Ever After

The Brothers Grimm are invited to meet with the Grande Dame, who expresses her disappointment in their version of Cinderella. She produces a portrait and glass slipper, and recounts the partial true story that inspired the tale.

During the French Renaissance, ten years after Auguste de Barbarac dies, his daughter, Danielle, has been forced to become a servant to her stepmother, the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, and stepsisters, Marguerite and Jacqueline. One morning, Danielle has an unexpected confrontation with Prince Henry as he is attempting to flee in order to avoid an arranged marriage to Princess Gabriella of Spain, at first mistaking him for a thief. Henry gives Danielle 20 francs to keep their interlude secret. He is eventually caught by the Royal Guard after stopping bandits from robbing Leonardo da Vinci, whom King Francis has invited to the Royal court.

Danielle disguises herself as a noblewoman in order to go to the palace to buy back Maurice, who was sold by Rodmilla. Henry witnesses her arguing with the jailer and impressed by Danielle’s passion and intelligence, orders the jailer to release Maurice. When he asks for her name, Danielle gives her late mother’s name, Countess Nicole de Lancret. King Francis agrees to hold a masquerade ball at which Henry will announce his engagement to the woman of his choosing at midnight, or else King Francis will announce his marriage to Gabriella. Rodmilla accelerates her efforts at getting Henry to notice Marguerite, while being neglectful to Jacqueline. Meanwhile, Danielle begins secretly spending time with Henry. After an outing at the library of the Franciscan monks, a gang of gypsies ambushes them, but they offer to help them when Danielle bids the leader and attempts to carry Henry away. At the gypsy camp, they share their first kiss.

Rodmilla and Marguerite plan to steal Nicole’s wedding gown and glass slippers for Marguerite to wear at the ball. When Marguerite insults Nicole, Danielle attacks and chases her. Marguerite retaliates by burning the copy of Utopia that Auguste had given to Danielle. Jacqueline shows sympathy towards Danielle and criticizes Marguerite for her cruelty.

Queen Marie holds a luncheon with Marguerite and Rodmilla, during which the two deduce that Danielle is Countess de Lancret. Danielle meets Henry, who reveals that she has inspired him to build a university. Unable to reveal the truth about her identity, she flees. Rodmilla confronts Danielle about her deception and locks her in the pantry when she does not reveal the whereabouts of the slippers and dress. Gustave does Maurice a favor by going to the ball to recruit Leonardo to help Danielle escape. Leonardo, Gustave, Paulette and Louise prepare Danielle in Nicole’s attire which they kept hidden prior. Danielle arrives determined to tell Henry the truth, but Rodmilla exposes her. Furious, Henry rejects Danielle, causing her to tearfully flee while Leonardo witnesses her lose a slipper. Leonardo reproaches Henry for his callousness and leaves him the slipper.

Henry agrees to marry Gabriella. During the ceremony, however, realizing that she also loves someone else who’s in attendance, he calls off the wedding and seeks out Danielle until Maurice and Jacqueline inform him that Rodmilla sold her to Pierre Le Pieu following the ball. Henry and Laurent set off to rescue Danielle, only to find that she has freed herself. Henry professes his love for her, and proposes marriage by fitting the slipper onto her foot. Danielle happily accepts.

The royal court summons Rodmilla, Marguerite and Jacqueline. As punishment for lying to Marie about Danielle, Rodmilla is stripped of her title and threatened with exile alongside Marguerite unless someone speaks for her. Danielle appears and instead asks that Rodmilla be shown the same “courtesy” she had shown her. Rodmilla and Marguerite are reduced to servants in the palace laundry.

Danielle and Henry built a university until it was presumably destroyed during the French Revolution centuries later, except for Leonardo’s portrait of Danielle he gifted the couple that was later inherited by the Grande Dame. She emphasizes that while her great-great grandparents did live happily ever after, the point is that they lived.

Last Updated: August 20, 2025 at 13:01