Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper Reviews

Having conquered the world of ballet in BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE (2004), the world’s most fabulous doll tackles musical comedy. With her kingdom’s coffers nearly empty, Queen Genevieve (voice of Ellen Kennedy) approves the betrothal of her daughter, Princess Anneliese (Kelly Sheridan), to King Dominick (Mark Hildreth). This news doesn't sit well with the Queen's advisor, Preminger (Martin Short), who's been stealing from the treasury; perhaps, he thinks, if he were to kidnap Princess and take credit for her rescue the Queen would allow him to marry the Princess instead. Uninterested in Preminger and resigned to marrying Dominick, Anneliese pines for her handsome tutor, Julian (Allesandro Juliani, who arranges for his beloved to take a walk incognito among the common folk. Anneliese bumps into a look-alike named Erica (Kelly Sheridan), who toils in a millinery shop. Preminger succeeds in kidnapping the real Princess, but Julian stalls for time by teaching Erica to stand in for the missing royal. King Dominick, also disguised as a commoner, finds himself growing quite fond of the false Anneliese, who's making the most of her cozy new lifestyle. The frustrated Preminger must switch gears and decides to court the Queen herself. Anneliese, meanwhile, discovers a network of untapped diamond mines that could obviate the need for her marriage of convenience. Can the spunky Princess escape in time to thwart Preminger? Barbie sings! This revelation, which buoys an otherwise ordinary Mattel-icized version of the classic tale, isn't quite on a par with "Garbo Talks!" But the film features a peppy score and the story didn't get to be a classic for nothing.