Un Natale regale

Hallmark does seem to do a nice line in "I'm dating an actual Prince/King" films, and this is an example.

It's not my favourite sort of Hallmark film, but Lacey Chabert as ever manages to make it work (just about), as her character stays true to herself amongst all the royal pomp and ex Bond girl Jane Seymour's character hissing in the background.

Good fun overall.

Hallmark seems fascinated with the whole Prince falls madly in love with unsuitable American girl. Or vice versa. This one is perhaps my favorite. The couple meet and the whole Royal Family thing doesn't really enter into their relationship. Until, Prince has to go home for coronation. Naturally he brings his girlfriend with him.

Jane Seymour is a great actress. Why do they always put her in movies where she has to act like a total bi_ch? We all know the family is going to disapprove. We also know that the Prince will get his girl in the end, otherwise, what's the point?

Anyway, Lacey Chabert is, as always, bubbly, effervescent, charming. She charms all the staff at the palace. There is, per usual, the "royal" who wants to marry the prince and causes trouble.

But overall, a charming movie. Worth having in your top 10 list.

I love Hallmark Christmas movies, and I especially liked this one. It seemed a little too short, though. I noticed one of the other reviewers said that Disney should take lessons from Hallmark--guess what? Disney owns Hallmark and ABC FAMILY. Just different target audiences. But back to the movie... I liked all the actors, but it would have been nice to see Emily,s dad and her friend a little bit more. The castle and clothes were beautiful. The only thing that I found hard to believe was the village scene where nuns are selling things to raise money for an orphanage. If they are supposed to be near France (an industrialized country), why does the village look like it's set in the 1600s? Whenever an American movie has a scene in another country it always looks like something from "A Tale of Two Cities." Yes, I know, that was around 1812. Still, I really liked the movie. I watch Christmas stuff all year long. Just could have been longer. I recommend this film!

I enjoyed this Hallmark movie. The formula works - a girl falls in love with guy who turns out to be a prince. They travel to his European kingdom where she doesn't quite seem suitable enough a match.

The lead actors are watchable enough. Lacey Chabert isn't stunningly beautiful but she is likable and isn't annoying. Jane Seymour acts well as the disapproving queen. She is still very slim. It's refreshing to see an actress not having undergone plastic surgery, unlike some actresses of her age. Her real life daughter Katie Flynn has a role here. The prince's accent sounds a bit un royal at times.

One fault: The costumes are a bit cheap looking even taking into account it's a TV movie and not a big budget feature like "The Princess Diaries".

Worth one watch.

I liked this despite myself, it was just so horribly addictive even though you knew exactly what was going to happen about 5 minutes in, right down to the little orphan girl and the Queens first love. This has a fairy tale (Cinderella or Pretty Woman) like quality to it which I guess we all secretly covet or at least Hallmark thinks we do.

Here a prince posing as a common (college student) must reveal the truth about his royal lineage to his girlfriend -a seamstress from Philadelphia- who then must try to impress Leopold's mother, Queen Isadora when the couple travel to the castle (in the made up land of Cordinia) to spend the holidays with his family.

I did enjoy Stephen Hagon who played the Prince, just a nice guy and his love interest (Lacy Chabert) was okay too, a bit too perky maybe. Jane Seymour was actually very good here, she gave me several laughs with her sneering, cold, bitchiness.

There are some fun 'Upstairs Downstairs' or 'Downton Abby' moments as "Emily" bonds with the castle staff and I suppose this couple is meant to resemble William and Kate to further pull us into the fantasy. Regardless, I enjoyed this is a very simple sort of way. 12/16/14