A Little Princess (1995 film)

A Little Princess is a 1995 drama film directed by Alfonso Cuarn and starring Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham in a dual role, and introducing Liesel Matthews as Sara Crewe with supporting roles done by Vanessa Lee Chester, Rusty Schwimmer, Arthur Malet, and Errol Sitahal. Set during World War I, it focuses on a young girl who is relegated to a life of servitude in a New York City boarding school by the headmistress after receiving news that her father was killed in combat. Loosely based upon the novel A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this adaptation was heavily influenced by the 1939 cinematic version and takes creative liberties with the original story.

Sara Crewe Liesel Matthews is the kind, caring daughter of Captain Crewe Liam Cunningham, a wealthy British aristocrat living in India. Saras mother died when she was very young and she has to leave her beloved childhood home and friends when her father volunteers to fight for the British as an officer in World War I. He enrolls her at Miss Minchins Seminary for Girls in New York, and instructs the headmistress Miss Minchin Eleanor Bron to spare no expense making sure his daughter will be comfortable while he is gone. He has reserved her the schools largest suite, and gives Sara a speciallymade French doll named Emily telling her that if she wants to talk to him, just speak to Emily and he will hear it. Though she finds the strict rules and harsh attitude of the headmistress stifling, Sara quickly becomes popular among the girls, including the AfricanAmerican scullery maid Becky Vanessa Lee Chester, for her kindness and strong sense of imagination. She writes constant letters to her father, which are a great source of happiness for him on the battlefields of Europe.Due to a body being misidentified, Captain Crewe is declared dead when he is actually seriously injured and suffering from amnesia and the British government seizes his company and assets. When Miss Minchin hears the news, she is in the middle of throwing Sara a very lavish and expensive birthday party, hoping to extort more money from her father. When Crewes solicitor arrives and tells her there will be no more money, Miss Minchin is furious. Since Sara is now penniless and has no known relatives, Miss Minchin decides to move her into the attic with Becky to work as a servant where she will report to Mabel Peggy Miley at 500 AM. ........

Source: Wikipedia