IF THE SHOE FITS

US, 1991, 92 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Grey, Rob Lowe, Andrea Ferreol.
Directed by Tom Clegg.

If the Shoe Fits is a little-known Rob Lowe vehicle. He teams with Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Gray. The film, made in France with fashion-centred Parisian settings, is a variation on the Cinderella story. It draws attention to this parallel in the screenplay. Jennifer Gray portrays Kelly, a shoe designer, mousey and bespectacled, wanting to work with top designer Francesco Salvatore (Rob Lowe, sometimes wooden, playing Prince Charming in a rather mannered way). Andrea Ferreol appears as an eccentric woman, lost in Paris with a literally magic touch, who transforms Kelly into Prudence, the belle of the ball and the model for the Salvatore line. There is some comedy as Kelly and her friend Veronique keep changing Kelly into Prudence and vice versa. The film has a very light touch - and offers a great deal of fashion and design for those who enjoy this.

1. Entertaining update of a fairy tale? The parallels and adaptation?

2. The Parisian settings, the city and the river, the fashion centres? Fashion and design? The musical score?

3. Francesco and his ego, his vanity, the fashion show and his taking credit? His disdain of people? The yes-men and women around him? The bad reviews and his reaction? Dismissing people? The search for the perfect woman? The chance encounter with the fairy godmother and his listening to her advice, following it, throwing the party, looking at people in a different way? The attraction to Prudence, dancing with her? Her resisting his advances? The interview with Kelly in searching for Prudence? His decision to employ her? Their working together, her telling him the truth? His attraction to her? The reliance on Prudence? The new designs, the shoes? His finally having to make a choice, Kelly confronting him, Prudence refusing to wear the shoes? His decision and search for Kelly? His change of heart?

4. Kelly, her shoe designs? Her plainness and mousiness? The disdain of the two roommates (ugly sisters)? Helping the models with their clothes, ignored by Francesco? The chance encounter with the fairy godmother, her kindness to her, the meetings, the magic shoe? The failure of the line and her fail? The dress from Veronique? The shoe and her transformation? At the dance, Prudence, attracted to Francesco? Resisting him? Discovering with Veronique how the magic happened? Transformations? As Kelly, meeting Francesco, the contract for Prudence, designing the shoes? The collage of the advice, her telling the truth to Francesco, their working together? The outing with him - and his being a gentleman? The confrontation, Kelly challenging Francesco, Prudence refusing to wear the shoes? His coming to find Kelly - and the happy ending? The fairy godmother?

5. The fairy godmother, her glasses, clothes, getting lost, searching through Paris, people ignoring her, Kelly helping her? The meeting with Francesco and giving him advice? Her being present at the happy ending - and thanking them for helping her on her mission?

6. Veronique, friendship with Kelly, working with her, the dress, the contract, helping her to transform?

7. The two roommates, their vanity, work as models, disdain of Kelly? Trying to impress Francesco?

8. Francesco and his entourage, their advice? His assistant and her snobbishness? Their saying things only to please him?

9. The world of fashion, design? An appropriate setting for a modern fairy tale?