There was never any chance Sugar Plum Fairy Keira would ban her three-year-old daughter from watching this family-friendly fantasy on the grounds of sexism, as she did with Cinderella and The Little Mermaid
DOES Keira Knightley’s Disney princess movie pass her feminist test? Does Mickey Mouse have big ears?
There was never any chance the actress would ban her three-year-old daughter from watching this family-friendly fantasy on the grounds of sexism, as she has done with Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.
In this live-action fairytale the teenage heroine Clara is a physics and engineering buff who discovers she is a princess in another world called the Four Realms.
Played with spirit by Mackenzie Foy, Clara is undoubtedly a welcome inspiration for young girls.
As with the story of The Nutcracker ballet, on which this is very loosely based, she must join forces with a nutcracker soldier to battle a mouse king on Christmas Eve.
Like the original tale there is a Sugar Plum Fairy (Knightley), the toymaker Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman) and Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren).
But there is no ballet and no handsome prince to sweep Clara off her feet. Keira will be pleased.
It’s perhaps understandable that Disney did everything possible to avoid any more accusations of political incorrectness.
They’ve certainly done that — and the Four Realms even includes The Land of Snowflakes. I kid you not.
There is little for snowflakes to complain about here, apart from Drosselmeyer rather patronisingly calling Clara a “clever girl.” Not that your kids will be thinking about any of the sexual politics when they watch The Nutcracker.
Instead they will be dazzled by a sumptuous, seasonal delight.
There is a gold-turreted palace powered by waterfalls and surrounded by snowy forests, while visual tricks bring the small number of dance scenes to life.
To freak the little ones out there are creepy clowns and a mouse king which is a monstrous jumble of thousands of little rodents.
However, it lacks the wicked characters that made Cinderella or The Little Mermaid such timeless treasures.
A truly great fairytale needs a touch of Grimm to counteract all the sweetness and light.
And the Nutcracker is coated with a touch too much sugar for it to be a Disney classic.
GRANT ROLLINGS
