You can pretty much always count on Walt Disney Pictures to bring a favorite fairy tale to life on the big screen. What's really great is when they do it with a twist. Such is the case with Enchanted, a story that begins with "Once upon a time …" and ends with "… happily ever after" (narrated elegantly by Julie Andrews).
Sure it's cheesy. Sure it's a little silly. But so what? Why not believe in magic and fairy tales coming true for an hour and a half? And in this movie, they come true in the literal sense. The story begins in the animated kingdom of Andalasia, where young Giselle dreams of true love. Her prince charming appears in the form of Edward, and the two seem destined for their happily ever after.
Of course, Prince Edward has an evil stepmother, Queen Narissa, who has no intention of giving up her crown to a common peasant. In order to keep Edward from marrying Giselle, a disguised Narissa lures the girl to a 'wishing well,' promising her dearest wish will come true. When Giselle leans forward, Narissa pushes her into the well, sending her to a faraway place where Edward can't find her.
And here comes the twist. The 'faraway place' to which Giselle is magically transported is real-life New York City. Giselle (Amy Adams) must survive in this strange new world until her true love can rescue her. When she meets divorce attorney Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey) and his adorable daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey), she learns that her fairy tale ending might just be a little different than she imagined.
The Magic of Disney
The opening sequence is typical, colorful, musical Disney animation, complete with the birds, squirrels and other woodland creatures that come to Giselle's aid when she needs to complete her makeshift mannequin of her dream prince – set to song. The transition to live action is both smooth and clever, and Adams is completely charming as the naïve but resourceful heroine.
When Prince Edward (James Marsden) sets off to rescue his true love and restore her to Andalasia, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) sends her faithful servant Nathaniel (Timothy Spall) to make sure that Giselle meets her end before Edward can find her. Through the magic of Disney animation, Narissa keeps an eye on how things are going in the real world.
Cleverly interspersed throughout the film are references, both obvious and subtle, to a good number of the classics upon which Disney has built its empire, from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty to The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There’s even a bit of homage paid to Lady and the Tramp in a very sweet scene where Giselle learns what a ‘date’ is.
Music and More
In typical Disney fashion, Enchanted is also a musical, loaded with nicely choreographed large-scale production numbers, three of which were nominated for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) at the 2008 Academy Awards, courtesy of the writing team of Alan Menken, music, and Stephen Schwartz, lyrics (who previously collaborated on music for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas).
Directed by Kevin Lima (Tarzan, 102 Dalmatians), who also provides the voice for Pip in New York, Enchanted offers just the right blend of romance and lighthearted fun, with a lovely heroine, a dashing hero, and a delightfully evil villain, this is a film suitable for kids from eight to eighty.
- Starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden
- Walt Disney Pictures, 2007
- Directed by Kevin Lima
- Rated: PG (some scary images and mild innuendo)
- Running time: 107 minutes
- Available on DVD (Disney DVD)
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