaze.

She had a point.

Casey started walking again making Ethan follow.

"Please, I beg of you. A name. Any name."

"I fear that the only name to leave you with is Comtesse Sophia de Lancret." Casey told him.

"There now. That wasn't so hard." Ethan smiled at her.

"Ethan!"

The pair paused again for a moment, Ethan turned to find his mother heading their way.

Casey used this distraction to slip away from the prince. A small smile stayed on her face as she and Elijah made their way home.

#choices #ethan ramsey #ethan x mc #open heart #au

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