Eloise at the Plaza (2003)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Better Late Then Never

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Once again Hollywood and the new "Disney" have ruined another classic. The beauty of Eloise was her innocence and ability to creatively entertain herself living sans parents at The Plaza under the sometimes watchful eye of her Nanny and the hotel's staff.Apparently the more obnoxious the better, after all she is now a role model for millions of spoiled little brats living dysfunctional lives with their disinterested parents.The original version of the book that became the basis for this horrible movie was intentionally withheld by Kay Thompson back in the early '60s because she felt that "Eloise" was also for a adults. This movie "Eloise" is more akin to the Hilton sisters type of behavior.Mr. Salomone in real life was a class act and a handsome gentleman, not the bald headed neurotic ass portrayed in this take.Maybe at some point, the real "Eloise" be portrayed in another version, one that will have the charm that these characters deserve.

Great movie, great actors! I saw it because of Julie Andrews, whom I'm adore very much, and during the film and laughed very much because of the way it was played, because of the girl who plays Eloise. Julie Andrws as the confused and old governess (If you have seen TSOM, you will see the big difference), who tries to take care of little Eloise on six years.. Eloise knows everything, also the things she's not suppose to know. There is going to be a ball on The Plaza, where the King, and prince (from China or Japan..?) are invited. Little Eloise finds out, but in this case she must not know it (Too late.. ;)) Dirty things are happening on the Hotel, the receptionist is very awful, because she seek lonely girls, this is an intertwined story, which is very funny because one of the main characters gets involved. From here it can't been any better. The whole story is just hilarious. I'll recommend it to all who love Julie and want to see something very funny, because t's one of the funniest movies i've seen (Besides V/V). See it.. Specially Julie fans :) I give it ten out of ten.

The actress who plays Eloise cannot be only 6, but is just wonderful. She is assertive and good-hearted without being either bratty or cloying. Julie Andrews is a great lady who allows herself to look plain, but still manages to be captivating. I watched it because I loved the book as a child, but found it entertaining for adults as well. I'm looking forward to the next, at Christmastime.

A prince is coming to The Plaza Hotel in New York City, and of course everything has to be perfect or the hotel could lose its five-star rating. Two possible complications: a debutante ball, which must also be done exactly right. And then there is the problem that neurotic manager Mr. Salomone identifies by holding his hand about four feet off the floor, as if to indicate the height of a six-year-old child.Eloise is a spoiled but likeable rich kid who lives in The Plaza with her nurse Nanny. We never find out about her father, and her mother is away in Paris for several days. It is all Nanny can do to keep Eloise under control. The poor woman has little success in her effort. Eloise is so spoiled that when she calls room service, a special red phone rings. The hotel gets numerous complaints about the adorable tyke's behavior, but to Salomone's dismay, not much can be done.Eloise wants to go to the debutante ball, and of course Salomone absolutely must keep her from finding out about the prince (which, naturally, she does) or she will wreck everything. She falls for a nine-year-old boy in a colorful boarding-school uniform and asks the boy (who calls himself Leon) to help her find the prince. Both children manage to wreak havoc throughout the hotel, and later they go out and have fun in the city. Nanny is frantic when she can't find the girl, as are the people who are responsible for Leon.Meanwhile, Mrs. Daniels, the mother of one of the debutantes, wants her daughter to marry a rich boy, but Molly has her eye on Eloise's tutor Philip. Nanny also has a potential suitor, but Mrs. Daniels is interested in the man.Eloise has the ability to cause mayhem, but she could have a real future in solving problems, because she is also a natural at fixing things when she has to.Sofia Vassilieva must surely have been older than six. No child that age could be that talented. She is very funny and so easy to like in spite of her behavior. And she even shows herself to be more than a brat when Leon explains how much he misses his late mother. Julie Andrews does a good job but won't make anyone forget Mary Poppins or Maria von Trapp. Jeffrey Tambor is perfect for the harried hotel manager.The year is never mentioned, but I wondered why everyone used dial telephones (I like them and just thought they were a nice touch) or why Molly couldn't simply wear contact lenses (her mother kept asking her to remove her glasses). When the children traveled the city, I noticed a lot of nice cars from the 50s, though if you look closely there are some modern-looking cars on screen for about a second, while a stretch limo in one scene is obviously from the 70s or later.This was a wonderful movie for the whole family.Possible SPOILERS: The actor playing the prince also does a fine job, especially when he is reunited with his son (whose name is NOT Leon, in case you hadn't figured that out). Christine Baranski has an all-too-brief but well-done cameo near the end as the new event coordinator and victim of one of Eloise's pranks. (What would happen if water was dumped in the mail chute--Especially if someone downstairs was mailing a letter at the time?)One gag I particularly liked: the housekeeping supervisor demanded that the prince's sheets, made of the whitest cotton available, be hand washed. The employee ignored her and threw the sheets in the washer, where Eloise had disposed of Leon's bright red school jacket and cap because she didn't like them.