Ever After

I wasn't home all day today. Late afternoon I visited a friend, who, for her own reasons was not at the demonstration. We decided to see a movie; how did we live pre-vcr's? She asked me to choose between two films, both based on children's stories, "Hook" and "Ever After," Peter Pan or Cinderella. I hadn't seen the Cinderella one, so that's what we chose.

The basic Cinderella story always reminds me of King David. He was the "Cinderella" of his family, a very prestigious family, that expected to produce the king from the Yehuda tribe, but David was kept away and made into a servant, a shepherd. When Shmuel came to their home to annoint Saul's successor he was presented with the sons, but he knew that none of them was the right one. They didn't have to fit into a glass slipper, but whatever the sign was to be, it wasn't there. He kept badgering until they admitted that there was another, that runty redhead.

David was finally brought to the prophet, who just knew that the next king had been found.

The movie alleges to show the "true story" as told by a great-great granddaughter. The screenplay's a riot with some great lines, especially those said by Anjelica Huston, whose movements and posture make her the perfect actress to play Martha Graham. Drew Barrymore plays Cinderella, though she doesn't have the classic fairy princess beauty I'd picture, she does a great job at giving the role the energy demanded in the script. Early on she has lines that sound straight out of Kohelet.

Definitely a royally wonderful way to spend the evening.