''A Little Princess'' is a 1995

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Alfonso Cuarón Alfonso Cuarón Orozco ( , ; born 28 November 1961) is a Mexican filmmaker. He is known for directing films in a variety of genres including the family drama ''A Little Princess (1995 film), A Little Princess'' (1995), the romantic drama ''Gre ...

and starring

Eleanor Bron Eleanor Bron (born 14 March 1938) is an English stage, film and television actress, and an author. Her film roles include Ahme in the Beatles musical ''Help!'' (1965), the Doctor in ''Alfie'' (1966), Margaret Spencer in '' Bedazzled'' (1967), an ...

Liam Cunningham Liam Cunningham (born 2 June 1961) is an Irish actor. He is known for playing Davos Seaworth in the HBO epic-fantasy series ''Game of Thrones''. Cunningham has been nominated for the London Film Critics' Circle Award, the British Independent ...

(in a dual role), and introducing

Liesel Matthews Liesel Pritzker Simmons (born Liesel Anne Pritzker), stage name Liesel Matthews, is an American heiress and former child actress. She starred as Sara Crewe ''A Little Princess'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first publi ...

as Sara Crewe with supporting roles by

Vanessa Lee Chester Vanessa Lee Chester (born July 2, 1984) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actor in the films ''A Little Princess'' (1995) and ''Harriet the Spy'' (1996), before her breakthrough role in Steven Spielberg's '' The Lost World ...

Rusty Schwimmer Rusty Schwimmer is an American character actress and singer. She has appeared in films such as ''A Little Princess'' (1995), ''Twister'' (1996), '' The Perfect Storm'' (2000), ''Runaway Jury'' (2003), '' North Country'' (2005), ''The Informant!'' ...

, Arthur Malet, and

Errol Sitahal Errol Sitahal is a Trinidad and Tobago actor who has had various roles in several Hollywood and Caribbean films. In 1995, he played a character named Ram Dass, the Indian manservant, in the film, ''A Little Princess''. The same year he also appea ...

. The movie was distributed by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

through their

Warner Bros. Family Entertainment Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in '' Shatter Me ...

label. Set during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, it focuses on a young girl who is relegated to a life of servitude in a

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

boarding school by the headmistress after receiving news that her father was killed in combat. Loosely based upon the 1905 novel ''

A Little Princess ''A Little Princess'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published as a book in 1905. It is an expanded version of the short story "Sara Crewe: or, What Happened at Miss Minchin's", which was serialized in '' St. Nicholas M ...

'' by

Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (published in 1885–1886), '' A Little ...

, this adaptation was heavily influenced by the 1939 cinematic version and takes creative liberties with the original story. Although not a box office success, the film was critically acclaimed and given various awards, such as two

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

nominations for its significant achievements in art direction and cinematography, among other aspects of its production.

Plot

In 1914, young Sara lives in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

with her widowed father Captain Richard Crewe, a wealthy

British army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer, sharing his love for stories of myths and magic. Called to serve in

, Richard enrolls Sara at the all-girls' boarding school in

attended by her late mother, run by haughty headmistress Miss Maria Minchin and her kindly sister Amelia. Instructing Miss Minchin to spare no expense for his daughter's comfort, Richard furnishes the school's largest suite and leaves Sara with her mother's locket and a doll he names Emily, which he tells her will keep them connected through magic. Although stifled by Miss Minchin's strictness, Sara becomes popular among the girls, including the

scullery maid In great houses, scullery maids were the lowest-ranked and often the youngest of the female domestic servants and acted as assistant to a kitchen maid. Description The scullery maid reported (through the kitchen maid) to the cook or chef. Along ...

Becky, for her kindness and powerful imagination. Sara writes to her father, who is caught in a

gas attack Chemical warfare (CW) involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as Chemical weapon, weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from nuclear warfare, biological warfare and radiological warfare, which together make up CBRN defen ...

while trying to save a fellow soldier in the

trenches A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches result from eros ...

. Miss Minchin throws Sara a lavish birthday party, hoping to extort more money from her father, but his

solicitor A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...

arrives with news that Richard has been killed in battle; the British government has seized his assets, leaving Sara penniless. Miss Minchin moves Sara to the attic with Becky to work as a servant and confiscates her belongings, including the locket, allowing her to keep only Emily and a book. Though her life is bleak, Sara remains kind to others, but gets her revenge on the school bully Lavinia. Charles Randolph, the school's elderly neighbor, receives word that his son John has been declared

missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...

while fighting in Europe. Ram Dass, Mr. Randolph's Indian associate, comes to notice Sara from the neighboring attic, overhearing her imaginative stories. When a wounded soldier suffering from

amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...

is misidentified as John, Ram Dass encourages Mr. Randolph to take the man in. Sara's friends sneak into Miss Minchin's office and recover her locket, visiting her that night to hear her tales of Prince

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...

. They are caught by Miss Minchin, who punishes Sara and Becky with a day without meals, but Sara stands up to her cruelty with her father's belief that "all girls are princesses", no matter their lot in life. Sara comforts Becky by imaginining a feast and fine clothes for them, and they awaken to find the dream has come true, with their attic secretly transformed by Ram Dass. Inspired by Sara, Amelia runs away with the milkman, and Miss Minchin discovers the locket is missing. Confronting Sara in the attic, Miss Minchin accuses her of stealing the finery left by Ram Dass and summons the police. With Becky's help, Sara narrowly escapes by making the perilous climb over to the Randolph house. As Miss Minchin and the police search the house, Sara discovers the recovering soldier is none other than her father, but Richard does not recognize her. As Sara is dragged away, pleading with her father to remember her, Richard regains his memory and reunites with his daughter. Some time later, Mr. Randolph has taken over the school, now a much happier place for the girls, and has found peace in knowing that Richard tried to save his son. Richard's fortune has been restored and he has adopted Becky, while Miss Minchin is reduced to working for a young

chimney sweep A chimney sweep is a person who clears soot and creosote from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys ...

she mistreated earlier. Sara gives Emily to the girls and shares an unexpected hug with Lavinia, before she and Becky depart for home.

Cast

as Sara Crewe, the sweet, kind and caring daughter of Captain Richard Crewe. *

as Miss Maria Minchin, a cynical, cruel, greedy and heartless woman who runs a boarding school where Sara is enrolled. She is Amelia's older sister. *

as Captain Richard Crewe, Sara's loving devoted widower father. ** Liam Cunningham also portrays

Prince Rama Prince Rama (previously Prince Rama of Ayodhya) was a two-piece "now age" psych- dance band based in Brooklyn, New York, founded by sisters Taraka Larson and Nimai Larson. Discovered by Animal Collective's Avey Tare in a Texas dive bar in 201 ...

, a character from Sara's story. *

as Becky, Miss Minchin's servant who lives in the attic of the school. * Taylor Fry as Lavinia, a vindictive bully who is bitterly jealous of Sara's wealth and popularity. *

Heather DeLoach Heather DeLoach is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of the tap dancing "Bee Girl" in the 1992 music video for the hit single "No Rain", by Blind Melon. She also appeared in two episodes of the medical drama '' ER''. Blin ...

as Ermengarde, a shy, insecure girl often bullied by Lavinia and Miss Minchin. * Kelsey Mulrooney as Lottie, a volatile girl at Sara's school prone to tantrums and fits. *

as Amelia Minchin, Miss Minchin's long-suffering sister. * Arthur Malet as Charles Randolph, a kind old man that lives next door to the school. He is loosely based on Mr. Carrisford. *

as Ram Dass, Randolph's wise servant who later befriends Sara. *

Camilla Belle Camilla Belle Routh (born October 2, 1986), known professionally as Camilla Belle, is an American actress, director, and producer. Early life Belle was born to Deborah Cristina Gould and Jack Wesley Routh, a country music performer and compose ...

as Jane, Sara's schoolmate *

Rachael Bella Rachael Bella Zvagelsky (née Kneeland, born March 13, 1984) known professionally as Rachael Bella, is an American retired actress. Career Bella is best known for her role as Becca Kotler in the movie '' The Ring''. She has also appeared in oth ...

as Betsy, Sara's schoolmate * Kaitlin Cullum as Ruth, Sara's schoolmate * Lauren Blumenfeld as Rosemary, Sara's schoolmate * Darcie Bradford as Jesse, Sara's schoolmate * Alexandra Rea-Baum as Gertrude, Sara's schoolmate *

Jonás Cuarón Jonás Cuarón Elizondo (born 1983) is a Mexican film director, screenwriter, producer, editor and cinematographer. He is the son of the Academy Award-winner Alfonso Cuarón by the latter's first wife, Mariana Elizondo. Jonás Cuarón studied ...

as Jim, the chimney sweep *

Ken Palmer Kenneth Ernest Palmer (born 22 April 1937) is an English former cricketer and umpire, who played in one Test match in 1965, and umpired 22 Tests and 23 One Day Internationals from 1977 to 2001. He was born in Winchester, Hampshire. Playing c ...

as John Randolph *

Vincent Schiavelli Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television. Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan s ...

as Mr. Barrow *

Peggy Miley Peggy Miley is an American actress and writer. She has played supporting roles in films such as '' Alice'', '' The Little Princess'', ''Bandits'', ''The Back-up Plan'', and ''Primary Colors''. She played Doris Driscoll in the Netflix series ''Str ...

as Mabel, a

cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

who works for Miss Minchin. * Time Winters as Frances, the milkman and Amelia's romantic interest * Lomax Study as Monsieur Dufarge, a French teacher at Miss Minchin's school * Alison Moir as Princess Sita, a character from Sara's story.

Soundtrack

All of the tracks were composed by

Patrick Doyle Patrick Doyle (born 6 April 1953) is a Scottish film composer with Irish heritage. A longtime collaborator of actor-director Kenneth Branagh, Doyle is known for his work composing for films such as ''Henry V'', ''Sense and Sensibility'', ''Hamle ...

. Three of the tracks feature soloists. The "String Quintet in C major Perger 108, MH 187" by

Michael Haydn Johann Michael Haydn (; 14 September 173710 August 1806) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn. Life Michael Haydn was born in 1737 in the Austrian village of Rohrau, near the Hungarian border. ...

is also used in the film. The film also features the

New London Children's Choir The New London Children's Choir was a children's choir which rehearsed at Highgate Primary School in North London and, latterly, All Hallows, Gospel Oak, giving singing opportunities to members aged seven to eighteen. Members were from London and s ...

. # "Ramayana: A Morning Raga" (2:03) # "Children Running" (0:53) # "Cristina Elisa Waltz" (3:03) # "The Miss Minchin School for Girls" (1:40) # "Knowing You by Heart" (2:32) # "Breakfast" (0:55) # "Letter to Papa" (1:38) # "Angel Wings" (1:07) # "False Hope" (2:05) # "The Trenches" (1:00) # "Crewe and the Soldier" (1:22) # "Alone" (1:19) # "The Attic" (2:00) # "On Another's Sorrow" — Catherine Hopper (1:16) # "The Shawl" (0:54) # "Tyger Tyger" (0:32) # "Compassion" (0:37) # "For the Princess" (1:38) # "Kindle My Heart" — Abigail Doyle (the daughter of the composer) (3:00) # "The Locket Hunt" (3:02) # "Midnight Tiptoe" (1:13) # "I Am a Princess" (1:14) # "Just Make Believe" (1:33) # "Touched by an Angel" (1:43) # "Emilia Elopes" (1:38) # "The Escape" (2:58) # "Papa!" (2:32) # "Kindle My Heart" —

(4:19)

Reception

''A Little Princess'' received critical acclaim upon its release. On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

the film has a rating of 97% based on 36 reviews with an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Alfonso Cuarón adapts Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel with a keen sense of magic realism, vividly recreating the world of childhood as seen through the characters."

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

called the film "a bright, beautiful and enchantingly childlike vision," one that "draw its audience into the wittily heightened reality of a fairy tale" and "takes enough liberties to re-invent rather than embalm Miss Burnett's assiduously beloved story." She concludes:

From the huge head of an Indian deity, used as a place where stories are told and children play, to the agile way a tear drips from Sara's eye to a letter read by her father in the rain, ''A Little Princess'' has been conceived, staged and edited with special grace. Less an actors' film than a series of elaborate ''
tableaux The International Conference on Automated Reasoning with Analytic Tableaux and Related Methods (TABLEAUX) is an annual international academic conference that deals with all aspects of automated reasoning with analytic tableaux. Periodically, it jo ...
'', it has a visual eloquence that extends well beyond the limits of its story. To see Sara whirling ecstatically in her attic room on a snowy night, exulting in the feelings summoned by an evocative sight in a nearby window, is to know just how stirringly lovely a children's film can be.

Rita Kempley of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' called the film Cuarón's "dazzling North American 'sic''debut" and wrote it "exquisitely re-creates the ephemeral world of childhood, an enchanted kingdom where everything, even make-believe, seems possible ... Unlike most distaff mythology, the film does not concern the heroine's sexual awakening; it's more like the typical

hero's journey In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlie ...

described by scholar Joseph Campbell. Sara, the adored Spoiled and pampered child of a wealthy British widower, must pass a series of tests, thereby discovering her inner strengths."

Awards

Home video release

''A Little Princess'' was much more successful in the

home video Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...

market than in theaters. Warner Bros. sold two million copies for an estimated $32 million in video revenue—the studio receiving 75%—greatly exceeding box office gross. The film was first released on VHS and

LaserDisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...

on September 19, 1995 and was first released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...

on November 19, 1997.

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Little Princess 1995 film 1995 films 1995 drama films American children's drama films Remakes of American films 1990s English-language films Films scored by Patrick Doyle Films about children Films about educators Films based on A Little Princess Films directed by Alfonso Cuarón Films set in the 1910s Films set in 1914 Films set in New York City Magic realism films Warner Bros. films Films set in India Films set in the British Raj Films about father–daughter relationships Films set in boarding schools 1990s American films