Micitype Pretty Good

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

bregund Catherine Deneuve never looked more beautiful than she does in this film that hardly anyone has ever heard of, although she seems a little mature to be playing a naïve princess. The costumes and set designs are a feast for the eyes; unlike today's penchant for confining the viewer to little rooms, there are big, sweeping camera movements of castle interiors, gardens, reception halls, and an entire village. This is one expensive-looking film, even looking at the line of women stretching out the castle, all in elaborate costume, is impressive. A cat-shaped throne, red and blue horses and matching coaches, and blue-faced guards are a neat twist. Two things mar the film, however: 1) The songs are neither memorable nor catchy. Maybe the director should have hired an Italian musician.2) The film tries and fails to be a fractured fairy tale with purposely outlandish themes, the most prominent of which is a man's desire to marry his own daughter. Even as a commentary about incest among the nobility the joke falls flat.All in all, one walks away from the film wishing that it had been more than the sum of its parts. If the director had focused on satirizing fairy tales or drawing broad social commentary, the film could have been brilliant. As it is, having been released in 1970, it feels more like the denouement of 1960s film experimentation. And the English version of the film's title could have used better planning.

Kara Dahl Russell This is a lovely film of a fairy tale, a french tale that is one of the Cinderella derivations. This one has some dark elements which seem sensible to children, but disturbing to adults, which makes this perfect for film, because it plays on two levels. The production here is aimed squarely at children, and succeeds. The DVD extras tell us that Denueve is still recognized by children as the Princess, and it seems that it remains a favorite experience with most people involved in the making.Adults who have seen Cocteau's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will recognize many moments of film reference to that story, including the Beast there playing a beastly royal father here. The most magical moment for me in this film is a direct reference to Belle's slow motion run down the stairs. It would have been nicer to see some of these marvelous ideas (the Giant Cat as a throne, the bedspread of grass and flowers) done with a higher budget, and with today's special effects, but children fill in the gaps when they see it, and the cooking scene has a lovely little surprise in the eggs which is charming. The costumes are over the top in the best way, with a special "sky" gown. The castle sets feel a bit cavernous and empty, like, well, sets.Catherine Denueve plays two roles, briefly appearing as her own (re-haired) Mother, and the enchanted Princess. Deneuve was actually a bit old to play a princess, but still exquisitely lovely, and the good fortune here is that by this time in her career her acting has more depth and this benefits her role. She seems to grow up and become more womanly before us. Not a sentimental tale, the ending has some modern surprises which remind us of the timeless nature of the Lilac Fairy, parent child relationships, and unsettling dynamics of relationships. Michel Legrand's dissonant melodies flesh out this feeling. This is lost on the children, of course. So this film is light and pretty, with something for everyone.

fclacher Weird, yes and off-putting to some, but this is a classic French "conte de fée" (fairy tale) by Charles Perrault.This man was also responsible for Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.The stories in Mother Goose also stemmed from his work.If you think about it, many of these stories contain weird or gruesome elements but are now all considered classics which we read to our children, albeit in somewhat doctored form.So, weird to Americans, but normal to the French.One cannot deny that the picture is beautifully filmed, and that the color is truly outstanding. We should note that Jacques Demy also directed the Umbrellas of Cherbourg and the Young Girls of Rochefort. There is a great similarity in attitude and art if one compares these three films of his.

NetFlix Haiku HAIKU: Once upon a time / In France, girls wore donkey skins / To not marry dadFOUR PLUSES & A NEGATIVE: 1) French fairy-tale by Charles Perrault, the 17th-century author of "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty." 2) Musical with easy-on-the-ears songs and melodies. 3) By the same French director who brought to screen "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg)" and "Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort)"… among other classics of French cinema. 4) Catherine Deneuve at her most radiant! 5) Themes involving scatology, incest, and bestiality. RANDOM THOUGHTS: I saw this film in my sixth grade French class. We went to see it at the Film Form (I think it was there, at least… maybe it was at the Alliance Française) and then we went to a French restaurant where my arch enemy at that time, Richard Salz, had an embarrassing moment with his French Onion Soup. Being the poor Black kid at a rich White private school, I didn't have money for an appetizer, so I watched while everyone else ate their soup or snails. Still, I remember having felt transported to another place and time, a feeling that would be recreated later in life by drugs and alcohol. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys French cinema or to brave families who like fairy tale films. Despite the "strange" themes, it is told responsibly, almost as if it where a life lesson that everyone had to learn at some point in their lives, like all dads want to marry their daughters and daughters would oblige were it not for this film… If you'd like to read more of my haiku, please visit my blog at: richardwallenhaiku.blogspot.com