The Princess Diaries (2001)

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers (WGA):

Meg Cabot (novel)
Gina Wendkos (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

She rocks. She rules. She reigns.

Plot:

A socially awkward but very bright 15-year-old girl being raised by a single mom discovers that she...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Grandmother | Queen | Teenager | Teen

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Julie Andrews	...	Queen Clarisse Renaldi
Anne Hathaway	...	Mia Thermopolis
Hector Elizondo	...	Joe
Heather Matarazzo	...	Lilly Moscovitz
Mandy Moore	...	Lana Thomas
Caroline Goodall	...	Helen Thermopolis
Robert Schwartzman	...	Michael Moscovitz
Erik von Detten	...	Josh Bryant (as Erik Von Detten)
Patrick Flueger	...	Jeremiah Hart
Sean O'Bryan	...	Teacher Patrick O'Connell
Sandra Oh	...	Vice Principal Gupta
Kathleen Marshall	...	Charlotte
Mindy Burbano	...	Gym Teacher Ms. Harbula
Kimleigh Smith	...	Music Teacher Wells (as Kim Leigh)
Beth Anne Garrison	...	Cheerleader Anna

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (w) | Hong Kong:I | Italy:T | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

2601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Anne Hathaway took rock climbing lessons for this movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Mia is reading one of the books in the garden, before the scene where her grandmother gives them to her.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Helen Thermopolis: Time for school! Stop daydreaming, you'll be late for school.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "90210: There's No Place Like Homecoming (#1.8)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Always Tomorrow

Entertaining

I will admit that when I first heard a Disney movie called "The Princess Diaries" was coming out, I thought it would be corny. But upon actually SEEING the film, I found (as is usually the case when stupid judgmental people make up their mind about films without watching them, I won't name names, you know who you are...Tom!) that it was in reality a charming, original, humorous and thoroughly entertaining family film.

The plot is fairy tale in nature: Mia is a social misfit with terrible hair and no self-confidence. Her only friends are eccentric activist Lilly and rock band headliner Michael (played by real-life rocket Robert Carmine of "Rooney") who has a little crush on her. Then, who of all people should turn up but Julie Andrews to tell Mia that her father (who she hasn't seen since she was tiny) was actually royalty and that she, Mia, was princess of a country no one's ever heard of. What it comes down to is this: She has until a big embassy ball to decide whether she wants to give up the crown (and basically open the country up to a hostile political takeover) or take her place as princess. After a makeover (at the hands of funnyman Larry Miller), some training and at least four horrendously traumatizing incidents, she decides...well, that would be giving it away, wouldn't it?

This is not a movie for little girls dressed in tutus who want to be princesses when they grow up. For the first time in the studio's tenure (I'd wager) this film depicts the responsibility of royalty. Mia tackles with the pressures of ruling a country. But for my money the best part of this movie is the love story. No, not Mia and the uniquely attractive rocker (although, that is great). A second, unscripted love story exists between Andrews and her chauffeur, Hector Elizondo. That's terrific.

It's about being yourself and bettering yourself. It's about knowing who your real friends are. It's about living up to your own expectations. It's about smushing an ice cream cone on the blouse of a bitchy cheerleader who deserves it. And maybe that sounds corny to all y'all (rustic expression) but I know a lot of adults who could use lessons like these.