Ever After (also called Ever After: A Cinderella Story in promotional materials) is a 1998 American romantic film set in the past. It was directed by Andy Tennant. The screenplay was written by Andy Tennant and Susannah Grant, with help from Rick Parks. The film was produced by Fox Family Films and Mireille Soria Production. It is based on the fairy tale Cinderella by Charles Perrault, written in 1697. The movie stars Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston, with Dougray Scott and Jeanne Moreau in smaller roles.

Unlike other versions of Cinderella, this film does not include magical or fantasy elements. Instead, it is presented as a story set in France during the Renaissance period.

The film was released in theaters on July 31, 1998. Critics gave it good reviews. It was successful at the box office, earning $98 million.

Plot

The Brothers Grimm meet with the Grande Dame, who is upset with their version of the Cinderella story. She shows them a glass slipper and a portrait of its former owner before telling the true story that inspired the tale.

During the French Renaissance, ten years after Auguste de Barbarac dies, his daughter, Danielle, becomes a servant to her stepmother, the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, and her stepsisters, Marguerite and Jacqueline. Danielle first mistakes Prince Henry for a thief but later has a surprising meeting with him when he tries to escape an arranged marriage to Princess Gabriella of Spain. Henry gives Danielle 20 francs to keep their meeting secret. Later, Henry is caught by the Royal Guard after stopping bandits from robbing Leonardo da Vinci, whom King Francis has invited to the Royal court.

Danielle disguises herself as a noblewoman and uses the money to go to the palace to rescue her friend Maurice, whom Rodmilla plans to send to the Americas. Henry sees Danielle arguing with the jailer and is impressed by her courage and intelligence. He orders Maurice’s release. When Henry asks for her name, Danielle says her mother’s name, Countess Nicole de Lancret. King Francis agrees to hold a masquerade ball where Henry will announce his engagement to the woman he chooses at midnight, or else King Francis will marry Gabriella. Rodmilla focuses on making Henry notice Marguerite while ignoring Jacqueline. Meanwhile, Danielle secretly spends time with Henry. After visiting the library of the Franciscan monks, a group of gypsies attacks them but helps them after Danielle speaks to their leader and tries to carry Henry away. At the gypsy camp, they share their first kiss.

Rodmilla and Marguerite plan to steal Nicole’s wedding gown and glass slippers so Marguerite can wear them at the ball. When Marguerite insults Nicole, Danielle fights her and chases her. Marguerite burns a copy of Utopia, a book Auguste gave Danielle. Jacqueline supports Danielle and criticizes Marguerite for being cruel.

Queen Marie holds a luncheon with Marguerite and Rodmilla, during which they realize Danielle is Countess de Lancret. Danielle meets Henry, who tells her she inspired him to build a university. Danielle cannot reveal her identity and flees. Rodmilla confronts Danielle, accuses her of lying, and locks her in the pantry when Danielle refuses to tell where the slippers and gown are. Gustave helps Maurice by going to the ball to get Leonardo to help Danielle escape. Leonardo, Gustave, Paulette, and Louise dress Danielle in Nicole’s hidden clothes. Danielle arrives at the ball determined to tell Henry the truth, but Rodmilla exposes her. Henry rejects Danielle, causing her to leave in tears while Leonardo sees her lose a slipper. Leonardo criticizes Henry for being unkind and leaves him the slipper.

Henry agrees to marry Gabriella. During the ceremony, he realizes Gabriella loves someone else at the event and cancels the wedding. Maurice and Jacqueline tell him Danielle was sold to Pierre Le Pieu by Rodmilla after the ball. Henry and Laurent rescue Danielle, who has already escaped. Henry proposes marriage by fitting the slipper onto her foot, and Danielle accepts.

The royal court summons Rodmilla, Marguerite, and Jacqueline. Rodmilla is stripped of her title and threatened with exile to the Americas with Marguerite unless someone defends her. Danielle asks that Rodmilla be treated with the same kindness she showed Danielle. Rodmilla and Marguerite are forced to work as servants in the palace laundry.

Danielle and Henry built a university, which was probably destroyed during the French Revolution, except for a portrait Leonardo painted of Danielle. The Grande Dame explains that while her great-great-grandparents lived happily ever after, the important part is that they lived.

Cast

• Drew Barrymore as Danielle de Barbarac, the only child of Nicole de Lancret and Auguste de Barbarac. Barrymore said her character is a "tough Cinderella." She collects wax from beehives, helps find truffles with pigs, swims in rivers, quotes Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, and throws an apple at the prince for stealing her horse. She does tasks usually done by men, whether they require strength or reading. She challenges the idea that women cannot do the same things as men. Anna Maguire plays Young Danielle.

• Anjelica Huston as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, Danielle’s cruel stepmother.
• Dougray Scott as Henry, Prince of France, Danielle’s love interest and son of Marie and Francis.
• Patrick Godfrey as Leonardo da Vinci, an artist, inventor, and member of the royal court.
• Timothy West as Francis, King of France and Henry’s father.
• Judy Parfitt as Marie, Queen of France and Henry’s mother.
• Jeroen Krabbé as Auguste de Barbarac, Danielle’s father.
• Melanie Lynskey as Jacqueline de Ghent, Danielle’s "nice" stepsister. Alex Pooley plays Young Jacqueline.
• Megan Dodds as Marguerite de Ghent, Danielle’s "evil" stepsister. Elizabeth Earl plays Young Marguerite.
• Richard O’Brien as Monsieur Pierre Le Pieu, a lecherous merchant.
• Jeanne Moreau as Grande Dame, Danielle and Henry’s great-great-granddaughter.
• Lee Ingleby as Gustave, Danielle’s best friend and an apprentice painter. Ricki Cuttell plays Young Gustave.
• Kate Lansbury as Paulette, a servant to the de Barbaracs.
• Matyelok Gibbs as Louise, Maurice’s wife and a servant to the de Barbaracs.
• Walter Sparrow as Maurice, Louise’s husband and a servant to the de Barbaracs.
• Peter Gunn as Laurent, Royal Guard captain.
• Joerg Stadler as Wilhelm Grimm, author and Jacob’s brother.
• Andrew Henderson as Jacob Grimm, author and Wilhelm’s brother.
• Toby Jones as a Royal Page.
• Amanda Walker as an Old Noblewoman.

Production

The movie Ever After was filmed using Super 35 technology.

Although the story is not real, it includes many real people, places, and events from history. The film takes place during the 16th and 19th centuries and features characters such as Francis I, Prince Henry (who later became Henry II of France), Leonardo da Vinci, The Brothers Grimm, and references to Jacques Cartier, Charles Perrault, French colonies in the New World, and the French Revolution.

Most of the movie is set in early 1500s France, but the royal characters shown are likely not the actual historical people they are named after. King Francis I invited Leonardo da Vinci to his court in 1516, three years before King Henry II was born. Neither of King Francis I’s wives was named Marie; their names were Claude and Eleanor. King Henry II married Catherine de' Medici when he was 14 years old.

The castle seen in the film is the Château de Hautefort in the Dordogne region of France. Other castles shown include de Fénelon, de Losse, de Lanquais, de Beynac, and the Château de la Roussie, which was the home of the de Barbarac family. The city of Sarlat-la-Canéda also appears in the film. The painting of Danielle is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s artwork titled Head of a Woman (La Scapigliata).

Release

On March 2, 1999, the film was released on VHS and DVD.

On April 11, 2003, the film was released on DVD in a combo pack with the movie Never Been Kissed, another film starring Drew Barrymore. On May 26, 2006, the film was released in The Drew Barrymore Collection Celebrity Pack, which included DVDs of Never Been Kissed and Fever Pitch. On March 2, 2010, the film was released in a DVD combo pack with the movie An Affair to Remember, forming a double feature celebrating 20th Century Fox’s 75th anniversary. Two months later, on May 4, 2010, the film was released in a DVD combo pack with the movies Anna and the King and Australia, creating a triple feature to honor the same anniversary.

On January 4, 2011, the film was released on Blu-ray. On September 4, 2012, it was released on Blu-ray in a combo pack with the movie Never Been Kissed. On October 7, 2014, the film was released in a 4-Drew Barrymore Favorites DVD set, which included Never Been Kissed, Fever Pitch, and Whip It.

On January 6, 2015, the film was released in a Blu-ray/Digital HD combo pack, region-free. The film was also released on Blu-ray in the UK on August 6, 2018. On January 1, 2019, the film was released again in a Blu-ray/Digital HD combo pack, this time for Region A.

Reception

The movie Ever After received many positive reviews from critics. The website Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film had a 91% approval rating based on 65 reviews, with an average score of 7.6 out of 10. Its summary said, "Ever After is a fun and light version of an old story, with strong acting from star Drew Barrymore." On Metacritic, the film had a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 from 22 critics, meaning most reviews were favorable. Audiences who saw the film gave it an "A" grade from CinemaScore, which rates movies from A+ to F.

Roger Ebert from Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars. He said he expected a simple children's movie but found a romantic story with energy similar to The Mask of Zorro. He praised the film's visuals, costumes, and Barrymore's acting. In San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle called Ever After "the best Cinderella movie ever," saying the characters were well-written and the actors, including Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, and Dougray Scott, performed well. Leonard Klady from Variety said the film kept the story's old-fashioned style while creating a modern, relatable heroine. He noted minor issues with the film's slow pace and over-the-top villains but called it mostly excellent. Robin Grant from The Lantern said the film was worth watching for its scenery, updated story, and strong acting, making it good for all ages.

Marjorie Baumgarten from The Austin Chronicle gave the film three out of five stars, saying it was a creative and imaginative retelling that showed Cinderella's story is still relevant. Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly gave it a "B−" grade, calling it uneven but witty and positive for girls. She praised the writing, costumes, and acting by Barrymore, Huston, and Judy Parfitt. Ian Nathan from Empire gave it three out of five stars, complimenting the visuals and acting by Huston and Scott but criticizing the script and Barrymore's performance, which he found weak.

A Time Out reviewer said Barrymore did well in the updated Cinderella story, though the film stayed close to traditional romance tropes. The film's "progressive" feel was mostly due to Barrymore's acting, which was limited in big romantic scenes. Kenneth Turan from Los Angeles Times praised Barrymore and Huston's acting but disliked the script and the film's inconsistent tone. He said the movie never fully found its place in either the past or present. Stephen Holden from The New York Times called the film a "bland, sappy costume comedy," criticizing the script and music but praising Barrymore's lively and natural acting as the film's best feature.

Musical adaptation

A report from 2012 said that a musical theatre production was being created, with the book and lyrics by Marcy Heisler and the music by Zina Goldrich. The musical was first planned to have its world premiere in April 2009 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, but the pre-Broadway performance was delayed. In May 2012, the project resumed with Kathleen Marshall joining as the director for a Broadway performance.

A workshop of the musical took place from April 25, 2013, to May 15, 2013. Sierra Boggess played the role of Danielle, Jeremy Jordan played Prince Henry, and Ashley Spencer played Marguerite. The musical had its world premiere at the Paper Mill Playhouse from May 21, 2015, to June 21, 2015. Christine Ebersole performed as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent. Alongside Ebersole, Margo Seibert played Danielle, James Snyder played Henry, Charles Shaughnessy played King Francis, and Tony Sheldon played Leonardo da Vinci. Another production of the musical was held at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre from January 15, 2019, to February 19. Susan V. Booth directed this production, and Sierra Boggess played Danielle de Barbarac, Terry Burrell played Queen Marie, Todd Buonopane played Captain Laurent, David Garrison played Leonardo da Vinci, Chris Kayser played King Francis, Jeff McCarthy played Pierre Malette, Tim Rogan played Prince Henry, and Rachel York played Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent.