The Princess Diaries is a 2001 comedy film produced by singer and actress Whitney Houston and directed by Garry Marshall. It is based on Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name. The film stars Anne Hathaway (her film debut) as Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of the fictional Genovia, ruled by her grandmother, Queen dowager Clarisse Renaldi, who is portrayed by Julie Andrews. It also stars Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best friend Lilly Moscovitz, Héctor 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 in the box office. The Princess Diaries was a commercial success, grossing $165,335,153 worldwide. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, the film's sequel, was released in August 2004.The role of the queen was intended for Sophia Loren who turned down it.
Plot
Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a fifteen-year-old tenth grade private school student who lives with her mother Helen Thermopolis (Caroline Goodall) and her cat, Fat Louie, in a renovated San Francisco firehouse. Mia is an average student, but extremely unpopular. She is seemingly invisible to her crush, Josh Bryant (Erik von Detten) and his cheerleader girlfriend Lana Thomas (Mandy Moore). Mia, however, has one best friend: Lilly Moscovitz (Heather Matarazzo) as well as Lilly's brother Michael (Robert Schwartzman).
A few weeks before Mia's sixteenth birthday, Mia learns her paternal grandmother is visiting from Genovia, a small European country. Mia meets her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), at the Genovian consulate for the first time in her life. Clarisse explains that the reason she wanted to see her was because of a "life-changing" problem. Mia learns that her father was the crown prince of Genovia and, due to his recent death, she is now next in line and the only heir to the Genovian throne. She is shocked to learn that she is a princess and runs away, rejecting the whole idea.
Clarisse visits Mia and her mother the next morning and explains that if Mia refuses the throne, Genovia will be without a ruler. She also explains that Mia needs to be presented as their princess at the upcoming Genovian State Dinner. Helen convinces Mia to attend "princess lessons" with Clarisse, and that Mia doesn't have to make her decision quite yet on whether she accepts or rejects the throne until the annual Genovian Independence Day ball. Clarisse gives Mia a limousine to use as well as her own bodyguard, Joseph "Joe" (Héctor Elizondo).
Mia begins seeing her grandmother everyday after school for her lessons, which include table manners, dancing and personal presentation. The lessons soon begin to put Lilly on edge because of Mia's absence. After Mia receives a makeover from Italian hairdresser Paolo (Larry Miller), Lilly finally confronts her and accuses her of trying to be like the popular girls. Mia breaks down and tells Lilly everything, who's attitude changes completely. Mia makes Lilly promise not to tell anyone, not even Michael because Clarisse wanted to keep everything a secret until the Independence Day ball as to avoid a frenzy with the press.
Italian hairdresser Paolo steps in to give Mia a makeover.
However, the San Francisco Chronicle learns that Mia is the Genovian crown princess after Paolo breaks his confidentiality agreement. Although thoroughly annoyed, Clarisse presses onward and prepares for the State Dinner. Mia attends and is publicly humiliated via her klutziness.
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. Mia is almost 16 so she is almost able to drive a car, (her "baby", a vintage Ford Mustang.) She takes a test drive with her grandmother and they go to an arcade. Mia asks her grandmother if her father wanted to be prince, to which she replies yes, but adds that he thought of abdicating only once when he fell in love with Mia's mother. However, he realized his love for his country was greater.
While driving back to the Genovian consulate, Mia's car fails on a hill and rams into a trolley loaded with people. No one is hurt, but the police are called. To save Mia a trip to the police station (she was driving without a license), Clarisse names the police man and trolley master to the Genovian Order of the Rose (a fictional honor made up on the spot). The men are so flattered that Clarisse and Mia are given a ride back to the consulate in a police car.
Josh, a cute boy on whom Mia has a crush, asks Mia to go with him to the school's annual beach party. She excitedly agrees. Michael and Lilly are both hurt when Mia blows them off for the popular kids. Mia's mother wisely points out Josh never liked her before all this princess business. Mia ignores this observation.
The beach party goes well at first, but spirals out of control when the media learns of Mia's presence. Josh uses her to get his fifteen minutes of fame by publicly kissing Mia and three jealous popular girls embarrass Mia in front of the paparazzi, resulting in photos of her in only a towel.
The unflattering photos wind up on tabloid covers and this displeases Clarisse. Then, Clarisse tells Mia that she could still go to the ball and invite her friends, except Josh. Joe, however, reminds Clarisse that although Mia is a princess, she is still a teenager and Clarisse's granddaughter. To reconstruct her friendships with Lilly and Michael, Mia apologizes and invites them to the Genovian Independence Day Ball, where she must reveal whether or not she wants to accept her duties as a princess.
Upon learning she must personally and publicly renounce her throne, the terrified Mia plans to run away. She is stopped when she finds a sixteenth birthday gift (the titular diary) and a letter from her father written before his death. Touched by his words, she changes her mind and makes her way to the ball. Her car breaks down on the way, but she is saved by Joe, who arrives with a limo (having suspected her runaway plans).
When they arrive, Mia makes a speech announcing her acceptance of the Genovian throne. She shares her first dance with Michael, who then takes her outside to the palace garden where they kiss. Clarisse and Joe are seen holding hands, signifying the start of a relationship. The last scene shows Mia on the plane with Joe and her cat. Mia is writing in her diary, explaining that she is moving to Genovia, her mother is moving with her, and Lily and Michael will visit her during the summer. When Mia looks out the plane's window she sees the beautiful palace of Genovia below.
Cast
Production
The film was produced by Whitney Houston and Debra Martin Chase and directed by Garry Marshall. Anne Hathaway was hired for the role of Mia because Garry Marshall's granddaughters saw her audition tape and said she had the best "princess hair."[1]
Héctor Elizondo, who appears in all the films which Garry Marshall directs,[2] 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. West coast radio personalities Mark & Brian appear as themselves.
According to Hathaway, the first choice for the role of Mia Thermopolis was Liv Tyler, but the studio preferred to cast unfamiliar faces.
Soundtrack
Reception
The film opened in 2,537 theaters in North America and grossed $22,862,269 in its opening weekend. It grossed $165,335,153 worldwide—$108,248,956 in North America and $57,086,197 in other territories.[3]
Reviews for the film were mixed. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 46% of 110 sampled critics gave the film positive reviews and that it got a rating average of 5.1 out of 10.[4]
Accolades
| Year |
Award |
For |
Notes |
| 2002 |
ALMA Award - Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack |
"Miracles Happen" by Myra |
Nominated |
| ASCAP Top Box Office Film |
John Debney |
Won |
| 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 Hair Stylist Guild Award - Best Contemporary Makeup - Feature |
Hallie D'Amore
Leonard Engelman |
| 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 |
|
Won |
References
External links
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The Princess Diaries film series
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