At the time of its theatrical release, some critics described Ever After as a "politically corrected" version of the Cinderella story. Indeed, the film turns the fairy tale on its ear, but with enough subtlety that it hardly appears to have a feminist agenda. Dig deep, and you'll discover that this Cinderella is wiser (she has practically memorized "Utopia"), stronger (she can hoist full-grown men over her shoulders), and more passionate (see "Utopia" comment) than her would-be suitor, the Prince of France. And Ever After's "Danielle" definitely pities herself less than the Disney interpretation: her discontent drives her to seek love, sans fairy godmother. (Unless you count Leonardo DaVinci, who figures prominently and absurdly into the story.)

We enter an exquisite drawing room, where a Grand Dame (Jeanne Moreau, in a cameo) is seated in a big chair, next to a sepia painting of a young woman's cherubic face. She is talking with two gentlemen over tea, the Brothers Grimm, congratulating them on a Cinderella story well told--but told inaccurately, she adds. "Once upon a time," the dame intones, and we dissolve from the painting to its subject at nine years old. Little Danielle (Anna Maguire) is anxiously awaiting her father's (Jeroen Krabbé) return. With him, he will bring her a family: his new wife Rodmilla (Huston) and Rodmilla's two daughters, Marguerite (grown up: Megan Dodds) and Jacqueline (grown up: Melanie Lynsky). "It will be like Christmas!" Danielle exclaims.

Shortly after their arrival, papa suffers a fatal heart attack. With the unkind Rodmilla in charge, Danielle (Barrymore) grows up a servant to her stepfamily. A chance meeting with the Prince provides Danielle with a potential means of escape. They have much in common despite their backgrounds; he, too, is basically a prisoner of his home. And her self-education complements his hunger for knowledge. It is a speedy courtship, though she keeps her true identity a secret from him.

Ever After's entire cast speaks with British accents, a curious but common practice in Hollywood for representing 'foreignness.' When it comes to period pieces, location is irrelevant as far as language is concerned. (Even Ever After's DaVinci, played by the huggable Patrick Godfrey, speaks as though he's never even seen Italy.) That said, the acting is first rate. I applaud Barrymore for taking a risk and ditching her familiar Valley Girl lisp. She's more convincing as a peasant girl than Scott is as royalty, although his characterization grew on me as the movie wore on.

Dodd is utterly loathesome as the wickedest stepsister, the most cartoonish aspect of the film--thankfully, she's balanced out by Huston's more nuanced performance. Rodmilla, at times, reluctantly admires Danielle, even realizes how much more charismatic she is than her own offspring, but Huston establishes with a few precise glances that Rodmilla will never regard Danielle as her daughter. If Danielle could fly, Rodmilla would clip her wings to give her own daughters a fighting chance; she has noble maternal instincts that do not become as grotesque here as they have in previous Cinderella stories.

(Aside: I must mention Richard O'Brien's slimy turn as the derivatively (and appropriately) named Pierre Le Pieu; he matches Huston's venom spit for spit as a lusty creep.)

Sure, this retelling of an old fable is not so much more grounded in reality and historical fact (doesn't DaVinci have better things to worry about than the fate of lovelorn teenagers?) than other versions as it is just plain better. (While we're at it, the film's use of the word "hello" is a glaring anachronism.) I've always been disappointed by the ultimate messages that Disney's Cinderella sends to young girls--someday your prince will come, etc.--and I wouldn't go near the recent Brandy/Whitney Houston vehicle with a ten foot pole and a radiation suit. (What a gruesome twosome that is.) Ever After isn't just a hip "Girl Power!" movie, either: Tennant's film preaches honesty, forgiveness, and denounces classism. At its centre is a confident woman-child who earns her glass-slippers and angel wings.

Fox's Ever After DVD is good. The image is letterboxed at 2.35:1, accurately preserving cinematographer Andrew Dunn's widescreen compositions. Alas, the transfer has not been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Many of the film's forest scenes were a bit softer, murkier, and paler than one would expect, and the black level does not reach the depths of the letterbox bands during these exteriors. The fancy ball at the end of act two, however, is demo material, with crisp definition and brilliant colour. This is that rare disc whose interiors look better than its exteriors. The really good news is that the film has been spread out in RSDL, despite a relatively short running time of 121 minutes. That means Ever After is able to reach high bit-rates and often. Such practice drastically cuts down on compression artifacts and the like--I noticed no pixellation, shimmering effects or white specs during the movie.

Ever After's soundtrack is available in 5.1 and 2.0 surround. (The desired track must be selected via the elegant animated menu; 2.0 is the default.) The 5.1 mix does wonders for George Fenton's score, and features a few panning effects, such as laughter during the gypsy camp-out and the occasional horse and carriage clip-clopping sound. Both options feature something special that the VHS Dolby Surround mix does not: swearing. (For more on this controversy, visit my January 16th edition of Notes From The Projection Booth.) There are no other extras besides that great trailer that gave moviegoers goosebumps last spring. How do you sell a sophisticated love story to the "Dawson's Creek" crowd? Look to Ever After's trailer, a recipe for box office success.-Bill Chambers