The Prince and Me/Prince and Me 2: The Royal Wedding/Prince and Me 3: The Royal Honeymoon plus The Student Prince

2004

Directed by Martha Coolidge
Produced by Mark Amin
Screenplay by Jack Amiel
Michael Begler
Katherine Fugate
Story by Mark Amin
Katherine Fugate
This is the movie that started the series of five movies of the same title, but with different themes and tag lines.  It is the only one with a fitting title because in the sequels, Edvard is no longer a Crown Prince, but the King himself.  
1954

From Google Images

Prince Karl (Edmund Purdom) goes to university in Heidelberg, sows wild oats, and falls in love with an innkeeper's niece (Ann Blyth).-WWW
Initial release: 15 June 1954 (USA)
Director: Richard Thorpe
Music composed by: Sigmund Romberg
Screenplay: William Ludwig, Sonya Levien
Mario Lanza's singing voice is featured in this film

We watched this first at Greenbelt fourteen years ago and my mom exclaimed that it reminded her of the Student Prince of 1954.  It has similarities, but it is very different.  The Student Prince is more political in nature, if you ask me. The Student Prince is a remake of the 1924 silent movie based on a 1924 operetta.  This one just has a similar premise, but definitely not the same.  It is not even a remake. There is no third party here(and fourth in the case of the Operetta/Broadway musical)unlike in The Student Prince movie, so I told my mom that both movies are different like night and day or fire and rain.

Luke Mably, who reprises his role in the second installment, fits the role of Prince Edvard/Eddie.  

Julia Stiles fits the role of Paige, a woman who wants to be a doctor and travel the world to where there are close to no doctors or no doctors at all... to help the needy.  First she needs to be admitted to John Hopkins.  Before she could be admitted there, she should pass "Shakespeare" first and that's where she gets really close to Eddie.  Julia is Paige and Paige is Julia.

People say that the reason there are four sequels to this movie plus fan fiction is because of its being open-ended.  To me, the sequels were not really necessarily, but it's also great to imagine and reimagine what would happen after.

👑👑👑👑👑👑👑
Julia Stiles as Paige Morgan
Luke Mably as Edvard, Crown Prince of Denmark/Edvard III, King of Denmark ("Eddie Williams")
Ben Miller as Søren
Miranda Richardson as Rosalind, Queen consort of Denmark
James Fox as Haraald, King of Denmark
Alberta Watson as Amy Morgan
John Bourgeois as Ben Morgan
Zachary Knighton as John Morgan
Stephen O'Reilly as Mike Morgan
Elisabeth Waterston as Beth Curtis
Eliza Bennett as Princess Arabella (honestly, when I watched THE CONTRACTOR, I didn't remember that she was Princess Arabella)



2006
Direct to Video
Written by Allison Robinson based on the characters created by Mark Amin and Katherine Fugate
Directed by Catherine Cyran
In the second installment, as aforementioned, Luke Mably again is Edvard, but this time he is the King and not the Prince.  The movie focuses on the Royal Wedding.  Just recently Prince Harry married Meghan Markle.  Isah Red noted that Filipinos were making rude comments about this and that.  He wondered why Filipinos couldn't just be spectators instead of being critics.

People in my circle did not bash the Royal wedding at all.  As a matter of fact they were raving about it, most especially the homily.

Why am I even talking about that?  Oh, because this second installment is about the Royal Wedding.  How many times should I say that?  :-p

I miss Julia Stiles, but Kam Heskin didn't do a bad job.  She just doesn't have the Julia Stiles charm.  She is her own person anyways.

What about Luke Mably?  Two years later(not necessarily the movie's timeline) did his presence still have magic?  If the first one presented Prince Edvard as a person with loose morals then later on becomes a better person because of Paige, this one is political.  Someone points out that if he marries a commoner, he wouldn't be able to ascend to the throne...that he should abdicate or marry that protester's daughter instead.  

So did Luke Mably deliver?  Yes, but maybe because this is a TV movie(well, it is direct to video and you would probably view it via the telly) and he had a different partner...wait.  If you are a true thespian, no matter who your partner is, you should do your best.  That's what stage actors do.  They do not have the same partners during every performance, but they give their all, especially if they are immersed in the character.

Maybe it was because Luke Mably had great chemistry with Clemency Burton-Hill.  Personally, it would have been better if Clemency played Paige and Kam played Princess Kirsten.  Kam is beautiful, but I think it would been better if their roles were reversed.  Well, that's just me.

🌊🌊🌊☵☵☵🌊🌊🌊

Saying the word immersed sort of gives me a drowning feeling.  I think I just have to puff.

Minutes later...

Geesh.  I asked myself, "Why in the world did they have a sequel?"  It kind of ruined the magic of the first one.

In all fairness, when hurdles were leapt over, the story kind of grew on me.  I also had to change my mindset.  I sometimes watch the same play in the same season with different actors so I should treat it that way, I psyched myself.

After doing that I just relaxed and enjoyed the movie.

👑👑👑👑👑👑👑

Luke Mably as Edvard III, King of Denmark
Kam Heskin as Paige Morgan
Maryam d'Abo as Rosalind, the Queen Mother
Clemency Burton-Hill as Princess Kirsten
Jonathan Firth as Søren
Jim Holt as Prince Albert
David Fellowes as Haraald, the King Father/former King of Denmark



2008

After surviving a beleaguered courtship and controversial wedding that tested the depths of their love, the newly minted King Edvard (Chris Geere) and Queen Paige (Kam Heskin) get a chance to let loose as they set off for their honeymoon in the Danish countryside. But, when a chance meeting with a former beau, Scott (Adam Croasdell), throws her heart into turmoil, Paige struggles to choose between the two men -- one of whom may have entirely political motives for crashing her royal vacation. -WWW
Initial release: 28 October 2008
Director: Catherine Cyran
Film series: The Prince & Me
Screenplay: Blayne Weaver
Producer: Mark Amin

Since I am talking about the third installment, it's obvious that the Royal Wedding pushed through.  This time Luke Mably is not playing the title role. Chris Geere takes his place, but Kam Heskin still plays Paige. 

Remember when I thought the second installment didn't have to exist?  Well, my reaction to this one is almost the same. What the hey?  If King Edvard could have a Princess Kirsten to save him because she just wants to help, Paige should have a past love too.  Add to that a scheming politician.  Does Paige's past love have anything to do with that scheming politician and vice versa.  

Argh.

Did I finish the movie?

Of course, but I don't think I would watch it again.

Didn't I like it?

It was OK, but not spectacular.  Even if it's not spectacular or amazing it had enough good qualities to like anyways, so it wasn't all that bad.

By the way, at least by watching this third installment I now know why Kam Heskin is Paige and not Clemency Burton-Hill.

Hmm...

The good thing is, I think I'll watch the fourth one soon.


Note:  I will have a different blog entry for the 4th and 5th installment plus the fan fiction 6th installment.  




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