I like Jack and his beanstalk. I think it’s funny that if you are rich in a fairy tale, no matter how you got rich, you can easily marry a princess and live happily ever after. In the book from my childhood, Jack is a bit greedy and keeps going back after initially sealing a bag of gold from the giant. He and his temperamental mother squander the gold, so he climbs back up the stalk and steals a golden egg laying goose. Still not satisfied, he swipes a singing harp. The harp gives him away and he is chased down the stalk by the giant. Chopping down the bean stalk puts an end to the fee-fi-fo-fumming big guy.

Rich and happy with the outcome, Jack secures the love of a princess. Of course!

I like the Brian Singer version better. Jack is much more likeable and of course there’s Ewan McGregor. Jack and Isabella are already enamored with each other before Jack’s heroic acts. So that’s nice. Did I mention Ewan McGregor? Stanley Tucci is a splendid villain. Everyone wants to marry the princess. And there’s Ewan McGregor! You can’t really go wrong.