MovieChat Forums > A Cinderella Story (2004) Discussion > The Princeton dilemma - that really happ...

The Princeton dilemma - that really happens?

posted 14 years ago by nave_miller
6 replies | jump to latest

Okay, when I started watching this film (a few hours back on TV) what got me hooked was the Princeton connection - I generally don't mind seeing a classic Fairy Tale story in live-action, and especially one that's been 'retold with a modern context' - that's good, fun entertainment I understand. But this film wasn't as serious as the 'other' Cinderella retelling - the one starring Drew Barrymore (Ever After) from a few years back. I always kinda liked Hilary Duff on the screen ever since Casper so this had all the combos for a fun film. A bit more insight on me: I applied to the great Princeton last year and... lets just say that I don't have a Step Mom to dramatically replace the acceptance letter with the big red one, nor the deus ex machina ghost dad with the big bucks. So when Sam (Hilary - a girl I admit I had a huge crush on back in her Lizzie Maguire days *coughs*) so my real question is to all those who've read this far:

In the film, what's the main catch? That Sam did get into Princeton, but her evil step mom gave her a false rejection letter just to make matters worse for our blonde belle - which culminated in her finding the truth out and then attending her dream college (and the ever after of so many other students) with her Prince Charming; Or is it the money that Sam gets from her dad that allows her to 'appeal' for her college decision somehow and get in by paying a full tuition? Princeton offers need-blind/full-need financial aid, so it shouldn't be the latter at all. But if it is the latter and she still got into Princeton by paying full tuition after inheriting the fortune, then how did she get them to reconsider once the decision has been made?
I am a little confused because I didn't catch what happened during the epilogue (it was on TV). My mom tells me that Sam got in but the acceptance letter was thrown away by Fiona, but she's a little confused as well. So you tell me, oh fair dwellers of IMDB forums, what chanced in Cinderella and what (if any) does it have to do with my college status now!? I'm sorry if that was over the top, but we are discussing a fairy tale, bear with me.

What significance does getting into her dream college, finding her father's will, and getting back together with her guy, have in common other than being simply a series of disparate events that rescued Sam from her depressed fit? The Will (but more importantly the quote behind the wallpaper - that is, inheriting a belief) could be the real deus ex machina here but it serves little in the Princeton dilemma, which would have solved by itself. Maybe the point to the series of unfortunate events (prior to the save) was to first establish a time in Sam's life that was filled with remorse, anxiety and ultimately an overwhelming sense of loss - only to have come back from that with a committed resilience as any catharsis-laden journey would be (albeit with fantastical detours). If so, then the film proves to be a true update of the classic since the real deus ex machina was neither the god parent nor the dead one - but was Sam's own determination.

I am going to apply again this year - and hopefully it wouldn't be as drastic as it had been.

I hear that Hilary's a Harvard Woman these days, that's a bit ironic for the film but I can't be anything but happy for her. How time flies.

Thanks for reading and I hope you got an answer.

-N

[–] Screen_Queen 14 years ago

I'm not sure if you got your answer or not in the five months that have passed since you posted this, but I'll try my best to answer. However I don't remember much about the classic fairytale except the general details, so I can't specifically clarify how correct the parallels were.

The idea of Princeton and her Prince Charming present the possibility of a better life for her, one she could have if she were able to escape the wrath of her evil stepmother and stepsisters. Of course like you said it is heavily adapted for the contemporary audience, so a lot of the trials and tribulations she encounters are not traditional ones. The Princeton letter debacle was a stepping stone to Sam gaining independence from her evil stepmother. In the end she found out the truth and makes Brianna and Gabriella look in the bins for the real letter detailing her acceptance. So I'm assuming she was able to accept the offer in time.

If we create a general timeline of the events in the movie perhaps we can establish connections between them:

Sam's father dies; she meets Nomad aka Austin Ames; he is symbolic of the idea that she could have a happily ever after; but then Shelby finds out the truth and taunts Sam in front of the whole school; could her Prince Charming reject her because she doesn't have the traditional characteristics of a Princess (so to speak)?; but they realise they're meant to be together; but Fiona tries to ruin Sam's future and dreams; could this split them up?; then Sam finds the Will; all is righted in the world; they live happily ever after in the castle (in this case, at Princeton).

The quote behind the wallpaper is the neat little bow that ties all this together, a reoccuring theme threading the entire movie, the underlying message that makes us believe Sam can overcome everything but which the importance of isn't emphasised until the end when the heroine has to make the leap of faith. They're not relevant to each other except for the fact that they link together to fit into a bigger picture: that Sam manages to escape the household that holds her prisoner to live the life we always knew she deserves. In this sense I agree with you in that I don't think the movie is so much an adaptation than an update or interpretation, as it doesn't completely or directly adopt the characteristics of the fairytale. I'd say movies like Ever After (as you pointed out), Ella Enchanted and Enchanted are better examples of adaptations. But you're also right in thinking this movie can be considered a true interpretation because of the message at its heart - that this story is not about the evil stepmother or stepsisters or the obstacles she has to overcome, but how she overcomes them with her determination and self-belief to attain the happy ending she deserves.

I hope I've interpreted your questions correctly.

I only do it with superheroes.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Screen_Queen 14 years ago

I'm not. The motherboard in my laptop is fried and I'm in the process of getting it fixed, so now I'm resorting to using the computers at the library. Therefore I can only go on it for short periods of time. But I'll see if I can go on my sister's desktop tonight and reply to you.

I only do it with superheroes.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nave_miller 14 years ago

Thanks for the response... wow, it really has been five months. I wouldn't say I got all the answers, both for the film as well as for my personal dilemmas, as with most cases, we never get all the answers we want, most of them are left for us to figure out on our own, perhaps in time, through reflection.

But that is certainly not to say that it's a bad thing.

I agree with your post, it seems to address the concerns I had about the film. But there is one thing that I still find troublesome with fairy stories. As we've agreed that these adaptations and not direct retelling, what bothers me the most is the absolute and optimistically giddy happy ending that is always highlighted. The truth is we shouldn't be pining over happy endings all the time, in most cases, we don't live in climaxes, our stories don't end with college or High School, or escaping from authoritative relatives. While I do believe the should've ended on a positive note with Hilary Duff's character escaping her evil step-family and finding love, and liberating herself from the old confines, it shouldn't have been so sweeping, so fairy-taleish. I think the final message would've been much more positive if our Cinderella learned to find escape through compromise; sure she might not have had gone to college, but at least she escaped her old family. Sure, she might not have inherited all that cash, but she found her true love. She finds a different vocation, it's not all perfect, but it's still her life. Something like that would've been ideal. I am trying to avoid calling it 'realistic', but that is what I'm driving at.

Love your signature, and once again, thanks for responding.

-N

[–] Screen_Queen 14 years ago

No problem.

I do agree with you about the fairytale ending. Hollywood has too big an obsession nowadays with happy endings. People watching these kinds of movies are, most of the time, being fed unhealthy illusions about how life should or could be when it's not like real life at all. I'm not saying happy endings shouldn't exist, because people do like to escape from reality sometimes. I just wish they wouldn't do it so much of the time, because it makes it the standard of how real life should be, when a lot of the time it can't possibly work out so well. And then people become disappointed in themselves because they think it's their own fault they couldn't make it happen.

Your thought that the movie should have ended in compromise I think is very good, and very true. But it's a movie aimed at teenagers, and the writer and studio probably wanted to make it as appealing as possible, thus the unrealistic but uplifting ending. Some people just don't like reality or the truth, which is fair enough. Anyhow I'm not sure how accurately it would have been able to reflect life, being a romantic comedy (nothing against them, just that they tend to exaggerate things for comedic effect). As of now I would be fine with leaving it to the more serious, mature movies who could probably handle it better.

Btw good luck with your Princeton application, if you're still applying. You seem like an intelligent enough person, so don't stress yourself out too much. Real life may suck sometimes, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's that most things work themselves out in the end, especially to people who deserve them.

I only do it with superheroes.