The Princess Diaries (film)
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{{Infobox Film
| name = The Princess Diaries
| image = The Princess Diaries original theatrical poster.jpg
| caption = Original theatrical poster on Australian VHS cover (note the rating "G")
| director = [[Garry Marshall]]
| producer = [[Debra Martin Chase]]<br />[[Whitney Houston]]<br />[[Mario Iscovich]]
| writer = [[Meg Cabot]] (novel)<br />[[Gina Wendkos]] (screenplay)
| starring = [[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]]<br>[[Julie Andrews]]<br>[[John Rhys-Davies]]<br>[[Hector Elizondo]]<br>[[Heather Matarazzo]]<br>[[Mandy Moore]]
| distributor = [[Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group|Buena Vista Pictures]]
| released = [[August 3]] [[2001]] <small>([[North America|NA]])</small>
| runtime = 115 minutes
| country = [[United States]]
| awards = See "[[#Awards and nominations|Awards]]" below
| language = [[English language|English]]
| budget = $26 million [[United States Dollar|USD]]<ref name=statistics>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=princessdiaries.htm "Box office statistics for ''The Princess Diaries'' (2001)"]. BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved [[October 9]] [[2006]].</ref>
| gross = $165 million USD<ref name=statistics/>
| followed_by = ''[[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]]''
| amg_id = 249183
| imdb_id = 0247638
}}
'''''The Princess Diaries''''' is a [[comedy-drama]] [[film]] and the [[film adaptation|screen adaptation]] of [[Meg Cabot]]'s 2000 [[The Princess Diaries|novel of the same name]]. The film stars [[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]] as Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of the fictional [[Genovia]], ruled by her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, who is portrayed by [[Julie Andrews]]. It also stars [[Heather Matarazzo]] as Mia's best friend Lilly Moscovitz, [[Hector Elizondo]] as Renaldi's head of security, and [[Robert Carmine|Robert Schwartzman]] as Lilly's brother, who has a crush on Mia.
It was released to [[North America]]n theatres on [[August 3]] [[2001]] and peaked at number three on the [[box office]] chart. ''The Princess Diaries'' produced ticket sales well over its production budget.
'''[[Tagline]]:''' ''She rocks. She rules. She reigns.''
== Plot ==
[[Mia Thermopolis]] patrochi([[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]]) is a fifteen-year-old [[tenth grade]] private school student who lives with her mother Helen Thermopolis ([[Caroline Goodall]]) and cat Fat Louie in a [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] firehouse. Her father, Philippe Renaldi (who was divorced but in touch with her) died two months earlier in a car crash. Although Mia is an average student, she is very unpopular, but has two good friends: Lilly Moscovitz ([[Heather Matarazzo]]) and Lilly's older brother, Michael Moscovitz ([[Robert Carmine|Robert Schwartzman]]), who has a [[crush]] on Mia. Mia is regularly teased by her peers for her gawkiness and frizzy hair, mostly by Lana Thomas ([[Mandy Moore]]), a fellow tenth grader who is captain of the school [[cheerleading]] team, and her friends. Mia is jealous of Lana because she is in a relationship with Josh Bryant ([[Erik von Detten]]), a [[twelfth grade]]r "[[Backstreet Boy]] clone" (as her mother describes him) whom she has had a crush on since grade school.
Shortly before Mia's sixteenth birthday, she learns from her mother that her paternal grandmother is visiting from [[Genovia]], a fictional country in Europe (which bears some similarity to the actual [[Republic of Genoa]], had it not become part of unified [[Italy]]). At first Mia does not want to see her, but agrees to after some persuasion. The next day, Mia meets her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi ([[Julie Andrews]]), at the Genovian consulate for the first time, who explains that the reason she wanted to see her was because of a "life-changing" problem. She learns that her father was the crown prince of Genovia and she is the next crown princess of Genovia and the only heir to the Genovian throne because her father died. She was shocked to learn that she is a princess and exclaims "shut up!" to her grandmother's disapproval. Mia quickly leaves the house and returns home, after which she begins fighting with her mother for not telling her when she was younger.
Mia's mother and grandmother convince her to attend "princess lessons" in preparation for her introduction to the Genovian government. Under supervision from her new bodyguard, the head of Genovian security, Joeseph ([[Hector Elizondo]]), Mia begins to forget to help Lilly with her homework or watch Michael's band, Flypaper, perform at a nearby [[auto mechanic]] shop. To look more presentable to the Genovian government, Mia receives a makeover from Italian hairdresser Paolo ([[Larry Miller (actor)|Larry Miller]]), after which Lilly confronts her for being so distant and questions her about if she wants to be like Lana. When Mia tells Lilly that she is a princess, their relationship becomes stronger than before.
A couple of days later, San Francisco learns that Mia is the Genovian heir after Paolo tells the media so everybody will know that he is the one that made Princess Mia look like a princess. Although unimpressed, Clarisse opts to ignore the situation and prepares for the State Dinner, which Mia attends, though managing to somewhat humiliate herself in the process. The day after the State Dinner, Mia agrees to appear on Lilly's [[public access television]] program ''Shut Up and Listen'' and to watch Michael's band perform at a venue that Saturday night. However, Josh asks Mia to go with him to the Baker Beach Bash, the school's annual beach party, and she excitedly agrees. She remembers to tell Michael that she will watch see his band the following Saturday night, but forgets to tell Lilly of the change. The beach party goes well at first, but spirals out of control when the media learn of Mia's presence. Josh publicly embarrasses her by kissing her in front of photographers, and Lana helps them take pictures of her clad only in a towel. This causes a media frenzy and displeases Clarisse. Clarisse then gets a wake up call from Joe, telling her that she has to remember that although Mia is a princess, and the heir to her throne, Mia is still her granddaughter.
To reconstruct her friendships with Lilly and Michael, Mia invites them to the Genovian Independence Day Ball, where she must reveal whether or not she wants to accept her duties as a princess. Originally intent on running away to [[Colorado]] because she wants to avoid renouncing her throne with a speech [Mia is terrible at public speaking], Mia finds a sixteenth birthday gift and letter from her father, written before his death. After reading the letter, she changes her mind and makes her way to the ball, as it begins raining. Her car's roof will not go up though, so she is stuck driving in the rain and her car breaks down when she attempts to go up an incredibly steep hill. Joe finds her drenched halfway to the event. Upon arrival, Mia makes a speech announcing her acceptance to the Genovian throne. She is happy to see that her friends attended, and kisses Michael in the garden. Clarisse and Joe also walk out of the Genovian consulate holding hands, showing sparks of a relationship. The film ends with the cast dancing informally, and Mia on an airplane arriving in Genovia as she narrates the coming summer's events.
== Production ==
The film was directed by [[Garry Marshall]] and produced by [[Debra Martin Chase]] and [[Whitney Houston]]. [[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]] was hired for the role of Mia immediately when she accidentally fell off her chair (which she does in the film as well) during her audition.<ref name=princessdvd>''The Princess Diaries'' DVD commentary. A behind-the-scenes look at the film's production. Retrieved [[October 9]] [[2006]].</ref> Though Anne confirms on Moviefone's Unscripted with [[Steve Carell]] that this was not true. It was the film debut for singer [[Mandy Moore]] as the stereotypical cheerleader Lana Weinberger.
[[Hector Elizondo]], who appears in all the films which Garry Marshall directs,<ref>[http://www.sagfoundation.org/conversations/20020730/ "Hector Elizondo: Humor, Eloquence & Bongos"]. [[Screen Actors Guild]] Foundation. [[July 30]] [[2002]]. Retrieved [[October 9]] [[2006]].</ref> plays Joseph "Joe", the head of Genovian security. Garry Marshall's daughter, Kathleen Marshall, plays Clarisse's secretary Charlotte Kutaway. Charlotte's surname is mentioned only in the credits, and Garry Marshall says it is a reference to how she is often used in [[cutaway (film)|cutaway]] shots. In one scene, [[Robert Schwartzman]]'s real-life group [[Rooney (band)|Rooney]] makes a cameo playing a garage band named Flypaper, whose lead singer is Michael, played by Schwartzman.
The book was set in [[New York City]], but the film's location was changed to San Francisco because Marshall's granddaughters lived there. West coast radio personalities [[Mark & Brian]] appear as themselves.
''[[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]]'', the film's sequel, was released in August
2004.
== Box-office ==
The film opened to $22,862,269 from 2,537 theaters in the U.S. and ended its run with [[USD|$]]165,335,153 worldwide. Reviews were mostly mixed as [[rottentomatoes]] came up with a 49% rotten rating with 52 out of 106 critics recommending the movie.
== Cast ==
*[[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]] as [[Mia Thermopolis]]
*[[Julie Andrews]] as Queen Clarisse Renaldi
*[[Hector Elizondo]] as Joe
*[[Heather Matarazzo]] as Lilly Moscovitz
*[[Mandy Moore]] as Lana Thomas
*[[Caroline Goodall]] as Helen Thermopolis
*[[Robert Carmine|Robert Schwartzman]] as Michael Moscovitz
*[[Erik von Detten]] as Josh Bryant
*[[Patrick Flueger]] as Jeremiah Hart
*[[Sean O'Bryan]] as Patrick O'Connell
*[[Sandra Oh]] as Vice-Principal Gupta
*[[Kathleen Marshall]] as Charlotte Cutaway
*[[Willie Brown]] as himself
== Soundtrack ==
{{main|The Princess Diaries/The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (soundtrack)}}
==Differences between the film and novel==
There are many major differences between the film and novel.<ref name=differences>Differences between the film and novel. ''The Princess Diaries'' novel written by Meg Cabot and ''The Princess Diaries'' film directed by Gary Marshall. Retrieved [[October 9]] [[2006]].</ref> While they essentially follow the same plot, there were additional sequences written for the film to produce more drama.<ref name=princessdvd/> Mia is portrayed as a very awkward adolescent, and while in the film she is more comfortable with herself after the makeover, in the book she becomes more uneasy.<ref name=differences/> Other major differences include the following:
*In the novel, Mia's grandmother is named Clarisse Renald'''o''' not Renald'''i'''
*In the novel, Mia's grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi, is not the Queen of Genovia, but instead the dowager princess. She is less considerate of Mia's feelings and is somewhat clueless about the lives of non-royal people. She frequently dresses in purple to emphasize her social status and speaks French most of the time. Clarisse in the film has more heartfelt moments.
*In the novel, Mia's father, Philippe Renaldi, is not dead. Instead, he is a survivor of testicular cancer and is physically incapable of producing another heir. Because Mia is his only daughter, this forces her to take the Genovian throne.
*In the novel, Mia had previously met both her grandmother and her father. In the film, she says that she has never met either of them.
*In the film, it is said that Mia's grandfather has been dead for a year.
*While the film introduced Joe, the novel excludes his character. Mia has a bodyguard named Lars, who bears some distinction and similarity to Joe. Clarisse and Lars do not hint a romantic relationship like Clarisse and Joe do in the film. In [[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]], a bodyguard trainee of Joe's named Lionel appeared in the film.
*In the novel, Mia lives in New York, not San Francisco like in the film.
*In the novel, Clarisse Renaldi lives in a grand suite of the La Plaza Hotel while visiting New York. In the film, she lives in a large [[consulate]]-style house while visiting San Francisco. In the novel, "Grandmere" (Clarisse Renaldi) owns a poodle named Rommel while in the sequel to the movie, Clarisse has a standard poodle name Maurice.
*In the novel, Lana does not have friends named Ana and Fontana, and Lilly does not have a friend named Jeremiah. Mia has many other friends than Lilly and Michael, including Boris Pelkowski, Ling Su Wong, Shameeka Taylor, and Tina Hakim Baba (whom she befriends during a fight with Lilly).
*Other small changes include Lilly's cable show, which is titled ''Lilly Tells It like It Is'' in the novel and ''Shut Up and Listen'' in the film. Mia's teacher who dates her mother Helen is not Mr. O'Connell and instead Mr. Gianini, who has a much larger role in the novel.
*Josh and Lana's surnames are different in the film. Originally they were Richter and Weinberger respectively, and not Bryant and Thomas. Although it was never disclosed why Josh's surname was changed, Garry Marshall said that "Thermopolis" and "Thomas" are close together alphabetically, which indicates that Mia and Lana would sit near each other in their classes.<ref name=princessdvd/>
*In the novel, Mia Thermopolis lives in an apartment; in the film, she lives in a house. Her neighbor in the novel is Ronnie, not Mr. Robatussen.
* In the novel, Mia ruins Lana's outfit with ice-cream in defence of Tina Hakim Baba (who is not mentioned in the film), not Jeramiah (who is not even in the book). Within the novel she is given detention by the principal while in the film, the principal pretends not to notice.
*Mia does not tell Lilly that she is a princess in the novel. And in the novel, Mia gets into a huge fight with Lilly when Lilly finds out that she is a princess; in the film, their bond gets stronger.
*Mia does not have a car in the novel.
*In the novel, Mia's paternal grandmother Clarisse Renaldi does not go out for fun with Mia.
*In the novel, Mia goes to Albert Einstein High School. The name in the film is changed to Garden Grove High School.
*In the novel, Josh makes out with Mia on the doorstep to Albert Einstein High School since they were on their way to a school dance. In the film, they were attending a beach party instead of a dance, and Josh kissed Mia outside the supplies cabin.
*In the novel, Michael Moscovitz did not work at a car repair shop, Instead he donates his time to making an online magazine 'Crackhead'. He was musically gifted, however.
*Fat Louie is ginger in the book, not black and white as in the film.
*According to the novel, Mia does not move to Genovia in the end.
*In the novel, Mia calls her paternal grandmother 'Grandmere' and not Grandma.
*In the novel, Mia's maternal Grandmother is not dead. In fact Mia (in the novel) has seen her maternal grandmother and mathernal grandfather (Mamaw and Papaw) a couple of times.
*In the novel, it is Grandmere who publicized Mia's royal heritage, not Paolo.
*There is no Genovian Independence Day Ball in the novel.
*In the film, Mia was turning 16 and had a learner's permit in driving. In the series, Mia did not turn 16 until book seven and a half: Sweet Sixteen Princess. She was 14 in books one, two, three, and four. She turned 15 in book five, and was 15 until book seven and a half. In the series, she is currently 16 and in her junior year of high school.
*In the novel, Lilly and Michael are not twins like they are in the movie. Instead, Michael is about three years older.
*In the novel, Mia has a crush on Michael, and it isn't explained, until the two finally get together, that Michael returned those feelings. In the film, Michael has an obvious crush on Mia, who appears not to feel the same way.
*In the novel, Mia's full name is HRH Princess Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo. In the film, Grimaldi and Renaldo are combined into one name: Renaldi.
*In the film, Mia is portrayed as being a brunette. In the novel, Mia originally has dishwater-blonde hair which is dyed "the same color as Lana Weinberger's", although later in the other books, Mia refers to her hair as dishwater-blonde again.
*In the film, Mia's most hated subjects are Gym and Debate. While, in the novel, it is true that in the novel Mia hates Gym, Algebra is her vice (no mention of Debate was given). It is also noted that Mr. Gianini (novel) teaches Algebra, while Mr. O'Connell (film) teaches Debate and History. There is also no mention of Choir in the novel, but there is also English, French, and Gifted and Talented.
*The plot for the sequel film, ''[[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]]'' is not included in any part of the book series; that is, Mia does not become queen or has to get engaged in any of the books.
*In the movie, Michael's band is named Flypaper and consists of people not important to the movie but in the novel, Michael's band is named Skinner Box and consists of more important people, such as Boris Pelkowski.
*In film, Michael and Mia just decide to stay good friends while he goes of to tour the world with his band. In the novel, Michael goes to Columbia University and is still in a relationship with Mia. Michael and Mia break-up (in the novel) after Mia discovers he slept with Judith Gershner (not mentioned in the film) who also took his virginity. Mia, convinced that Michael lied to her, breaks things off with him.
==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Year !! Award !! For !! Notes
|-
| 2001 || [[Heartland Award of Excellence]] || ||
|-
|rowspan="10"| 2002 || [[ALMA Award]] - Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack || "Miracles Happen" by [[Myra]] || Nominated
|-
| [[American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers|ASCAP]] Top Box Office Film || [[John Debney]] ||
|-
| [[Casting Society of America|Artios]] Award - Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy || [[Marcia Ross]]<br />[[Donna Morong]]<br />[[Gail Goldberg]] || rowspan="7"|Nominated
|-
| [[Broadcast Film Critics Association|BFCA]] Award - [[BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Family Film|Best Family Film]] - Live Action ||
|-
| [[Golden Trailer]] Award - Best Animation/Family ||
|-
| [[Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild]] Award - Best Contemporary Makeup - Feature || [[Hallie D'Amore]]<br />[[Leonard Engelman]]
|-
| [[MTV Movie Awards|MTV Movie Award]] - Breakthrough Female Performance || [[Anne Hathaway (actress)|Anne Hathaway]]
|-
| [[Teen Choice Awards|Teen Choice Award]] - Film - Choice Actress, Comedy || Anne Hathaway
|-
| Teen Choice Award - Film - Choice Movie, Comedy ||
|-
| [[Young Artist Award]] - Best Family Feature Film - Comedy || ||
|}
==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{wikiquote|The Princess Diaries}}
* [http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/princessdiaries/main.html Official site for the film]
*{{imdb title|id=0247638|title=The Princess Diaries}}
* [http://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/2001Locations.shtml Filming locations in the Los Angeles area]
{{Garry Marshall Films}}
{{The Princess Diaries}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Diaries, The}}
[[Category:2001 films]]
[[Category:Cinderella adaptations]]
[[Category:Comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:Disney films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Family films]]
[[Category:Films based on children's books]]
[[Category:Films directed by Garry Marshall]]
[[Category:Teen comedy films]]
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