The Princess Diaries (film)
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| The Princess Diaries | |
|---|---|
 Original theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Garry Marshall |
| Produced by | Debra Martin Chase Whitney Houston Mario Iscovich |
| Written by | Meg Cabot (novel) Gina Wendkos (screenplay) |
| Starring | Julie Andrews Anne Hathaway Hector Elizondo Heather Matarazzo Mandy Moore Caroline Goodall Robert Schwartzman Erik von Detten |
| Music by | John Debney |
| Cinematography | Karl Walter Lindenlaub |
| Editing by | Bruce Green |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 3, 2001 (NA) |
| Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $26 million USD[1] |
| Gross profits | $165 million USD[1] |
| Followed by | The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
For the sequel, see The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. For the cancelled third film, see The Princess Diaries 3.
The Princess Diaries is a comedy-drama film and the screen adaptation of Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name. The film stars Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of the fictional Genovia, ruled by her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, who is portrayed by Julie Andrews. It also stars Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best friend Lilly Moscovitz, Hector Elizondo as Renaldi's head of security, and Robert Schwartzman as Lilly's brother, who has a crush on Mia.
It was released to North American theatres on August 3, 2001 and peaked at number three on the box office chart. The Princess Diaries produced ticket sales well over its production budget.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a fifteen-year-old tenth grade private school student who lives with her mother Helen (Caroline Goodall) and cat Fat Louie in a San Francisco firehouse; her father died two months earlier in a car crash. Although she is an average student, she is very unpopular, but has two good friends: Lilly Moscovitz (Heather Matarazzo) and her brother Michael (Robert Schwartzman), who has a crush on her. Mia is regularly teased by her peers for her gawkiness and frizzy hair, mostly by Lana Thomas (Mandy Moore), a fellow tenth grader who is captain of the school cheerleading team, and her friends. Mia is jealous of Lana because she is in a relationship with Josh Bryant (Erik von Detten), a twelfth grader whom she has had a crush on since grade school.
Shortly before Mia's sixteenth birthday, she learns from her mother that her paternal grandmother is visiting from Genovia, a country in Europe. At first Mia does not want to see her, but agrees to after some persuasion. The next day, Mia meets her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), for the first time, who explains that the reason she wanted to see her was because of a "life-changing" problem. Clarisse is the queen of Genovia and confides that the coming three weeks would result in whether the throne remained in their bloodline. Because her father died, Mia is the only heir to the Genovian throne. She is shocked to learn that she is a princess and exclaims "shut up!" to her grandmother's disapproval. Mia quickly leaves the house and returns home, after which she begins fighting with her mother for not telling her when she was younger.
Mia's mother and grandmother convince her to attend "princess lessons" in preparation for her introduction to the Genovian government. Under supervision from her new bodyguard, the head of Genovian security, Joe (Hector Elizondo), Mia begins to forget to help Lilly with her homework or watch Michael's band Flypaper perform at a nearby auto mechanic shop. To look more presentable to the Genovian government, Mia receives a makeover from Italian hairdresser Paolo (Larry Miller), after which Lilly confronts her for being so distant. When Mia tells Lilly that she is a princess, their relationship becomes stronger than before.
A couple days later, San Francisco learns that Mia is the Genovian heir after Paolo tells the media so everybody will know that he is the one that made Princess Mia look like a prince. Although unimpressed, Clarisse opts to ignore the situation and prepares for the State Dinner, which Mia attends, though managing to somewhat humiliate herself in the process. The day after the State Dinner, Mia agrees to appear on Lilly's public access television program Shut Up and Listen and to watch Michael's band perform at a venue that Saturday night. However, Josh asks Mia to go with him to the Baker Beach Bash, the school's annual beach party, and she excitedly agrees. She remembers to tell Michael that she will watch see his band the following Saturday night, but forgets to tell Lilly of the change. The beach party goes well at first, but spirals out of control when the media learn of Mia's presence. Josh publicly embarrasses her by kissing her in front of photographers, and Lana helps them take pictures of her clad only in a towel. This causes a media frenzy and displeases Clarisse.
To reconstruct her friendships with Lilly and Michael, Mia invites them to the Genovian Independence Day Ball, where she must reveal whether or not she wants to accept her duties as a princess. Originally intent on running away to Colorado, Mia finds a sixteenth birthday gift and letter from her father, written before his death. After reading the letter, she changes her mind and makes her way to the ball, as it begins raining. Joe finds her drenched halfway to the event. Upon arrival, Mia makes a speech announcing her acceptance to the Genovian throne. She is happy to see that her friends attended, and kisses Michael in the garden. The film ends with the cast dancing informally, and Mia on an airplane arriving in Genovia as she narrates the coming summer's events.
[edit] Production
The film was directed by Garry Marshall and produced by Debra Martin Chase and Whitney Houston. Anne Hathaway was hired for the role of Mia immediately when she accidentally fell off her chair (which she does in the film as well) during her audition.[2] It was the film debut for singer Mandy Moore as the stereotypical cheerleader Lana Thomas.
Hector Elizondo, who appears in all the films which Garry Marshall directs,[3] plays Joseph "Joe", the head of Genovian security. Garry Marshall's daughter, Kathleen Marshall, plays Clarisse's secretary Charlotte Kutaway. Charlotte's surname is mentioned only in the credits, and Garry Marshall says it is a reference to how she is often used in cutaway shots. In one scene, Robert Schwartzman's real-life group Rooney makes a cameo playing a garage band named Flypaper, whose lead singer is Michael, played by Schwartzman.
The book was set in New York City, but the film's location was changed to San Francisco because Marshall's granddaughters lived there. West coast radio personalities Mark & Brian appear as themselves.
The film's soundtrack includes "Miracles Happen (When You Believe)" by Myra. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, the film's sequel, was released in August 2004.
[edit] Cast
- Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse Renaldi
- Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis
- Hector Elizondo as Joe
- Heather Matarazzo as Lilly Moscovitz
- Mandy Moore as Lana Thomas
- Caroline Goodall as Helen Thermopolis
- Robert Schwartzman as Michael Moscovitz
- Erik von Detten as Josh Bryant
- Patrick Flueger as Jeremiah Hart
- Sean O'Bryan as Patrick O'Connell
- Sandra Oh as Vice-Principal Gupta
- Kathleen Marshall as Charlotte Kutaway
[edit] Soundtrack
Main Article: Princess Diaries (album)
[edit] Differences between the film and novel
There are many major differences between the film and novel.[4] While they essentially follow the same plot, there were additional sequences written for the film to produce more drama.[2] Mia is portrayed as a very awkward adolescent, and while in the film she is more comfortable with herself after the makeover, in the book she becomes more uneasy.[4] Other major differences include the following:
- In the novel Mia's grandmother, Clarisse Renaldo, is not the Queen of Genovia, but instead the dowager princess. She is less considerate of Mia's feelings and is somewhat clueless about the lives of non-royal people. She frequently dresses in purple to emphasize her social status and speaks French most of the time. Clarisse has few heartfelt moments.
- In the novel Mia's father, Phillipe Renaldo, is not dead. Instead he is a survivor of testicular cancer and is physically incapable of producing another heir. Because Mia is his only daughter, this forces her to take the Genovian throne.
- While the film introduced Joe, the novel excludes his character. Mia has a bodyguard named Lars, who bears some distinction and similarity to Joe. Clarisse and Lars do not hint a romantic relationship like Clarisse and Joe do in the film.
- In the novel Lana does not have friends named Ana and Fontana and Lilly does not have a friend named Jeremiah. Mia has many other friends than Lilly and Michael, including Boris Pelkowski, Ling Su, Shameeka Taylor, and Tina Hakim Baba (whom she befriends during a fight with Lilly).
- Other small changes include Lilly's cable show, which is titled Lilly Tells It like It Is in the novel and Shut Up and Listen in the film. Mia's teacher who dates her mother Helen is not Mr. O'Connell and instead Mr. Gianini, who has a much larger role in the novel.
- Josh and Lana's surnames are different in the film. Originally they were Richter and Weinberger respectively, and not Bryant and Thomas. Although it was never disclosed why Josh's surname was changed, Garry Marshall said that "Thermopolis" and "Thomas" are close together alphabetically, which indicates that Mia and Lana would sit near each other in their classes.[2]
- In the novel, Mia Thermopolis lives in an apartment; in the movie, she lives in a house. Her neighbor in the novel is Ronnie, not Mr. Robatussen.
- In the book Mia ruins Lana's outfit with ice-cream in defence of Tina Hakim Baba (who is not mentioned in the movie), not Jeramiah (who is not even in the book).
- Mia does not tell Lilly that she is a princess in the book. And in the book Mia gets into a huge fight with Lilly when Lilly finds out that she is a princess, in the movie their bond gets stronger.
- Mia does not have a car in the book.
- In the book Mia's paternal grandmother does not go out for fun with Mia.
- In the novel, Clarisse Renaldo lives in the suite of the La Plaza Hotel while visiting New York. In the movie, she lives in a large house. In the novel, Grandmere (Clarisee Renaldo) owns a toy poodle named Rommel.
- In the novel, Mia goes to Albert Einstein High School. The name in the movie is changed to Garden Grove High School.
- In the novel, Josh makes out with Mia on the doorstep to Albert Einstein High School, since they were on their way to a school dance. In the movie, they were attending a beach party instead of a dance, and Josh kissed Mia outside the supplies cabin.
- In the novel, Michael Moscovitz did not work at a car repair shop. He was musically gifted, however.
- In the novel Michael Moscovitz and Mia do not get together as a couple in the end, they do not kiss in the end eiter.
- Fat Louie is ginger in the book, not black and white as in the movie.
- According to the novel Mia does not move to Genovia in the end.
- In the book Mia calls her paternal granmother 'Grandmere' and not Grandma.
- In the book Mia's maternal Grandmother is not dead.
- In the novel, it was Grandmere who publicized Mia's royal heritage, not Paolo.
- There was no Genovian Independence Day Ball in the novel.
- In the movie, Mia was turning 16 and had a learner's permit in driving. In the series, Mia did not turn 16 until book seven and a half: Sweet Sixteen Princess. She was 14 in books one, two, three, and four. She turned 15 in book five, and was 15 until book seven and a half. In the series, she is currently 16 and in her junior year of high school.
- In the book, Mia lives in New York, not San Francisco like the film.
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Heartland Award of Excellence | ||
| 2002 | ALMA Award - Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack | "Miracles Happen" by Myra | Nominated |
| ASCAP Top Box Office Film | John Debney | ||
| Artios Award - Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy | Marcia Ross Donna Morong Gail Goldberg |
Nominated | |
| BFCA Award - Best Family Film - Live Action | |||
| Golden Trailer Award - Best Animation/Family | |||
| Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Award - Best Contemporary Makeup - Feature | Hallie D'Amore Leonard Engelman |
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| MTV Movie Award - Breakthrough Female Performance | Anne Hathaway | ||
| Teen Choice Award - Film - Choice Actress, Comedy | Anne Hathaway | ||
| Teen Choice Award - Film - Choice Movie, Comedy | |||
| Young Artist Award - Best Family Feature Film - Comedy |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b "Box office statistics for The Princess Diaries (2001)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
- ^ a b c The Princess Diaries DVD commentary. A behind-the-scenes look at the film's production. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
- ^ "Hector Elizondo: Humor, Eloquence & Bongos". Screen Actors Guild Foundation. July 30, 2002. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
- ^ a b Differences between the film and novel. The Princess Diaries novel written by Meg Cabot and The Princess Diaries film directed by Gary Marshall. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
[edit] External links
Crew: Garry Marshall (director) · Debra Martin Chase (producer) · Whitney Houston (producer) · Gina Wendkos (screenwriter)
Cast: Julie Andrews as Clarisse Renaldi · Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis
Hector Elizondo as Joe · Heather Matarazzo as Lilly Moscovitz
Mandy Moore as Lana Thomas · Caroline Goodall as Helen Thermopolis
Robert Schwartzman as Michael Moscovitz · Erik von Detten as Josh Bryant
Novels: The Princess Diaries book series · Meg Cabot
