FAERIE TALE THEATRE: THE DANCING PRINCESSES {SERIES FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The final installment in this series of whimsical fairy tales hosted and produced by Shelley Duvall. In this episode, a king explains that he has six princess daughters, all of whom are frequently pursued by would-be suitors. As such, he is highly overprotective towards them and locks them in their room every night, admitting that girls are "a constant puzzle." Later, however, he discovers an enormous bill from the cobbler and finds that the princesses have been ordering a new pair of dancing slippers each every day, somehow wearing them out overnight despite being locked in. When he questions them, the eldest daughter, Jeanette, claims that they are simply growing out of them, but the king is not convinced. He resolves to solve the mystery, deciding that he will hold a contest in which any prince who can discover what the princesses do at night will win one of their hands in marriage and will inherit his kingdom. Jeanette, not wanting to be a "prize" to be won, tells her sisters that she has a plan. Elsewhere, an impoverished former soldier spots the announcement about the contest and talks to an old woman about his hopes to someday settle down and find love. She suggests that he could be the one to solve the mystery and marry one of the princesses, and she gives him a magical cloak and advises him not to drink the palace wine before departing. Though doubtful, the soldier discovers that the cloak does indeed render him invisible, and he sets off toward the palace.
At the same time, the foppish Prince Heinrick arrives to try his hand at the contest, though the sisters are unimpressed by him. The king informs him that he has three days to discover their activities and will sleep in a room next door, but during the banquet, Jeanette slips a potion into his wine and he ends up sleeping straight through all three nights. The king sends him home in annoyance, and several more princes then follow, trying and failing to solve the mystery. The soldier arrives at the cobbler's shop and finds him hard at work on the princesses' slippers. He asks to accompany him to the palace, promising to reward him once he wins and is made king, and the cobbler consents. Once at the palace, the soldier dons his invisibility cloak, and the shocked cobbler warns him to keep his secret weapon well hidden. The king praises Jeanette's cleverness during a geography lesson, though when the soldier enters and asks to enter the contest, the king states that it is open to princes only. Jeanette convinces him to give the soldier a chance, however, and though she seems intrigued by him, she informs him that she is "not the marrying kind." The king soon grows to like the soldier, who avoids drinking both the wine at dinner and Jeanette's proffered "midnight snack" of milk and cookies. He pretends to be asleep as the princesses get ready for their nightly adventures, and they all describe the man of their dreams in turn, with Jeanette saying that she wants "a prince among men." They then sneak out through a hidden tunnel in their room, and the soldier follows in the cloak. They meet up with six princes and dance the night away with them, though the soldier cannot resist pranking the twelve guests in his invisible state.
In the morning, he claims that he slept soundly and has not solved the mystery, but asks to spend time with the daughters in order to decide whom he likes best. One by one, the sisters are won over by his charm and talents, though Jeanette still seems unmoved. She explains that their father has been excessively strict since their mother's death, but then grows annoyed at his questions and declares him presumptuous. The soldier follows the sisters on the second night just for fun, though he accidentally collides with Jeanette and injures her nose and ends up catching a cold himself. At breakfast the next day, the princesses are shocked when the soldier announces that he has uncovered the secret of their princes in the underground kingdom, providing a silver branch and a jeweled goblet as proof. He suggests to the king that he should trust his daughters and give them more freedom, and the king admits that he has been unduly harsh with them and asks their forgiveness. He then asks the soldier which princess he has selected now that he has won, and the soldier declares that he has fallen in love with Jeanette, but states that he will only marry her if she chooses him in return. Jeanette confesses that she loves him as well, and will marry him on the condition that he explains how he discovered their secret, and he reveals that he used the cloak given to him by "an old friend." The two are married, and the king reflects that he hopes that his other five daughters will also marry for love. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Showtime
- DATE: November 14, 1987 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:08707
- GENRE: Children's programs
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Fairy tales
- SERIES RUN: Showtime - TV series, 1982-1987
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Shelley Duvall … Executive Producer
- Fredric S. Fuchs … Producer
- Bridget Terry … Producer
- Andi Copley … Associate Producer
- Peter Medak … Director
- Maryedith Burrell … Writer
- Robert Folk … Music by
- Loretta Thomas … Choreographer
- Shelley Duvall … Host
- Lesley Ann Warren … Cast, Jeanetta
- Peter Weller … Cast, Soldier
- Roy Dotrice … Cast, King
- Starr Andreeff … Cast, Dinetta
- Laura Harrington … Cast, Coretta
- Sachi Parker … Cast, Loretta
- Viveca Parker … Cast, Musetta
- Lora Staley … Cast, Wanetta
- Murphy Dunne … Cast, Steward
- Max Wright … Cast, Prince Heinrick
- Ian Abercrombie … Cast, Cobbler
- Zelda Rubenstein … Cast, Old Woman
- David McCharen … Cast, Out-of-Breath Prince
- John Achorn … Cast, Surprised Guard
- Jim Thompson … Cast, Dancing Prince
- Joseph McKee … Cast, Dancing Prince
- Randy Allaire … Cast, Dancing Prince
- Bill Purdy … Cast, Dancing Prince
- Bill Prudich … Cast, Dancing Prince
- Jeff Gysin … Cast, Dancing Prince