A Little Princess Movie Review 1995

Compelling fantasy, based on the children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and previously best known for the 1939 Shirley Temple incarnation. Sara (Matthews) has been raised in India by her widowed father (Cunningham). When he's called up to fight in WWI, Sara is taken to New York to be educated at stern Miss Michin's (Bron) school, where her money makes her a favored boarder. However, the irrepressible Sara suffers a severe reversal of fortune when her father is reported killed and Miss Michin promptly makes her a servant to pay her way. But Sara's charm has made her some true friends who become her allies under trying circumstances. Lively script, dazzling visuals, and a welcome lack of sappiness create a classic-in-the-making.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 97 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Tearjerkers, Period Piece: 1910s, Books to Film: Frances Hodgson Burnett, Childhood Visions, School Daze, Dads, Elementary School/Junior High

Screenplay

Richard LaGravenese, Elizabeth Chandler

Cast

Liesl Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Rusty Schwimmer, Arthur Malet, Vanessa Lee Chester, Errol Sitahal, Heather DeLoach, Taylor Fry

Cinematography

Emmanuel Lubezki

Director

Alfonso Cuaron

Music

Patrick Doyle

Producer

Mark Johnson, Alan C. Blomquist, Amy Ephron, Baltimore Pictures, Warner Bros.