Barbie as Rapunzel

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Barbie as Rapunzel is a direct-to-video Barbie movie that is an adaptation of the Grimm's fairy tale "Rapunzel". It was the first such movie to air on television in the United States.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Kelly, Barbie's sister, does not have confidence in her painting abilities, so to boost her spirits, Barbie tells her the story of Rapunzel.

Rapunzel lives as a servant to the witch, Gothel, who resides in a castle isolated by the surrounding woods. She grows up believing that Gothel saved her from abandonment as an infant. Despite her unfortunate circumstances, Rapunzel matures into a bright and optimistic young woman. She finds companionship in Penelope, a timid dragon, and Hobie, a worrisome rabbit. Rapunzel spends what free time she has painting pictures of her friends.

One afternoon, while preparing cookies for Gothel, Rapunzel and her animal friends find a secret staircase which leads to an old room below the manor. In it they discover a gift from her parents who allegedly deserted her – a silver hairbrush engraved with the following: “Constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved. To Rapunzel on her first birthday. Love always, mother and father.” These words leave the young artist questioning her past for the first time. Her diversion is quickly interrupted by Gothel’s calls for tea.

After serving Gothel her meal, Rapunzel, Penelope, and Hobie revisit the cellar where they expose yet another secret – a tunnel leading to the nearby village. Rapunzel takes this path to the small kingdom and is able to rescue a princess named Katrina from a pitfall. For her good deed, Rapunzel is introduced to Katrina’s brother, the Prince Stefan. He explains to her that the trap Katrina managed to escape was put there by King Wilhelm, the ruler of an opposing kingdom. Enchanted with mysterious maiden, Stefan asks to meet her again, to which she agrees, though their meeting is ended abruptly when she rushes off avoid being discovered by Gothel. Little does Rapunzel know that Otto, Gothel’s pet ferret, has been following her…

Unfortunately, Gothel not only discovers Rapunzel's little excursion, she punishes her as well. Determined to keep Rapunzel isolated from the rest of the world, Gothel transforms her bedroom into a high tower and stations Hugo, Penelope’s father, outside. She refuses to let Rapunzel go until she tells her the name of the boy she met. Rapunzel is then left alone with Hobie and Penelope, who cheer her up with new painting supplies to replace the ones taken away from Gothel. The gifts, because they were made by her friends, end up having magical properties and what Rapunzel paints comes to life. She paints her way out of the tower by creating a secret passageway into the palace gardensand continues to secretly meet with Stefan.

Once again, Gothel discovers the truth and destroys Rapunzel's magic paintbrush. She enchants the tower so that an untruthful woman will be unable to leave, even through Rapunzel's enchanted painting. When Gothel intends to destroy King Frederick and Stefan and storms to their castle. Meanwhile, she has also chained up Hugo, for Penelope acting out to help Rapunzel. Rapunzel dreams of Stefan appear at the foot of the tower, asking to climb up using her long beautiful hair. Meanwhile, Hugo finds a loophole in Gothel's imprisonment spell and encourages Penelope to fly higher than she ever has before in order to aid Rapunzel. Rapunzel is able to escape through the window and she and Penelope rush to save Stefan.

Wilhelm appears before Frederick with Gothel by his side, hoping to end the feud by force. Wilhelm reveals the source of the feud was because he believes Frederick kidnapped his daughter, who has been missing since she was only a child. Frederick replies that he planned nothing of the sort and he has no idea where Wilhelm's daughter is. Rapunzel arrives just in time to stop them from fighting and Wilhelm recognizes Rapunzel as his missing daughter.

Gothel confesses that she loved Wilhelm and believed he had the same feelings for her. When she realized that he only considered her a friend, she became jealous and angry and left the palace. She took Rapunzel with her and arranged for the blame for Rapunzel's disappearance to fall to Frederick. Gothel turns her attention to Rapunzel and attempts to turn her to stone for her intervention in Gothel's revenge.

Rapunzel escapes and runs through the palace garden to a passage way with a door. She opens the door and closes it behind her; Gothel runs through the door, not knowing that it is the same enchanted passage Rapunzel originally used to escape the tower. She is now trapped in the tower forever by her own enchantment while Hugo is freed from his because Gothel is now unable to use her magic. Rapunzel and Stefan marry and their fathers reconcile to unite their kingdoms.

After hearing the story, Kelly becomes confident in her abilities and once again takes up her brush to paint.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Cast

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