Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Anjelica Huston: Rodmilla

Photos 

9 more photos

Quotes 

• Danielle : I want you to know that I will forget you after this moment, and never think of you again. But you, I am quite certain, will think about me every single day for the rest of your life.

  Rodmilla : And how long might that be?

  Danielle : All I ask, Your Majesties... is that you show her the same courtesy that she has bestowed upon me.

• King Francis : Baroness. Did you or did you not lie to Her Majesty, the Queen of France?

  [Rodmila is confused when asked about her lie about Danielle.] 

  Queen Marie : Choose your words wisely, madame, for they may be your last.

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : [nervously]  A woman would do practically anything for the love of a daughter, Your Majesties.

  [Francis refuses to believe her.] 

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Perhaps I did get a little carried away.

  Marguerite : Mother, what have you done? Your Majesty, like you, I am just a victim here. She has lied to us both, and I am ashamed to call her family!

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : [pushes Marguerite]  How dare you turn on me, you little ingrate?

  Marguerite : You see? You see what I have to put up with?

  King Francis : [bangs his staff]  Silence, both of you! Good Lord! Are they always like this?

  Jacqueline : Worse, Your Majesty.

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Jacqueline, *darling*, I'd hate to think you had anything to do with this.

  Jacqueline : [pointedly]  'Course not, Mother. I'm only here for the food.

• Rodmilla : I have it on good authority that before your rather embarrassing debut, the prince was about to choose Marguerite to be his bride. Men are so fickle aren't they? One minute, they're sprouting sonnet and the next you're back to being the hired help.

  [Danielle finishes garden work.] 

  Rodmilla : I must say, I've never seen you quite this dedicated in your chores.

  Danielle : What makes you think I do any of this for you?

  Rodmilla : Well, my, my, my. Aren't we feisty this morning?

  Danielle : Let me pass.

  Rodmilla : You've brought this on yourself you know.

  Danielle : I have work to do.

  Rodmilla : Let the others handle it.

  Danielle : Don't you understand? You've won. Go. Move into your palace and leave us be.

  Rodmilla : You are not my problem anymore.

  Danielle : Is that what I am, your problem? I have done everything you've asked me to do and still you deny me the only thing I ever wanted!

  Rodmilla : And what was that?

  Danielle : What do you think? You are the only mother I have ever known. Was there ever a time, even in its smallest measurement, that you loved me at all?

  Rodmilla : How can anyone love a pebble in their shoe?

• Rodmilla : Of all the insidious jokes, turning your mother into a Countess. Why it's almost as absurd as a prince who spends his days with a peasant who sleeps with pigs.

  Danielle : What bothers you more, stepmother? That I am common, or that I am competition?

  Rodmilla : [takes Danielle's courtier dress]  Where's the dress, Danielle?

  Danielle : I don't know what you're talking about.

  Marguerite : The gown, the slippers. They were in my room this morning and now they're gone. You hid them I know it.

  Rodmilla : Where did you put the gown, Danielle?

  Danielle : Where are the candlesticks and the tapestries and the silver? Perhaps the dress is with them.

  Rodmilla : You produce the gown?

  Danielle : I would rather die a thousand deaths than to see my mother's dress on that spoiled, selfish cow.

  Rodmilla : Well, perhaps we can arrange that.

• Jacqueline : I wanted to be the peacock!

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Honestly, Jacqueline, the horse is one of God's noblest creatures.

  Jacqueline : [sarcastically]  Oh, well why don't I just pull the carriage while I'm at it?

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : If you think it will get us there any faster...

• Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : [shoves Danielle into the pantry]  Get in there.

  [Rodmilla locks the door.] 

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : [to Paulette, Maurice and Louise]  Open this door, and you'll wish you never set foot in this house. Marguerite, Jacqueline, gather everything that will fetch a price. We're going to town first thing in the morning.

  Jacqueline : Mother, it's only a ball.

  Jacqueline : Yes, and you're only going for the food.

• Rodmilla : [after the laundry supervisor points out the work]  Marguerite.

  Marguerite : What?

  Rodmilla : Well, you heard the woman.

  Marguerite : So did you.

  Rodmilla : Yes, but I'm management.

  Marguerite : Like hell you are! You're just the same as me, a big NOBODY!

  Rodmilla : How dare you speak to me that way? I'm of noble blood!

  Laundry Supervisor : And you are getting on my nerves.

  [the supervisor knocks both of them into a vat of purple dye with a pillow while laundry servants start laughing at them.] 

  Laundry Supervisor : [chuckles briefly]  Now get to work.

• Queen Marie : Oh, I'm so sorry my son can't join us. But he seems to have disappeared again.

  Rodmilla : Again?

  Queen Marie : Yes. He was gone all day yesterday and did not return until dawn.

  [Rodmilla realizes Danielle was out with Henry] 

  Rodmilla : Well. It must be marvelous to have that kind of stamina.

  Queen Marie : Perhaps you could solve a mystery for me. Do you know the Comtesse de Lancret? Apparently she's staying with a cousin, but nobody seems to know who.

  [Rodmilla and Margureite suspect Marie's question] 

  Rodmilla : Nicole de Lancret?

  Queen Marie : Yes. Oh, how wonderful. I was beginning to think she was a ghost.

  [All three women laugh] 

  Rodmilla : No. I'm an afraid she's been around for years. Yes. And um... staying with us, as a matter of fact. Isn't that right, darling?

  Marguerite : Yes. Of course. Our cousin.

  [Marie chuckles] 

  Rodmilla : Whom you like to call Cinderella.

  [Marguerite gets up from her seat throws a brief hissy fit after Rodmilla figured out that Nicole is Danielle] 

  Queen Marie : Good heavens, child. Are you all right?

  Marguerite : There was a bee.

• Maurice : I-I have worked off your...

  [Rodmilla gives Maurice a stern look.] 

  Maurice : My debt, madame. They told me I could go home.

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Fine. Go catch a chicken.

• Marguerite : I said I wanted four-minute eggs. Not four one-minute eggs, and where in GOD'S NAME is our bread?

  Louise : [takes Marguerite's eggs]  It's just coming out of the oven, my lady.

  Rodmilla : Marguerite, precious. What do I always say about the tone?

  Jacqueline : A lady of breeding ought never to raise her voice any louder than the gentle hum of a whisper in the wind.

  Rodmilla : Jacqueline, dear, do not speak unless you can improve the silence.

  Marguerite : I was not shrill, I was resonant. A courtier knows the difference.

  Rodmilla : I very much doubt your style of resonance would be permitted in the royal court.

  Marguerite : I'm not going to the Royal Court, am I, mother? No one is, except some Spanish pig they have the nerve to call a princess.

  Rodmilla : Darling, nothing is final until you're dead. Even then, I'm sure God negotiates.

  [Rodmilla and Jacqueline continue eating their eggs] 

  Rodmilla : Why is there no salt on this table? Danielle?

• Danielle : [after Danielle sees Rodmilla, Marguerite and Jacqueline examining Nicole's wedding dress and shoes]  Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence.

  Danielle : What do you think you're doing?

  Marguerite : Trying on my dress.

  Rodmilla : Do you honestly think that after that performance this morning I'd let you go anywhere?

  Danielle : [appalled]  Do you honestly think these games, these intrigues are going to win you a crown?

  [Jacqueline puts the slippers down.] 

  Danielle : To hunt royalty like some sport, it's disgusting!

  Marguerite : You're just jealous.

  Danielle : [takes the slippers]  These are my mother's.

  Marguerite : Yes, and she's dead.

• Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Jacqueline, go and boil some water.

  Jacqueline : Me? Boil water?... Oh I knew it! I just knew it!

• Jacqueline : Marguerite gets to do everything.

  Marguerite : Oh, don't be daft, Jacqueline, the Queen doesn't even know you exist.

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : What Marguerite does is for all of us, my dear. We are counting on you to help her get ready.

  Jacqueline : Lovely. Next thing you know I shall be cleaning the fireplace with Danielle.

  Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent : Where is that girl?

  Marguerite : Probably off catching rabbits with her teeth.

• Marguerite : [to Danielle]  Someone's been reading in the fireplace again. Look at you. Ash and soot everywhere.

  Rodmilla : Some people read because they cannot think for themselves.

  Marguerite : Why don't you sleep with the pigs, Cindersoot, if you insist on smelling like one.

• Jacqueline : How was I to nearly come flying out the side door? He was suppose to be getting married.

  Marguerite : I heard the prince talked to you. What did he say?

  Jacqueline : Well, I can't be sure. It all happened so quickly. But I think what he said was, "Serves me right for choosing a foreigner over your... sister."

  [Rodmilla and Marguerite giggle.] 

  Rodmilla : Well, very good. Perhaps we should just let him fret about it for a few days.

• Jacqueline : This one is too small

  Rodmilla : Well, we shall just have to get you a tighter cinch.

  Jacqueline : I cannot breathe as it is.

  Rodmilla : If one cannot breathe, one cannot eat.

• Rodmilla : [caressing the Royal Page with her fingers]  A skin of such elegance concealing such... ruthlessness.

  [Rodmilla pinches the Royal Page's nose] 

  Rodmilla : I've grown rather fond of our intrigues together. Surely you must know that.

  Royal Page : I'm having an inkling, my lady.

  Rodmilla : [about Marguerite]  When my daughter is queen, perhaps we might come to a new arrangement.