The Prince & Me (2004)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Martha Coolidge

Writers (WGA):

Mark Amin (story) and
Katherine Fugate (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 April 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Finding your inner princess can be such a royal pain.

Plot:

At a Wisconsin university, local farmer's daughter Paige Morgan is intrigued by odd Danish exchange student Edvard 'Eddie'...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Queen | Wisconsin | Prince | University

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Julia Stiles	...	Paige Morgan
Luke Mably	...	Eddie
Ben Miller	...	Soren
Miranda Richardson	...	Queen Rosalind
James Fox	...	King Haraald
Alberta Watson	...	Amy Morgan
John Bourgeois	...	Ben Morgan
Zachary Knighton	...	John Morgan
Stephen O'Reilly	...	Mike Morgan (as Steve O'Reilly)
Elisabeth Waterston	...	Beth Curtis
Eliza Bennett	...	Princess Arabella
Devin Ratray	...	Scotty
Clare Preuss	...	Stacey
Yaani King	...	Amanda
Eddie Irvine	...	Himself
Angelo Tsarouchas	...	Stu
Jacques Tourangeau	...	Professor Amiel
Joanne Baron	...	Margueritte - Royal Designer
Stephen Singer	...	Professor Begler
Sarah Manninen	...	Krista
Tony Munch	...	Keith Kopetsky
John Nelles	...	Race Announcer (as John E. Nelles)
Claus Bue	...	Lutheran Archbishop
James McGowan	...	Photographer
Jean Pearson	...	Photographer
Dagmar Bláhová	...	Lady in Waiting (as Dasha Blahova)
Henrik Jandorf	...	Prime Minister
Niels Anders Thorn	...	Thomas Anderson (as Neils Anders Thorn)
Jesper Asholt	...	Cab Driver
Andrea Veresova	...	Eddie's Girlfriend
Winter Ave Zoli	...	Eddie's Girlfriend
Jennifer Roberts Smith	...	John's Wife
Zdenek Maryska	...	Corporation Negotiator
Vladimir Kulhavy	...	Union Negotiator
Garth Hewitt	...	Desperate Dan
Dana Reznik	...	Wild Girl
Amy Stewart	...	Rathskeller Server
Richard Lee	...	Deli Patron
Barbora Kodetová	...	English Teacher's Assistant (as Barbara Kodetova)
Klára Issová	...	English Teacher's Assistant (as Klara Issova)
Eva Docolomanska	...	English Teacher's Assistant
Philip Craig	...	Doctor
Dinah Watts	...	Nurse
David O'Kelly	...	TV Reporter
Robert Russel	...	Royal Herald
Go Go Jean Michel Francis	...	Ambassador Koskei
Jan Nemejovsky	...	Parliamentary Herald
Lenka Termerová	...	Danish Woman in Crowd (as Lenka Termerova)
Emil Helt	...	Little Kid
Dan Petronijevic	...	Rathskeller Bouncer (as Daniel Petronijevic)
Jason Burke	...	Rathskeller Bouncer
Michael McLachlan	...	Gopher Fan
Patricia Netzer	...	Brigett - Palace Maid
Andrea Miltner	...	Anna - Palace Maid (as Andrea Miltnerova)
Jennifer Vey	...	The Bride
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kasper Klejnstrup	...	Man in crowd (uncredited)
Marvin Lara	...	Eddie's Lab Partner (uncredited)

Directed by
Martha Coolidge

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark Amin		(story) and
Katherine Fugate		(story)
Jack Amiel		(screenplay) &
Michael Begler		(screenplay) and
Katherine Fugate		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mark Amin	....	producer
Mike Elliott	....	associate producer
Jeffrey Lampert	....	associate producer
Jeffrey Lampert	....	co-producer
David Minkowski	....	associate producer
Robin Schorr	....	executive producer
Matthew Stillman	....	associate producer
Cami Winikoff	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jennie Muskett

Cinematography by
Alex Nepomniaschy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Steven Cohen

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Mark Bennett
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
James H. Spencer		(as James Spencer)

Costume Design by
Magali Guidasci

Makeup Department
Libuse Barlova	....	key hair stylist: Prague
Alessondra Bastianoni	....	assistant makeup artist: Toronto
Katie Brennan	....	key makeup artist
Hanka Chylova	....	assistant makeup artist: Prague
Beatrice De Alba	....	hair stylist: Ms. Stiles
Rikke Dengso	....	key hair stylist: Denmark
Rikke Dengso	....	key makeup artist: Denmark
Karola Dirnberger	....	key hair stylist
Linda Dvorakova	....	assistant hair stylist: Prague
Paula Fleet	....	assistant hair stylist: Toronto
Susan Hayward	....	assistant makeup artist: Toronto
Kristen Paynter	....	makeup artist: Ms. Stiles
Kelly Shanks	....	assistant hair stylist: Toronto
Ivo Strangmüller	....	key makeup artist: Prague
Hana Surkalova	....	assistant makeup artist
Deborah Williams	....	assistant makeup artist: Toronto

Production Management
Karen Gorodetzky	....	production manager
Jiri Husak	....	unit manager: second unit
Deb LeFaive	....	unit production manager
Jasmin Torbati	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Bitonti	....	second assistant director
Jim Brebner	....	first assistant director
Jakub Dvorak	....	second assistant director
Craig Newman	....	third assistant director
Kim Palmen	....	set trainee assistant director
Branko Racki	....	second unit director: Toronto
Martin Sebik	....	first assistant director: second unit
James H. Spencer	....	second unit director: Prague (as James Spencer)
Michaela Strnadova	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Edward Bonutto	....	assistant art director
David DeMarinis	....	assistant set decorator
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator
Ian Hall	....	art department coordinator
Andrew Hull	....	assistant art director
Alan Letts	....	head carpenter
John Moran	....	assistant art director: graphics
Ondrej Nekvasil	....	art director: Prague
Peter P. Nicolakakos	....	set decorator: Toronto (as Peter Nicolakakos)
Chris Pellegrini	....	property master
Marie Raskova	....	set decorator: Prague (as Marie Rasková)
Jan Svoboda	....	art department coordinator
Vlasta Svoboda	....	art director: Toronto
Giles Vanderholt	....	art apprentice (2004)

Sound Department
Tomas Cervenka	....	second boom operator
Greg Chapman	....	production sound mixer
Andrew Ellerd	....	sound effects editor
David Hankins	....	supervising sound editor (as Dave Hankins)
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound editor
J. Stanley Johnston	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas Jones	....	adr editor
Helen Luttrell	....	adr editor
Helen Luttrell	....	dialogue editor
Peter Melnychuk	....	boom operator
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Robert Morrisey	....	first assistant sound editor
Bob Newlan	....	adr editor
Ralph Osborn	....	adr edit
Erin Michael Rettig	....	sound engineer
Roman Rigo	....	boom operator
Jeff Sawyer	....	sound effects editor
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Melissa S. Hofmann)
Christopher Sidor	....	sound recordist
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Erich Stratmann	....	sound effects editor
David Williams	....	sound effects editor
Dorian Williamson	....	second boom operator

Special Effects by
Tomas Hartl	....	first assistant special effects
Kaz Kobielski	....	special effects coordinator
Peter Sissakis	....	key special effects
Dean Stewart	....	special effects office administrator

Visual Effects by
Danny Albano	....	digital artist
Peter Bowmar	....	effects animator
Will Cunningham	....	effects animator
Kent Demaine	....	visual effects supervisor: Black Box Digital
Steven Fagerquist	....	visual effects
Karin Levinson	....	visual effects producer: Black Box Digital
Will Robbins	....	creative director: Black Box Digital
Brian Smallwood	....	digital artist

Stunts
Ron Bell	....	stunts
Shane Cardwell	....	stunt driver
Dean Copkov	....	stunt driver
Maxine Dumont	....	stunt double
Joel Harris	....	stunt driver
Brian Jagersky	....	co-stunt coordinator
Danny Lima	....	stunt driver
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt driver
Jim Lyttle	....	stunt driver
Darren McGuire	....	stunt driver
Dwayne McLean	....	stunt driver
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunt driver
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Bryan Thomas	....	stunt driver
Ron Van Hart	....	stunt driver
Geoff Williams	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeff Adams	....	grip
Jan Boruvka	....	gaffer: Czech Republic
Gary Bower	....	grip
Brendan Bresnahan	....	key video assist operator
Jayson Clute	....	first assistant camera
Pete Daprato	....	best boy grip (as Peter Daprato)
Robert Daprato	....	key grip (as Bob Daprato)
Steven Desbrow	....	aerial camera operator
Klaus Fuxjäger	....	camera operator
Greg Grainger	....	grip
Tony Guerin	....	camera operator
Gail Harvey	....	still photographer
Ladislav Hruby	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Marcel Janisse	....	assistant camera
Igor Jelen	....	best boy: Czech Republic
Patrick King	....	dolly operator
Robert Kodera	....	key grip
Ari Magder	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Monty Montgomerie	....	key rigging grip: Canada
Miroslav Pavlik	....	second assistant camera: second unit
David Perrault	....	camera operator: second unit, Toronto
Ervin Sanders	....	director of photography: Prague second unit
Jaromir Sedina	....	Steadicam operator
Jaromir Sedina	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Paul Spaven	....	best boy
John Sztejnmiler	....	generator operator
Franco Tata	....	gaffer
Isabella Vosmikova	....	still photographer: Czech Republic

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Nancy Bishop	....	casting: Prague
Robin D. Cook	....	casting: Toronto
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting associate
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Nicole Hilliard-Forde	....	casting associate: Canada
Jirí Hrstka	....	extras casting
Claire Saunders	....	casting assistant
Gail Stevens	....	casting: U.K.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Catherine Ashton	....	assistant costume designer
Miroslav Fantys	....	assistant to wardrobe supervisor
Kathleen Meade	....	costume department supervisor
Vera Mirová	....	wardrobe master
Barbora Wildova	....	wardrobe interpreter

Editorial Department
Josh Campbell	....	assistant editor
Audrey Evans	....	assistant editor
Martin Hubacek	....	assistant editor
Paul Murphy	....	assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Mila Patriki	....	dailies colorist
Dawn M. Stoliar	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Ray Colcord	....	composer: additional music
Matt Dunkley	....	orchestrator
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Ernie Mannix	....	music editor
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Andrew McKenna	....	music arranger: source music
Rob Playford	....	music programing: score
Joel J. Richard	....	music assistant
Robin Urdang	....	music supervisor
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Lee Bryan	....	picture car coordinator
John Coles	....	driver
Jiri Fleischer	....	picture cars coordinator
Rickey Giallonardo	....	picture car captain

Other crew
Jody Beaudin	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Beaudin	....	first assistant accountant
Michelle Berrigan	....	assistant accountant
Derek Brady	....	location manager: Toronto
Michele Brody	....	assistant: Ms. Coolidge
Kathryn Buck	....	script supervisor
Jason Cooper	....	production coordinator
Carole Costello	....	extras supervisor
Gabriela Dolenska	....	assistant to cast
Boban Dvorak	....	assistant production coordinator
Jay Floyd	....	clearance administrator
Christian Hamilton	....	assistant production coordinator
Marcela Jahodova	....	second assistant accountant
Lubos Jirgl	....	production coordinator
Michael Kessler	....	production assistant
Kathryn Metcalfe	....	production office assistant
Kristen Morton	....	production coordinator
Steena Petersen	....	craft service provider
Vanessa Pickering	....	assistant to producers: Toronto
Karen Pidgurski	....	unit publicist
Jeremy Pinard	....	location production assistant
Katerina Pokorova	....	on-set coordinator
Jeffery Pong	....	assistant location manager
Lara Popic	....	assistant to producers: Prague
Lori M. Roberts	....	production auditor
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Kevin Michael Schembri	....	second assistant accountant
Adrian Sheepers	....	production coordinator
Petr Skvor	....	location manager
Rachel Suhanic	....	assistant: Ms. Coolidge, Toronto
Bob Tennent	....	assistant location manager
Marketa Tom	....	assistant: Ms. Coolidge, Prague
Klara Varadiova	....	assistant: Ms. Stiles, Prague
Pavel Voracek	....	assistant location manager
Cecily Wills	....	assistant: Ms. Stiles, Toronto
Dale Wyatt	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Lions Gate Films
• Sobini Films
• Epsilon Motion Pictures
• Paramount Pictures
• Stillking Films

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Nordisk Film Distributors (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Filmax S.A. (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Gelvars (2004) (Belarus) (theatrical)
• Gelvars (2004) (Kazakhstan) (theatrical)
• Gelvars (2004) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Gelvars (2004) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures do Brasil (2004) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Rialto Film AG (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Nelonen (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Sweden) (all media)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD) (as Medaria Home Entertainment)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2004) (Romania) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Black Box Digital (visual effects)
• Howard Anderson Company, The (opticals)
• Effects Group
• Visual Effects Company, The (motion control)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Air Studios  music recorded at
• CE VideoAssist Rental  VideoAssist equipment provided by
• Dakota Music Services  music preparation
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing
• Deborah Ross Film Design  title design: main titles
• EXTRAfilms S.r.o.  extras casting
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack album published by
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals
• Mary Nelson-Fraser & Associates  negative cutting
• Molotov  production services: Denmark
• PS Production Services  camera equipment provided by (as P.S. Production Services Ltd.)
• Paramount Studios  digital sound editing
• Stillking Films  production services: Czech Republic
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio

Also Known As:

The Prince & the Freshman (USA) (working title)
The Prince and Me (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some sex-related material and language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | Czech Republic

Language:

English | Danish | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Norway:11 (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Brazil:Livre | Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

Amber Tamblyn and Jonathan Jackson both auditioned.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Paige Morgan invites Eddie to her home for Thanksgiving. In Wisconsin during the month of November, there are no green deciduous leaves on any tree.

Quotes:

Scotty: [Soren slaps Scotty's hand which was directing toward Soren's last royally-paid-for breakfast] Hey, you cheap Swede!

Movie Connections:

References Blade Runner (1982)

Soundtrack:

Freeway

A Very Familiar Story

Roger Ebert actually gave "The Prince and Me" zero stars which seems a little harsh, as it does have a few universally enjoyable scenes and decent performances from almost the entire cast. Unfortunately they are saddled with a somewhat weak and completely predictable screenplay, and a premise that has been used and reused.

Ebert compares it unfavorably with "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton" where the same type of small town girl wins a date with a big Hollywood star, who then falls in love with her freshness and sincerity. She begins to struggle with the tedious real-life demands of what she thought would be a glamorous life. Others compare it to 1954's "The Student Prince" and its 1997 television remake, although not unfavorably as both productions are considered barely competent. I think it is most like "Coming to America", although it does not capture the humor and social commentary of that film. I'm sure that the producers of "The Prince and Me" drew considerable inspiration from the box office popularity of "Coming to America. Unfortunately they failed to follow its example and create a fictional monarchy, choosing instead to subject Denmark to the indignity of this silly story.

The story obviously satisfies some basic yearning in the human psyche, or at least the teenage female psyche. The most interesting thing about "The Prince and Me" is the inspired way they successfully expanded their target audience to include pre-teen girls. By casting Eliza Bennett (with apologies to Jane Austen) as the Princes's adoring little sister, Princess Arabella, they created a nice fantasy for this younger demographic. To her credit, Eliza brings a lot of much needed charm to the production.

The physical casting of the two leads is very good. Julia Stiles does not exude a lot of sensuality but fits the role of a brainy American college student, with ambitions to become a doctor. That Stiles is convincing as a smart and serious young woman helps convince us when Queen (Miranda Richardson) is eventually won over by her prospective daughter-in- law. Their changing relationship is the one plot element that you don't entirely see coming. And Luke Mably fits Americas idea of a young prince, looking much like those Windsor boys. While the pairings of Prince and little sister and of Queen and future Queen work exceptionally well, the Stiles-Mably relationship has no chemistry and seems terribly forced. So one just has to go with it and enjoy the other elements of the film.

Once the story moves to Copenhagen it gets better as they do a good job of presenting the entire experience from the point of view of Paige Morgan (Stiles). With this it actually improves on "Coming to America" and becomes much more like "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton".

This is one of those films where you can see every single plot development from a million miles away. Although that will make very little difference to it's target audience, others will find it makes much of the film a yawn-fest.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.