Nestled inside a framing story that claims the myth of Cinderella is based on truth but full of inaccuracies, this compelling fairy tale sets the record straight and includes a surprisingly self-aware prince (Dougray Scott), whose repeated failure to hook up with the object of his romantic destiny is more than a plot device. Drew Barrymore plays the complicated belle of the climactic ball and develops a convincing intellectually based friendship with the prince. Their blossoming love is thwarted at every opportunity by wicked stepmother Anjelica Huston, whose practical motive—she wants her own daughter to become queen—is part of an unusually nuanced characterization. Written by Susannah Grant, Rick Parks, and director Andy Tennant (1998).
