Review of EverAfter (1998) by Emm T — 08 Dec 2017

Ever After is Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" meets Cinderella.

With a witty, educated, headstrong female lead who will not be rescued, "Ever After" puts a new spin on yet another 'Cinderella' story. With the same look and feel of "A Princess Bride" this romance is not one to miss.

Danielle de Barbarak is just getting started with her morning chores when she hears a thief on a stolen horse. This headstrong woman will not just stand by and watch her late father's horse be stolen. She runs down into the path of the thief and starts pitching apples. With one swing he falls backward off the horse, and she realizes just who she is messing with: the prince of France. She begs his forgiveness, which he readily grants, and pays her 20 gold francs for her silence.

Danielle knows just how to spend this money. She dresses as a courtier, at the risk of spending five days in the stocks. She does not care about the risk to herself; she is going to use her money to buy back one of the servants and life-long friends.

When Danielle arrives at the castle, she runs into some trouble with the man in charge of transporting servants and slaves. After loud arguing, a voice from behind challenges, "You dare raise your voice to a lady?" We are already familiar with this voice. It is none other than Prince Henry. Danielle turns, politely curtseys and argues her, quoting Thomas Moore's "Utopia." As a result of her successful debate with Prince Henry, she captured the attention of the prince and the court.

This movie had the potential to re-tell the exact story of Disney's animated "Cinderella," but the creator took a calculated risk, and it made all the difference. What could have been just another generic princess movie stands above the rest almost 20 years after its initial debut. It tells young girls that being smart and sticking up for themselves is okay, as well as teaching them to do what they know is right. We need more movies that are empowering, and "Ever After" delivers.