Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper |
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| Directed by | William Lau |
| Produced by | Jesyca C. Durchin Jennifer Twiner McCarron |
| Written by | Cliff Ruby Elana Lesser |
| Narrated by | Kelly Sheridan |
| Starring | Kelly Sheridan Mark Hildreth Alessandro Juliani Ian James Corlett Kathleen Barr Martin Short |
| Music by | Arnie Roth |
| Editing by | Greg Richardson |
| Studio | Mainframe Entertainment Mattel Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Lions Gate Home Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | September 28, 2004 |
| Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | Canada United States |
| Language | English |
Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper is a fun computer-animated musical movie released in 2004. It was the first musical film in the popular Barbie movie series. The story is directed by William Lau.
The movie features the voice of Kelly Sheridan, who plays both main characters: Princess Anneliese and Erika. This film is based on the classic 1881 book The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. However, it's a new and unique Barbie adventure. Unlike many other Barbie films, this one doesn't have magic, fairies, or mermaids. It tells a realistic story about two girls who look exactly alike.
The songs for the movie were written by Amy Powers, Megan Cavallari, and Rob Hudnut. Rob Hudnut also helped produce the film.
Contents
Story of the Princess and the Pauper
This movie tells the story of two girls who look very similar. They are born at the same time in a faraway kingdom. One is a princess, and the other is a poor girl.
Princess Anneliese and Erika's Lives
Years later, Princess Anneliese has blonde hair. Her mother, Queen Genevieve, arranges for her to marry the rich King Dominick. This marriage is meant to save their kingdom, which is almost out of money. But Anneliese is secretly in love with her tutor, Julian.
At the same time, Erika has brown hair and is a pauper. She works for Madame Carp to pay off her parents' old debts. Erika dreams of becoming a famous singer and traveling the world.
Preminger's Evil Plan
The kingdom is actually poor because the Queen's advisor, Preminger, has been stealing gold. He learns that Anneliese is going to marry King Dominick. Preminger then plans to make Anneliese disappear. This way, the wedding will be called off. He hopes to "find" the princess later and marry her himself. This would make him king.
An Unexpected Meeting
Julian takes Anneliese out for a day to see the kingdom. She sees how poor many people are. Anneliese then hears Erika singing in the street. Madame Carp takes all of Erika's earnings.
Anneliese and Erika meet and are amazed. They look exactly alike! The only differences are their hair color and a special birthmark on Anneliese's shoulder. They quickly become good friends.
A Princess Disappears
That night, Preminger's helpers, Nick and Nack, kidnap Anneliese and her cat, Serafina. They leave a fake letter saying Anneliese ran away. Julian doesn't believe the letter. He asks Erika to pretend to be the princess. This will keep the wedding plans on track while he looks for Anneliese.
Preminger is surprised when Erika, pretending to be Anneliese, appears at the palace. King Dominick meets Erika, thinking she is the princess. Over time, King Dominick and Erika start to fall in love. But Erika worries about what will happen if her secret is found out.
Anneliese's Escape and Capture
The real Anneliese escapes from Nick and Nack. But when she tries to go back to the palace, the guards don't let her in. They think the princess (Erika) is already inside. Madame Carp mistakes Anneliese for Erika and forces her to work in her shop. She then locks Anneliese inside.
Julian follows Preminger and overhears his evil plans. But Julian is discovered and captured.
Imprisonment and Discovery
Anneliese has Serafina take her ring and a tag from the dress shop. She hopes someone will find her. But Preminger and his dog, Midas, catch Serafina. Preminger takes Anneliese to the royal mines. He traps her there with Julian after Nick and Nack cause a cave-in.
Preminger returns to the palace. He tells everyone that Erika is a fake and has her thrown into the dungeon. Preminger then convinces the Queen that Anneliese is dead. He says they must marry to save the kingdom. The Queen sadly agrees.
Escape and Happy Endings
Erika escapes the dungeon by singing a lullaby. The guard falls asleep, and she takes his keys. She meets King Dominick, who tells her he doesn't believe Preminger's lies.
Meanwhile, Anneliese and Julian find special crystals in the mine. These crystals can make the kingdom rich again. They also tell each other they are in love. Erika's cat, Wolfie, digs a tunnel. The group escapes by flooding the room and floating out in a barrel.
At the Queen's wedding to Preminger, Anneliese arrives. She shows her birthmark to prove who she is. She then tells everyone the truth about Preminger. After a short chase, Preminger, Nick, and Nack are arrested.
Anneliese tells her mother she wants to marry Julian. She also explains how the crystals can save the kingdom. Soon, the kingdom becomes rich again. Madame Carp's business closes. Erika, now free from debt, becomes a famous singer. After traveling the world, Erika realizes she wants to be with King Dominick.
Anneliese and Erika have a double wedding. They and their husbands ride off happily together.
Voice Actors
Many talented actors lent their voices to the characters in Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper.
- Kelly Sheridan as Princess Anneliese / Erika / Narrator
- Melissa Lyons as Princess Anneliese (singing voice)
- Julie Stevens as Erika (singing voice)
- Alessandro Juliani as Julian
- Mark Hildreth as King Dominick
- Mark Luna as King Dominick (singing voice)
- Martin Short as Preminger
- Kathleen Barr as Serafina (Anneliese's cat) / Bertie
- Ian James Corlett as Wolfie (Erika's cat)
- Ellen Kennedy as Queen Genevieve
- Pam Hyatt as Madame Carp
- Brian Drummond as Nick
- Jan Rabson as Nack / Midas (Preminger's dog)
- Colin Murdock as the Royal Scheduler
- Janyse Jaud as a Palace Maid
- Lee Tockar as Ambassador Bismarck
- Garry Chalk as Herve
- Roger Monk as the Minister
Movie Songs
This movie was the first musical in the Barbie CGI film series. The full soundtrack, including all the songs, can be found on the "Barbie Sings! The Princess Movie Song Collection" CD. It was released by Mattel in 2004.
Here are the songs from the film in the order they appear:
- Free - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika) & Melissa Lyons (Anneliese)
- How Can I Refuse? - Sung by Martin Short (Preminger)
- Written in Your Heart (Prelude) - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika)
- I Am a Girl Like You - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika) & Melissa Lyons (Anneliese)
- To Be a Princess - Sung by Alessandro Juliani (Julian) & Julie Stevens (Erika)
- The Cat's Meow - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika)
- How Can You Refuse? - Sung by Martin Short (Preminger)
- If You Love Me for Me - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika) & Mark Luna (Dominick)
- Written in Your Heart (finale) - Sung by Julie Stevens (Erika) & Melissa Lyons (Anneliese)
- I'm on My Way - Sung by Sara Niemietz
Video Game
A video game based on Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper was released in 2004. It was available for Game Boy Advance, PC, and Macintosh computers.
In the Game Boy Advance version, players follow the movie's story. Your goal is to stop Preminger from taking over the kingdom by marrying Anneliese. Players can control four different characters: Anneliese, Erika, Serafina (the cat), and Wolfie (the dog).
See also
In Spanish: Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper para niños
