An unusually brave mouse helps to restore happiness to a forlorn kingdom after making friends with a gentleman rat.An unusually brave mouse helps to restore happiness to a forlorn kingdom after making friends with a gentleman rat.An unusually brave mouse helps to restore happiness to a forlorn kingdom after making friends with a gentleman rat.
- Awards
- 1 win & 8 nominations
Matthew Broderick
- Despereaux
- (voice)
Emma Watson
- Princess Pea
- (voice)
Dustin Hoffman
- Roscuro
- (voice)
Tracey Ullman
- Miggery Sow
- (voice)
Kevin Kline
- Andre
- (voice)
William H. Macy
- Lester
- (voice)
Stanley Tucci
- Boldo
- (voice)
Ciarán Hinds
- Botticelli
- (voice)
Robbie Coltrane
- Gregory
- (voice)
Frances Conroy
- Antoinette
- (voice)
Frank Langella
- Mayor
- (voice)
Richard Jenkins
- Principal
- (voice)
Christopher Lloyd
- Hovis
- (voice)
Charles Shaughnessy
- Pietro
- (voice)
Sigourney Weaver
- Narrator
- (voice)
Patricia Cullen
- Queen
- (voice)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor the scene in which Andre and Boldo threw things at each other, Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci threw things at each other, reading the lines and improvising them based on what transpires in the scene. While they acted the scene out, a cameraman was walking around filming the action. Producer Gary Ross wanted to have them act it out entirely. They tried a variety of different things, different degrees of insanity and intensity.
- GoofsWhen Despereaux is about to be dropped into the rat dungeon, he has red string wrapped around his waist. The camera cuts away to show the dungeon, and when it comes back to see Despereaux, the red string is missing for one shot. When the camera shows him again before being dropped, the string reappears properly.
- Crazy creditsThe end credits are depicted as a long, unrolled scroll, formerly used as a several sets of recipes and instructions on food care.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Troldspejlet: Episode #40.2 (2009)
- SoundtracksSoup
(uncredited)
Written & Performed by Glen Ballard, Gary Ross and David A. Stewart
Arranged by William Ross
Produced by Glen Ballard and David A. Stewart
Published by UPG Music Publishing (BMI) and Universal Pictures Music (ASCAP)
[Deleted song]
Featured review
An Underrated Classic
I just saw this movie again, and stand by my original assessment of it. It's an underrated classic, with far more depth than most family movies. On the one hand it's more simplistic than, say, a Pixar film. It's more of a fairy tale like The Little Prince. And while I don't care for the character designs too much (though they do have an artistic charm to them), from a writing standpoint I would put Despereaux on par with the best Pixar films, maybe more so.
Most of the main characters are seriously damaged, yet believably human (even the rodents). The way some characters fall from grace is more believable than anything Lucas came up with in Star Wars III.
If it has a failing it's with some of the secondary characters, such as the Soup Maker's assistant (made up of vegetables) which just didn't really seem necessary.
But the themes of anger, regret, sadness, depression, and the power of forgiveness makes this a movie I feel more children should be exposed to. It's a very much a children's movie, but deals very much with adult themes.
Most of the main characters are seriously damaged, yet believably human (even the rodents). The way some characters fall from grace is more believable than anything Lucas came up with in Star Wars III.
If it has a failing it's with some of the secondary characters, such as the Soup Maker's assistant (made up of vegetables) which just didn't really seem necessary.
But the themes of anger, regret, sadness, depression, and the power of forgiveness makes this a movie I feel more children should be exposed to. It's a very much a children's movie, but deals very much with adult themes.
helpful•102
- mossfoot
- Apr 26, 2010
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $50,877,145
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,103,675
- Dec 21, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $86,957,280
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
- 2.39 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Tale of Despereaux (2008) officially released in India in English?
Answer