We Have a New Character on the Block!

 Giselle, from Enchanted

Enchanted is not the typical Disney princess movie! Directed by Kevin Lima and written by Bill Kelly, this 2007 film pokes fun at many of the classic, stereotypical Disney plots. Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Saradon, and Idina Menzel play the main characters in this film.

(Above) Robert and Giselle meet after he saves her from an ogre.

The main character, Giselle, lives in a fairytale wonderland called Andalasia, where she meets her Prince Charming, Edward. They plan to marry the next day! Unfortunately, Edward's stepmother is extremely jealous. She bans Giselle into a land where there is no "happily ever afters". Instead of waking up in Andalasia, Giselle wakes up in New York City!

(Above) Giselle explains to Robert her "love-at-first-sight" theory after sewing herself a dress out of his apartment curtains.

Giselle is taken in by Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and a relationship blossoms between them.  Robert and Giselle engage in many meaningful conversations about relationships and the concept of love, before realizing that maybe both of them are a little bit wrong! Meanwhile, Edward has been trying to locate Giselle, and follows her into New York City, desperate to save his true love! But are they really meant to be together?

As if Enchanted needed another reason to be a family favorite, to its credit, it passes the Bechdel test! I enjoy the movie's ending because it has a beautiful and untraditional wrap-up with all the loose ends. It is clever, and silly, and includes many adorable songs to sing along to. Giselle saves Robert instead of the other way around. Both Giselle and the prince end up with their "happily ever afters". And Giselle chooses to stay in the real world and start her own clothing fashion line, selling princess dresses for girls!

References

Photos are available under the Creative Commons Act.

Unknown (2012). A feminist review of Enchanted: New sparkles on the old Disney magic. FeministDisney [Post]. Tumblr. https://feministdisney.tumblr.com/post/19584487854/a-feminist-review-of-enchanted-new-sparkles-on

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, October 21). Enchanted (film). Retrieved 10:30am, October 25, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_(film)