The story of Mathilda and Henry can be easily adapted to make a great romantic classic, but certain elements of the plot will have to be changed. History was not always romantic and family-friendly. We cannot have Henry abducting her from the monastery against her will; that won’t sell. The age difference is problematic as well from the standpoint of modern audiences. Her later life as a queen is also not of much use for a movie targeted at young children and teens; we need a tale of young, innocent romance just like all the other Disney classics, such as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Cinderella. But it is possible to tweak the facts of history to make a more pleasing story that will suit our needs. Sleeping Beauty, when you think about the plot, is very non-consensual, but the non-consensual elements can be glossed over by showing the couple as very in love, and downplaying the uncomfortable or strange aspects of the story.
The movie will open showing how Mathilda, as a child, was sent away to the boring monastery of Herford against her will. The abbess of the monastery, her grandmother, will be portrayed as a cruel, strict woman, and this will give Matilda a stronger motive to leave when Henry shows up to rescue her. In reality, Mathilda was sent there to receive an education and instruction in handicrafts--although she did not learn to read until after Henry’s death--as well as to protect her from men and preserve her chastity. In this aspect of the story, the movie can be true to history. The first twenty minutes of the film will cover her move to the monastery, her adjustment to the difficult life there, and her learning the various skills and knowledge that she would have needed, as well as leading a religious life. It will also show her feeling lonely and restless and dreaming of the outside world, especially of meeting a handsome man who will sweep her off her feet. This will set up the story so that when Henry comes to take her away, it is more of a rescue than an abduction. Matilda should have a cute animal friend, such as a squirrel, to whom she can sing longingly of the outside world, and about how all she wants is a man to complete her life. She will be portrayed as humble, beautiful, sweet, modest and generous--qualities which the Lives of Queen Mathilda attest to--and in terms of her looks, she will be very pale, like a lily, with blushing cheeks.
Thirty minutes into the film, Henry is introduced. In reality, she was fifteen years old and he was more than twice her age when they met and were married. That will not appeal to modern audiences. Ideally, since they are falling in love and getting married, they should both be about eighteen in the movie; he can be a year or two older. But their ages do not need to be explicitly mentioned.
As is described in the “Later Life” of Queen Mathilda, Henry hears that there is a beautiful girl of noble birth living at Herford and goes with his military retainers, disguised as common folk, to see her. They sneak into the chapel and see her sitting with a psalter in her hand, and see that she is honorable, virtuous and beautiful. He falls in love with her at first sight. In order to not make this interaction come off as stalking, Henry and Mathilda should meet and speak to each other here, so that their love is not so one-sided. She will introduce herself and ask him who he is and where he is from, and he will give a mysterious answer--he does not want to reveal his identity--but they will converse, flirt with each other, and establish the beginning of a relationship.
We have to get the audience to suspend disbelief that the two could meet, fall in love within the space of a day or two, and then elope together. It could be framed in a romantic way--they are star-crossed lovers who are meant to be together, soulmates. They should find something in common, so that their romance can be more believable. For example, they both feel lonely, and are looking for someone to confide in. Henry represents the exciting, different life that Mathilda longs for outside of the monastery. Here we can tweak the historical evidence that Henry’s father actually had married him off before, instead presenting the young man as resisting his father's matchmaking, with Mathilda the one he finally falls for. Thus, they both represent something the other has been looking for up until the moment they meet, which will make the love-at-first-sight trope more believable.
Furthermore, creating their chemistry together can be achieved through some romantic duets between the two, and a heart-to-heart conversation in the chapel. The duets, for example, do not have to take place when they are together--after Henry leaves the chapel, they both sing about each other, showing that they are thinking of each other and starting to fall in love. This can tie into previous themes of Mathilda wanting to leave the monastery and get married.
As is described in the Lives of Mathilda, Henry and his retinue return in royal garb and ask the abbess to bring out the maiden whom they had seen. This is when Mathilda discovers that Henry is a prince, and she is overjoyed because it means that, as a woman of noble birth, they would make a good match. According to the sources, Henry wanted to marry her right away, and early the next morning, unbeknownst to any of her relatives except her grandmother, she was taken away. We have no way of knowing if she consented--she probably did not--and so this part of the plot has to be changed. Mathilda and Henry must fall in love and both want to get married in the film. Instead of demanding that they marry right away, Henry will ask her in a private conversation if she wants to elope with him, and she will say yes. He will then ask her grandmother if he can marry her, and her grandmother will refuse, telling him that she cannot give Mathilda to him in marriage. Determined to be together anyway, the two will sneak out of the monastery. Their escape should happen a few days after they meet, at least, rather than the very next morning.
Add to the mix some funny sidekicks for Henry, catchy songs, and beautiful artwork, and the movie is a guaranteed success. Even if it does not adhere exactly to history, it should try to be historically accurate in terms of costume design, architecture, etc.. This will be a large part of its romantic appeal. It should have beautiful watercolor landscapes, and Mathilda should wear beautiful clothes from the period, especially at the end when she marries Henry. The movie will end with their journey to Wallhausen, where they have a marriage feast, a ball, and live happily ever after.
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