Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engaging, faith-based retelling of a classic princess tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
When Sara Crewe's (voiced by Anna Grace Stewart) soldier father delivers her to a well-regarded boarding school in England -- both to keep her safe and to provide her with a good education -- the little girl is sad but looking forward to her new adventure. She's lived the life of a princess in Africa, and, given her father's wealth and love, her future is bright. Sara's smile, kindness, and interest in everyone from the lowly to the charmed serve her well. But it isn't too long before Captain Crewe is killed and his fortune lost. Miss Minchin (Marin Miller), the snooty and greedy headmistress who's always found Sara's spirit threatening, is now overjoyed to send the young girl to live in the attic and be a servant to the others. Sara must now call upon all the resources at hand -- new friends, neighbors, and, most of all, her faith in God -- to overcome the misfortune that has followed her to her new home.
Is It Any Good?
Once again the VeggieTales folks have updated a classic with bright characters, wit, delightful music, and the standard fidelity to positive values and religious fundamentals. Sara Crewe and the entourage she meets in England -- which include some hilarious Frenchmen and an endearing Cockney-voiced servant girl -- make the messages in VEGGIETALES: THE PENNILESS PRINCESS go down easily. Girls especially will warm to this little princess.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the other girls in Miss Minchin's school learned from Sara. Do you think kids learn about behavior (both good and bad) from watching movies or television?
VeggieTales: The Penniless Princess often talks about being a "servant on the outside" and a "princess on the inside." What qualities, other than royalty and wealth, make someone a "princess on the inside"?
Many children's movies deal with orphans or kids who've lost a parent. Why do you think writers use this device? How does it add to the stories they tell?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2012
- Cast : Anna Grace Stewart , Mike Nawrocki , Phil Vischer
- Director : Brian K. Roberts
- Studio : Big Idea
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Fairy Tales ) , Friendship
- Run time : 48 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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