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Garry Marshall conjures up more fairy-tale, Pretty Woman magic for this film take on Meg Cabot's popular novel for teens. Anne Hathaway stars as Mia in this Pygmalion-esque charmer about an awkward 15-year-old San Francisco misfit whose world turns upside down when she discovers that she's a real princess. Broadway's original My Fair Lady, Julie Andrews, makes a welcome return to the screen as Mia's regal grandmother, who is charged with grooming her reluctant granddaughter for the throne. But Mia's happy-ever-after ending is not assured, as her newfound royal status threatens her friendship with her best friend and fellow social outcast, Lily (Heather Matarazzo of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Further complicating Mia's life is a jerky high school hunk, whose attentions distract her from a true Prince Charming waiting in the wings. Lending able comic support are Larry Miller, as the flamboyant hairdresser assigned to transform Mia, and Marshall regular Hector Elizondo as Mia's plainspoken chauffeur and bodyguard. Marshall -- who built his reputation on such family fare as Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Mork & Mindy -- knows how to get laughs without stooping to inappropriate humor, which is to say that the picture's G rating doesn't mean it's bland. It's little surprise that The Princess Diaries ranks among the most successful G-rated live-action family films in some time, since it's also one of the best. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

This teen comedy from Disney is based on a popular novel by Meg Cabot and directed by Garry Marshall. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a teenage klutz who's openly mocked by the popular Lana Thomas (pop singer Mandy Moore). In fact, Mia's only friend at her exclusive prep school is the socially outcast Lilly (Heather Matarazzo). Mia's life takes a dramatic turn, however, when her mom announces that her late biological father was in actuality the crown prince of a small European nation, Genovia. Now Mia is the sole heir to the throne, and her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) wants to tutor the awkward teen in royal behavior. It's a daunting task given Mia's lax table manners, poise, and hair care, but the girl perseveres with some makeover help from her grandmother's security chief Hector Elizondo) and a style expert (Larry Miller). In the meantime, Mia's romantic affections are torn between the handsome, popular Josh (Erik Von Detten) and the more appropriate Michael (Robert Schwartzman), who also happens to be Lilly's brother. The Princess Diaries is the second film from Whitney Houston's production shingle after the television version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997). Karl Williams

Product Details

• UPC: 786936240016
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1), Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan, Wide Screen
• Sound: THX-Supervised Mastering, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 1:55:00
• Sales Rank: 1,043

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Disney Princess Pack

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