Director
Andy Tennant
Leading Actors/Actresses
Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Patrick Godfrey, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Language
English
Awards
n/a
Date of Release
1998
Producer
Mireille Soria, Tracey Trench
Setting and Context
Renaissance-era France
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Danielle
Tone and Mood
Dramatic, Romantic with Comedic elements
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Danielle. Antagonist is Rodmilla and Marguerite.
Major Conflict
After Danielle's father dies, Rodmilla makes Danielle into a servant girl instead of treating her like her step-daughter.
Climax
Prince Henry marries Danielle and the King and Queen strip Rodmilla and Marguerite of their noble standing.
Foreshadowing
Danielle hitting Prince Henry with apples in the opening part of the film foreshadows the theme of identity that plays out between the two of them through the rest of the story.
Understatement
What caused Danielle's father's death is understated.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
n/a
Allusions
The film is an allusion to the classic tale of Cinderella, but made into a true story without the fantastical elements.
Paradox
Danielle is born into nobility, but paradoxically she is seen as a servant only because Rodmilla has made her one in her own household.
Parallelism
The overhead shot of Danielle exiting her home into the garden at the beginning of the film parallels the overhead shot of the carriage leaving the palace with the two writers at the conclusion. The shots represent a going out into the world.
