Into the Woods is a 2014 musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall, based on the 1987 Broadway musical of the same name by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The film blends elements of classic fairy tales—such as those of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel—into a complex, intertwining narrative, and explores the consequences of wishing for one’s dreams to come true.
The movie follows a series of familiar fairy-tale characters, each of whom is seeking something they desperately desire. The film opens in a forest (the “woods” of the title), where the paths of these characters converge and intertwine.
The Baker and His Wife: A couple who are desperate to have a child, but are cursed by a witch. The curse was placed on the Baker’s family because his father stole from the witch’s garden. The couple’s only hope to break the curse is to collect four magical items: a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. They embark on a journey into the woods to retrieve these items.
Cinderella: The classic character who dreams of going to the ball and escaping her life of servitude to her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. She wishes for a better life, and with the help of a magical intervention (in this case, a fairy godmother), her dream is realized.
Little Red Riding Hood: The innocent girl who ventures into the woods to visit her grandmother and is warned to be cautious of the Big Bad Wolf. In the film, Little Red is depicted as more independent and resourceful than in the traditional story, and her interactions with the Wolf are more complex.
Jack: A poor boy who sells his cow (the white cow) for magic beans, which grow into a giant beanstalk that leads him to the land of giants. Jack’s story is about his desire to better his family’s situation and escape poverty.
Rapunzel: A princess who is locked away in a tower by the witch, who raised her after the girl was taken from her parents. Rapunzel’s hair is the key to breaking the witch’s curse, and she longs to escape her isolation.
