The Princess and the Frog (2009) has beauty being the last Disney cel animated film, but also in its songs and setting! At the time, El Capitan Theatre was still playing the CG film, A Christmas Carol (2009), so the other choice was to see the film at Disney Studios. This was my first time at Disney Studios and it was an opportunity not to be passed up. The film was directed by the duo of Ron Clements and John Musker who both worked on Treasure Planet (2002) and The Little Mermaid (1989). They also share story and screenplay credits.
The story was also worked on by Greg Erb who also co-wrote the comedy Senseless (1998) and Jason Oremland. The screenplay was also co-written by Rob Edwards who also co-wrote Treasure Planet and there is credit to E.D. Baker’s novel The Frog Princess (2002), but this is a departure from that book. Tiana as a princess has over the years become one of my favorites. I think it may be the meet and greets at the Disney parks, but I've always found Tiana to be interesting to talk to about Cajun food instead of just events from the movie.
The film also has jazz influenced music from composer Randy Newman who previously worked on Pixar films and also worked on the songs in the movie. It begins with the evening star, we hear Rose sing “Down in New Orleans”, fireflies float around the star, bringing us to New Orleans at night. There is the elaborate house with a single light in the tower, we follow the fireflies and peek inside which has a very pink room. Two girls are being told the story of the Frog Prince, Charlotte (Breanna Brooks) is in her princess costume, Tiana (Elizabeth Dampier) is in her green dress with a crown. The storyteller is Eudora (Oprah Winfrey), Tiana’s mother.
She gets to the kissing part which excites the girl and repulses Tiana. They are joined by Charlotte’s father, Eli “Big Daddy” La Bouff (John Goodman). The beloved actor is also well known as Sully in Monsters, Inc. (2001). Big Daddy is interesting, he is wealthy, but goes to a small cafe to have Tiana's beignets. He gives in to his daughter’s princess dress demands which Eudora is happy to fulfill. Eudora takes her daughter home using the streetcar to get to more modest homes. Inside, Tiana is cooking gumbo with her father, James (Terrence Howard) ready to try it. Howard played James Rhodes in the first Iron Man (2008).
All of the family loves her gumbo which she shares with all of the neighbors. James and Tiana have a dream to open her restaurant, Tiana’s Place. She makes a wish with the evening star, but screams at the croaking of a frog. It is day when an older Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) enters her room, tired from her day of working at a restaurant. Rose is known for her part in Dreamgirls (2006) and extensive Broadway work. She sees a photo of her father as a soldier so we get the idea that he died in World War I. Then, she has to wake up early to rush off to her other job at Duke’s Cafe,
Tiana doesn’t seem to be interested in jazz musicians. They are the heart of New Orleans. I went to New Orleans in 2012. It is the most beautiful and interesting American city. We also see there a card game played by Dr. Facilier who is later interested in Big Daddy driving past. Big Daddy is reading in the newspaper about the arrival of Prince Naveen. We see Prince Naveen slide down the rails of a boat to the delight of all of the ladies. Still, Naveen is fascinated by the street musicians and goes to play with his ukulele. He passes by Tiana who is not impressed. Tiana takes care of all of the customers including her friend Georgia who notes that it is Mardi Gras.
She is mocked by her boss and chef, Buford (Michael Colyar), for her dream of owning a restaurant. Tiana greets Big Daddy and congratulates him on being King of Mardi Gras. She brings him some beignets. This is the part that doesn’t make sense. Big Daddy loves Tiana’s beignets, Tiana wants to own her restaurant to serve the beignets, so never does Big Daddy realize he could invest in Tiana’s restaurant? The older Charlotte (Jennifer Cody) joins Big Daddy enthralled of the visit by Prince Naveen of Maldonia. He can’t get a word in with Caroline’s excitement that Big Daddy invited Prince Naveen to their masquerade. It is strange that neither Caroline or Big Daddy met Prince Naveen when he arrived by ship.
Caroline thinks she can win Naveen’s affection with Tiana’s beignets and gives her a pile of money. This will make Tiana’s dream come true much to the slack jaw of Buford. Overhearing this is Dr. Facilier. At an abandoned sugar mill, Tiana is excited to sign the papers for the Fenner Brothers to buy the property, she is met by her mother entering the building. Interesting connection, so Big Daddy is a sugar baron so he would be responsible for putting the sugar mill out of business. Tiana has dreams of what the restaurant could be, singing “Almost There”, it shifts to her dream restaurant with the stylizing of a jazz poster.
We shift to Naveen (Bruno Campos) playing with street musicians. Campos was in the comedy series Royal Pains. Naveen is the most fun of the Disney princes. The harried servant, Lawrence (Peter Bartlett), is surprised to see the prince dancing. He seems to be in the vein of the hard working, but in the way servant similar to Nathaniel in Enchanted (2007). Dr. Facilier (Keith David) appears before them, a slick con man, but threatening. David is of course well known for the providing the voice of Goliath in the Gargoyles animated series. Dr. Facilier is one of the best Disney villains.
He takes Naveen and Lawrence through the alleys to his Voodoo Emporium. Dr. Facilier reads Naveen’s cards saying that his parents are cutting off his wild spending, Naveen just shrugs, and Facilier gets Naveen to agree to a show stopping Transformation Ritual! At the masquerade, Tiana is working on her beignets, Charlotte in her formal dress is nervous. Prince Naveen arrives and Charlotte takes him in a dance. Tiana finds that another bidder has taken the sugar mill from the Fenner Brothers. Charlotte takes Tiana who has fallen to get cleaned up. She comes out in her princess dress.
Still, she is desperate for her restaurant and goes to the balcony to make a wish. There is a frog and now talks as Prince Naveen! He takes some bashing, funny, and realizes that her book, he calls the Froggy Prince, gives the answer. Naveen of course has the answer a kiss from Tiana. She is repulsed, but manages to give him a kiss, which instead transforms her into a frog! They end up in the middle of the masquerade and Big Daddy sends his dog, Stella, after them. The duo manages to escape on some balloons. Dr. Facilier sees their escape, the Naveen at the party is the transformed Lawrence, he wears the amulet that keeps the Naveen appearance.
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| This display of Princess Tiana's dress was at Disney Studios, 2010, photo by the author. |
The two conspire together to get Lawrence married to Charlotte. At the rainy night, the balloons bring Tiana and Naveen to the bayou, where they have to escape fish, a stork, and alligators! They end up in a tree stump. The next day, they are on a raft of wood. Naveen’s spider-web ukulele made from a branch playing brings the attention of another alligator, Louis, who has ambitions to be a trumpet player on a riverboat. He finds that they are under a voodoo spell and Louis brings up Mama Odie, Voodoo Queen of the Bayou. Still, Louis is frightened of the dangers of the deepest part of the bayou.
Naveen convinces Louis to be transformed so he can play for audiences. Louis sings with Naveen and the spoiled prince is chastised by Tiana. At the mansion, Charlotte is dining with Naveen, but he starts to revert back to Lawrence just before he is able to get a proposal to Charlotte. Dr. Facilier makes a deal with the shadowy spirits to hunt after the frog and get more of Naveen’s blood for the amulet in exchange for his plan to take over New Orleans! At the swamp, Naveen tries out his fly catching tongue, and Tiana is also drawn to a firefly looking up at the sky. They get tongue tied and then helped out by the firefly, Ray, voiced by Jim Cummings. The veteran voice actor brings charm to every role he plays. Ray knows the way to Mama Odie.
Naveen is unable to cut a mushroom for Tiana’s bayou gumbo. He admits that he has no practical skills which is questionable. One that his music and dancing ability is seen as a hobby and not a profession by everyone. Two that Naveen is somehow not independent though he has decided on going to New Orleans with only Lawrence to help him. This becomes interrupted with the hunters, a funny scene, but more of a gag. A contrivance for jokes rather than building on the heroes journey for Mama Odie which they believe will solve their problems. For some reason, I keep thinking of The Wiz (1978) with companions picked up along the way, Louis and Ray, who also need something from Mama Odie. She is played by Jenifer Lewis who voiced Flo in Cars (2006). The Princess and the Frog has a talented voice cast, a memorable prince and villain, plus some good songs! Ashidanza!
Four Fireflies out of Five!
#ThePrincessandtheFrog, #RonClements, #JohnMusker, #AnikaNoniRose, #BrunoCampos, #KeithDavid
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