Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

SnoopyStyle Queen Aggravain (Carol Burnett) is ruthlessly testing any princesses who wants to marry her pampered son Prince Dauntless (Denis O'Hare). No one is allowed to marry until Dauntless finds a suitable mate. Lady Larken (Zooey Deschanel) is pregnant. She and Sir Harry (Matthew Morrison) are desperate to get married. Sir Harry travels to the Badlands and returns with Princess Winnifred (Tracey Ullman). The Queen plans an impossible test with a pea under 20 mattresses. King Sextimus (Tom Smothers) is muted due to a curse.It's the classic musical as a TV movie. It's probably loads of fun for Broadway lovers. Personally, I don't like this show or any of the songs. For this production specifically, I don't like Ullman. I don't find her endearing. She has too much anger. I also don't like Lady Larken. The TV production looks fair but there are too many little things that annoy me.

Neil Doyle While watching ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and seeing Carol Burnett as Queen Aggravain, I immediately realized that she must have played Princess Winnifred in the original version of the show in the '60s. This became all too clear when I saw that Tracey Ullman's daffy princess was lacking a certain spark that Burnett would have given to the part--plus she was a little too mature for the role to begin with.Denis O'Hare seemed another case of miscasting as Prince Dauntless, a role could easily have been played by Matthew Morrison, who instead was saddled with a boring secondary role.But despite these misgivings, there's much to like about this rowdy version of the tale, vibrant with colorful sets and costumes (particularly Burnett's jeweled outfits) and some witty lines that are tossed about by a capable cast. But there's always the feeling that something isn't right--and not being able to compare this version with the original I can't say what it is but I see from other reviews that much of the original material was altered or deleted entirely. Perhaps this is why there's a feeling that it could have been so much better.Summing up: For Carol Burnett fans, it's a delicious chance to watch her play broad comedy with such finesse. She never misses an opportunity to ham it up but keeps it from being too over-the-top to be enjoyable. And while the choreography could have been more inventive, Tracey Ullman gives all of her energy to some of the dance routines with some very funny results. Unfortunately, Tom Smothers is wasted in the role of the mute King Sextimus. But all in all, it's a fun version of a fractured fairy-tale, based on "The Princess and the Pea."

katier-lang I have to agree with many other viewers... many things have been "Disney"fied. However, I want to point out that O'Hare needs a little more credit here. His character is somewhat weak, so his "sloppy diction" (which, all rabid Broadway fans knows he is known for) actually seems to endear him to the part. Burnett shines especially, and Deschanel is charming. All in all, it's good fun to watch, but don't get your hopes up too high. This is obviously a kid-friendly, super colorful, bit of fun. No off-color humor here, so for those of us with a more wicked sense of humor, we'll have to wait a little longer!

bekayess Don't know what "innocent" version of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS you saw in your youth, but this version is even more sanitized than the Broadway show or either of the 2 TV versions.Your problem with "Pre-marital sex": Larken and Harry in the B'way show and 1972 TV version were not married. In the 1964 TV version, they were secretly married to appease the censors."Emphasis on the wedding night sex": the "Man To Man Talk" song between the King and Dauntless also was in the B'way show, and the 1972 TV version."Latent homosexuality": Not a part of the B'way show nor the TV versions, but, hey, what planet are you living on? "Will and Grace" airs in the so-called "family hour" on NBC. And Gay people have always been a part of the entertainment industry. Carol Burnett, on her classic TV variety show, often brought on guest stars who were suspected by the general public to be "known-homosexuals." (I can recall my rather naive mother telling me more than 35 years ago that Rock Hudson was gay.) Carol brought stars like Rock, Jim Nabors, Roddy McDowall, Nancy Walker, and many others onto her show. Carol was and is, in many ways, and honorary "friend of Dorothy." And don't let's talk about Bob Mackie. . .perhaps the greatest costumer designer ever!!!I'm surprised you didn't mention the quasi-incestuous relationship between Agravain and Dauntless, something glossed over in this PC/2005 conservative version. In the original play and 1964 and 1972 TV version the Queen--after manhandling and promising Dauntless that she knows best--actually says (in an aside to the audience) "Oh, God, if I were only 20 years younger." (MY ASIDE: I once saw a production of BRIGADOON at a Christian High School where the 2nd act nightclub scene was changed to a COFFEE SHOP!!! My, how the times have regressed from enlightenment to close-mindedness.BTW--I did like this version, but the earlier versions were better.