A Little Princess (1995)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Film C

  
  Its such a cute little movie that i remember watching as a little and enjoying it because it does let the imagination run wild! Its a sweet movie thats a family gem and worth a watch!

• AJ V

  
  Yes, this is the same story as the Shirley Temple film, but they were both based on a book, so it's not exactly a remake. I read the book and saw this movie when I was younger, and I just loved it. Every young girl wishes to be a princess, and this movie will really sparks the… More
  Yes, this is the same story as the Shirley Temple film, but they were both based on a book, so it's not exactly a remake. I read the book and saw this movie when I was younger, and I just loved it. Every young girl wishes to be a princess, and this movie will really sparks the imagination. It's a good movie, and a great story.

• Bently L

  
  Alfonso Cuaron, who did the amazing third "Harry Potter" film, brings us the well-done adaptation of the classic novel, "A Little Princess". Trust me, this has to be the longest 97 minutes in my life. The film felt like 2 1/2 hours, but there is more to that. A… More
  Alfonso Cuaron, who did the amazing third "Harry Potter" film, brings us the well-done adaptation of the classic novel, "A Little Princess". Trust me, this has to be the longest 97 minutes in my life. The film felt like 2 1/2 hours, but there is more to that. A girl named Sara is sent from her home in India to New York City to attend a boarding school while her father is serving in WWI. After her father dies, Sara brings happiness to the girls of this school run by a stern headmistress by telling them amazing Hindi legends and making them believe that they are all princesses. Hence the title. She also makes the school's black servant girl feel good about herself. The story is very sweet and has a very good narrative structure. The story sequences were very good despite the bad CGI. My favorite part of the film had to be the production and costume design and I usually don't pay attention to aspects like that. Liesel Matthews is a very good actress. Sucks that she only did three things in her career: this, "Air Force One", and "Blast". When I saw her perform on the computer screen (I saw this instantly on Netflix), this thought came to my head: Why can't children act like this anymore? Nowadays, children act like they're going to cry or start laugh maniacally any second. Liesel shows how its done with her emotional and sweet performance. She is also very pretty. Also, I think the better young actresses are females. Take a look at Hailee Steinfeld and Chloe Mortez. Lighting, camera angles, they're all good here. Cuaron can really direct! He showed it in "Prisoner of Azkaban" and watching this made me want to see "Children of Men". The music adds a lot to the mood. Everything I mentioned above (Lighting, camera angles) add a bigger feel to the story. I have a good friend who has read the book and claims that this movie is pretty true the book by 75%. Pretty close to my rating. "A Little Princess" is no "Inception" or "Phone Booth" and doesn't require thinking when viewing but I advise you to be awake when viewing. It started to bore me towards the start of the film. Good film that you should watch if you like family films or cute, formal girls. Heh heh. The 95% rating on the Tomatometer is too high for me and I give this a 70%. I've seen much better films. But this is one of the better films I've seen recently. Nice direction and structure, "A Little Princess" is a very touching treat. When you watch it, you'll make this feel like it never flopped at the box office. Thanks for reading! Leave clean comments below. "Magic has to be believed. It's the only way it's real."

• Jennifer D

  
  Amazing and beautifully done! Stunning cinematography. This film proves that not all children's films have to be crappy and stupid.

• Wahida K

  
  A great tale based upon Book Frances H. Burnett

• Jennifer X

  
  I really like this movie because everything freaking sucks for Sara. You don't get that very often in a kid's movie. Also, the angelic undertones are atmospheric but not overbearing.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Every girl everwhere is a princess."</i> A young girl is relegated to servitude at a boarding school when her father goes missing and is presumed dead. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Every girl everwhere is a princess."</i> A young girl is relegated to servitude at a boarding school when her father goes missing and is presumed dead. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Almost but not quite in the same league as The Secret Garden, another great (and highly recommended) Warner Bros. adaptation of a Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, this film nonetheless is none too shabby. It truly is a jewel, inspiring plenty of emotions without being manipulative or cutesy. Instead, it's just enchanting. Liesel Matthews is very good and very believeable as young Sara, Eleanor Bron a dimensional villain, (just as Maggie Smith's housekeeper was in TSG), and other performers fine, as well. I dare you not to cry when Sara's up in the attic crying for her papa or when (Spoiler!) he regains his memory and calls out to her. Sumptuous filming of the scenes in India and the transformed attic, with all that food and those gifts... Perfect for the whole family, and not just for kids. Rent it along with The Secret Garden, and you have got a great night of family entertainment. The kids will be enthralled, no doubt about that, but you'll be entertained, too.

• Thomas B

  
  beautiful

• Dan S

  
  Saw it a loongg time ago when I was with my sister. Not bad for a kid's movie really, its got a good story to keep it interesting. Don't go on the title alone.

• Rachel F

  
  Wonderful. One of my favorite films.

• Drew S

  
  Oh my God, Alfonso Cuaron directed this? No wonder it was so good! And I was only 10 when I watched it - even as a child I had great taste! :D

• Leigh R

  
  Good, clean fun.

• Sarah G

  
  I cried when i first saw this.

• Deb S

  
  A beautiful family film about a little girl who is thrust into poverty after her father is believed to have been killed in the war. Eleanor Bron is effective as the devilish headmistress, who knowing she will no longer receive payment for the girl's keep, locks her in the attic… More
  A beautiful family film about a little girl who is thrust into poverty after her father is believed to have been killed in the war. Eleanor Bron is effective as the devilish headmistress, who knowing she will no longer receive payment for the girl's keep, locks her in the attic where she faces the grim reality that she may never see her father again. Wonderfully acted by both the adults and the children, with heroes that you cheer for and villains that you love to hate.

• Jason S

  
  Lots of heart and a heartbreaking story give this movie more life. Its sad stuff, especially as the movie gets towards the end. But it still always remains in the realm of a little girls movie.

• Quinto W

  
  I love every single moment of this movie and it just makes me cry all the way through.

• Daisy M

  
  A Little Princess, was an adaptation from the 1939 movie with Shirley Temple as the princess. This one was directed by Alfonso Cuaron and he made some changes compared with the original one.The locations filmed in India were stunning and the music was gorgeous and sad at times. Liesel… More
  A Little Princess, was an adaptation from the 1939 movie with Shirley Temple as the princess. This one was directed by Alfonso Cuaron and he made some changes compared with the original one.The locations filmed in India were stunning and the music was gorgeous and sad at times. Liesel Matthews brilliantly portrayed Sara, the girl with a wide imagination and Eleanor Bron as the evil Miss Minchim, so mean and ruthless, both brought up some funny and touching moments. The costumes were gorgeous, the ending was predictable but touching and Cuaron perfectly captured the themes of love, friendship and acceptance. The characters were wonderful and the message was a great one for children and adults.

• Sunil J

  
  Heartwarming family movie about a girl who loses everything but her spirit.

• Sarah B

  
  The film that got Alfonso Cuaron the Harry Potter gig, fact. Sweet, heartbreaking and fantastical. All about a girl called Sarah with a heightened imagination. It's about a young girl coping on her own, friendships, boarding school, wealth and poverty and how none of this matters… More
  The film that got Alfonso Cuaron the Harry Potter gig, fact. Sweet, heartbreaking and fantastical. All about a girl called Sarah with a heightened imagination. It's about a young girl coping on her own, friendships, boarding school, wealth and poverty and how none of this matters if you can believe in yourself, use your imagination and learn you are not alone as long as someone loves you. Beautiful.

• Anthony V

  
  Excellent and entertaining family story.

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