Danielle, a vibrant young woman, was forced into servitude after the death of her father when she was a young girl. Danielle's stepmother, Rodmilla, is a heartless woman who forces Danielle to do the cooking and cleaning, while she tries to marry off the eldest of her two daughters to the prince. But Danielle's life takes a wonderful turn when, under the guise of a visiting royal, she meets the charming Prince Henry.
Acting
Anjelica Huston's delicious villainy; Drew Barrymore's warm, grounded heroine.
Costume
Renaissance glamour with actual historical texture, not Disney sparkle.
Writing
Danielle quotes Utopia at Henry. The bar is in orbit.
Director
Andy Tennant
Drew Barrymore
Danielle de Barbarac
Anjelica Huston
Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent
Dougray Scott
Prince Henry
Patrick Godfrey
Leonardo da Vinci
Megan Dodds
Marguerite de Ghent
Melanie Lynskey
Jacqueline de Ghent
Timothy West
King Francis
Judy Parfitt
Queen Marie
Lee Ingleby
Gustave
Kate Lansbury
Paulette
Matyelok Gibbs
Louise
Walter Sparrow
Maurice
Peter Gunn
Capt. Laurent
Richard O'Brien
Pierre Le Pieu
Jeanne Moreau
Grande Dame
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Drew Barrymore's production company developed this specifically to subvert passive Disney princesses—she fired the first screenwriter for making Danielle too helpless.
This film pioneered the 'historical accuracy + feminist twist' fairytale formula that later influenced Ever After's spiritual descendants like The Great and Dickinson.
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