Of the TV versions of Broadway musicals they've made since 1992's "Gypsy", only "Once Upon a Mattress" had never been done as a film before, only as two television specials. Both starred Carol Burnet as Princess Winifred (nickname, "Fred"), Here (still top billed), she's cast as the domineering queen who is scheming to keep her son from getting married. Along comes swamp princess Winifred who is so determined to get into the castle that she swims the moat. The queen instantly is determined to prevent Prince Dauntless from marrying her so she schemes to come up with the ultimate way for Winifred to fail the test which determines if she is worthy or not.
If you have been lucky enough to have seen the TV versions or any stage production of it (including a 1996 Broadway revival), you are already familiar with the many fractured fairy tale elements of the narrative. This is not your typical classic Disney tale, nor is it thought-provoking like Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods". Burnett is deliciously wicked, dressed out in gowns and head dresses designed by her old pal Bob Mackie. This feels like a full-length version of one of her TV show's musical spoofs, minus her cast of regulars. As Winifred, Tracy Ullman is very funny although she may not have been my first choice because of her age, but she is musically pleasant, and blasts "Shy" to the gills.
Denis O'Hare as Prince Dauntless is appropriately shy and geeky, while Tom Smothers as the silent king does what he can with a rather thankless part. He lacks the facial expressions that Jack Gilford hysterically brought to the role that requires a lot of pantomime. Zooey Deschanel and Matthew Morrison are fine as the secondary romantic couple, but they are overshadowed by the more comical leads. Michael Boatman is amusing as the court jester, while Edward Hibbert is appropriately nebbish as the Wizard, who acts as the Queen's "Yes Man".
The score is a lot of fun, most remembered for "Shy", but also contains such delights as "I'm in love with a girl named Fred", and "Happily Ever After", a great showcase for Ullman. While this production isn't technically as lavish as the most recent TV "Cinderella", or as memorable as "Gypsy" and "Annie" (also remade for TV), it still holds up as one of the better recent TV musicals. With Burnett having been crowned Queen here after having swam the moat two previous times, it's an important record of a show that might not be one of the all-time great shows, but it's a true crowd pleaser. Now if someone would get the other two versions out on DVD, as well as the early Julie & Carol specials.
If you have been lucky enough to have seen the TV versions or any stage production of it (including a 1996 Broadway revival), you are already familiar with the many fractured fairy tale elements of the narrative. This is not your typical classic Disney tale, nor is it thought-provoking like Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods". Burnett is deliciously wicked, dressed out in gowns and head dresses designed by her old pal Bob Mackie. This feels like a full-length version of one of her TV show's musical spoofs, minus her cast of regulars. As Winifred, Tracy Ullman is very funny although she may not have been my first choice because of her age, but she is musically pleasant, and blasts "Shy" to the gills.
Denis O'Hare as Prince Dauntless is appropriately shy and geeky, while Tom Smothers as the silent king does what he can with a rather thankless part. He lacks the facial expressions that Jack Gilford hysterically brought to the role that requires a lot of pantomime. Zooey Deschanel and Matthew Morrison are fine as the secondary romantic couple, but they are overshadowed by the more comical leads. Michael Boatman is amusing as the court jester, while Edward Hibbert is appropriately nebbish as the Wizard, who acts as the Queen's "Yes Man".
The score is a lot of fun, most remembered for "Shy", but also contains such delights as "I'm in love with a girl named Fred", and "Happily Ever After", a great showcase for Ullman. While this production isn't technically as lavish as the most recent TV "Cinderella", or as memorable as "Gypsy" and "Annie" (also remade for TV), it still holds up as one of the better recent TV musicals. With Burnett having been crowned Queen here after having swam the moat two previous times, it's an important record of a show that might not be one of the all-time great shows, but it's a true crowd pleaser. Now if someone would get the other two versions out on DVD, as well as the early Julie & Carol specials.