The Princess and the Pea story
A bored prince decides that the best way to cheer himself up is to get married. As he goes through his mother's list of eligible princesses, an outspoken young candidate appears at the castle with raucous claims. Starring Liza Minnelli as Princess Alecia, Tom Conti as Prince Richard, Beatrice Straight as Queen Veronica, Pat McCormick as King Fredrico, Tim Kazurinsky as the Fool, and Nancy Allen as Princess Elizabeth. Written by Rod Ash and Mark Curtiss. Directed by Tony Bill.
19 total · 9 major · 10 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| appearances can be deceiving | major | The princess was assumed to not be so because of the way she comported herself, but then it turned out that she was. |
| attitude of superiority | major | "Do you know who I am", quoth the prince superciliously. The entire royal family was defined by their arrogance. "The test" was in fact a way to distinguish themselves from the common mob. |
| choosing between love and family | major | Should Prince Richard follow his domineering mother's wishes and marry the princess of her choice or follow his heart and marry Princess Alecia? |
| choosing between lovers | major | Should Prince Richard follow his domineering mother's wishes and marry the princess of her choice or follow his heart and marry Princess Alecia? |
| controlling family member | major | Prince Richard was being pushed into marrying a princess whom he didn't love by his domineering mother, the Queen, and he resented her for it. |
| looking for a lover | major | Prince Richard was looking for a princess to marry. |
| mother and son | major | The story concerned the prince's conflict with his mother, the queen, regarding whom he would marry. |
| mother-in-law and daughter-in-law | major | The viewer is made to ponder the queen's future relationship with either of her two potential daughter-in-laws. |
| romantic love | major | Prince Richard and Princess Alecia proclaimed their love for one another. |
| absolute monarchy | minor | The story concerned the petty little personal problems of a royal family. |