Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (2004)
On October 6, 2023 by CrescentAfter a string of adaptations, Mattel decided to aim for an original story for its newest animated Barbie movie. The title may make it sound like a variation of Mark Twain’s novel The Prince and the Pauper, but it is a far cry from the book and stands as one of the best movies in the Barbie cinematic universe.
Story
The story of The Princess and the Pauper follows Anneliese and Erika, the princess and the pauper respectively, through an adventure of switching lives, secret disguises, and budding romances. Following the bankruptcy of her kingdom, Anneliese is set to marry a king of a neighboring land only for the royal advisor, Preminger, to interfere with his plans of taking over the country. Anneliese, Erika, and Anneliese’s tutor, Julian, are forced to work with and around Preminger’s schemes to reveal the truth and return peace to the country.
This movie is very fast-paced, and it never feels slow. Everything is done with intention, and the details all come full circle in a story that is gripping and exciting. The characters are opposing one another constantly, and it feels as if they are driving the plot instead of waiting for the story to carry them forward. Watching the intrigue of Preminger’s plans and the countering schemes to stop him is tons of fun.
The only real criticism I can offer here is the fact that the idea of gold running out in the mines is not how bankruptcy works. Still, it’s a small enough detail that I can gloss over it, especially since young children probably wouldn’t understand the details behind bankruptcy if it was explained otherwise.
Aside from this small nitpick though, the story is a ride of joy and excitement from start to finish, making it a fun time for viewers of all audiences.
Story: 10/10
Characters
The main heroic cast of The Princess and the Pauper consists of Anneliese, Erika, Julian, and Dominic. Anneliese is the princess of the kingdom, and Erika is a seamstress with uncanny resemblance to her. Julian acts as Anneliese’s tutor, and Dominic is the king of the neighboring nation and the one Anneliese is set to marry. In the end, the four end up paired off with Anneliese marrying Julian while Erika and Dominic wed. All four characters drive the plot forward with their proactive natures, and their chemistry as couples feels believable and strong. Dominic gets the least attention out of the four, but his romance with Erika is still lovely to see. I adore watching all of them, and I doubt that will ever change.
We can’t talk about the characters without mentioning the one and only Preminger, the villain of the film. He steals the show effortlessly each time he appears onscreen, and watching him is such a joy. He participates very actively in the plot in a way most other Barbie villains do not, and his dramatics are a lot of fun. Preminger is a very easy character to love even as you root for the protagonists.
This movie also sets up a perfect set of secondary characters in the form of the cats Serafina and Wolfie. These feline sidekicks have a surprising amount of narrative weight, and they play a major role in the constant switching and moving of the various human characters. They have adorable chemistry too, and it makes me wish we were able to see a bit more of them together.
The Princess and the Pauper has a powerfully refined cast, and they truly make this film a joy to watch from beginning to end.
Characters: 10/10
World Building
The opening narration of this film describes it as a kingdom built into the side of a mountain, and the scenery certainly fits that description. Every setting feels lively and important, and it all has some role to play in the overarching plot. It’s a somewhat unorthodox way of setting up a kingdom, but I enjoy it greatly.
The world is grand enough to have stakes while still feeling narrow enough to not get out of control. In stories spanning entire kingdoms, it’s easy for the story to bite off more than it can chew, leading to some aspects feeling underbaked compared to others. Everything here is fleshed out just as much as it needs to be, and while the world is never quite the focus of the story, it still feels perfect as the background of the world.
While it might be slightly different from the kingdoms of other fantasy stories, I think that works to its advantage, and I love this world even if the characters that occupy it steal the show.
World Building: 9/10
Themes
The theme as stated at the end of the credits is to live your dream. I think that’s the best theme to be applied to this movie, though it’s admittedly a bit difficult to come up with a more accurate phrase given how much happens throughout the film. The characters do end up living their dreams in the end though, and they continue to pursue those ideals leading up to that point no matter how hopeless it gets. The theme fits, though I wish there was a more accurate way to describe the message of the film.
Themes: 9/10
Production
This was the first Barbie movie to double as a musical, and the songwriters knocked it out of the park with this. Every song moves the story forward in a way that feels intentional and perfect, never slowing down the pacing as some other musicals are prone to doing. These songs were the backdrop of my childhood nostalgia, and I know many others feel the same way as well. The music gets stuck in your head perfectly, and you won’t be able to stop singing about finding a girl like you once you hear the song for the first time.
The music goes hand in hand with an incredible voice cast that really helps to bring the characters and songs to life. From the quiet wit of Julian to the dramatic boldness of Preminger, the voices are all perfect and bring the world out of the screen effortlessly. The songs may be the highlight of the film, but the voice acting hits it right out of the park.
The one criticism I can offer in terms of production is the animation. None of these early 2000’s animations can quite match up to the level set by Nutcracker as the first of the bunch, and The Princess and the Pauper doesn’t quite reach that high either. The animation is not poor enough to be distracting though, and that’s what matters most to me.
The animation may not be perfect, but the score of this film is incredible and tons of fun for the whole family.
Production: 9/10
Overall
Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper defined a generation of fans of Barbie movies, and it was right to be held in such high esteem. This film is fun from the instant it begins, and I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time I was watching it. I cannot recommend this movie enough. If you can get past the somewhat lackluster animation, you’ll be drawn into a world of incredible music, lovable characters, and gripping schemes. If you haven’t already seen this movie, go check it out as soon as you can.
Overall: 9.4/10
Silly Superlative: Barbie movie with the best villain choreography
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