Monarch =/= tyrant–at least in the world of fairy tales. I like to think that princesses like Belle (who’d come from a not-so-high class and may have known what it was like to struggle), Tiana (also came from poverty and had to work hard to try and achieve her dream), and Cinderella (treated as a servant and only a little higher than the household animals when she’d been born and educated as a gentleman’s daughter) would go out of their way to make sure everyone in their realm had a good life and that conditions for the poor/working classes were improved…because they knew what it was like.
And as for the Corpse Bride…I think it was made clear that Victor fell for Victoria as soon as he met her (and played a duet with her). He even told her that he’d been apprehensive, but as soon as he met her he felt their wedding couldn’t come fast enough. He only agreed to go ahead with the marriage to Emily once he figured Victoria was lost to him…and it didn’t seem to me that he was ever really in love with Emily, just that he figured he could accommodate her and make her (after)life a little better for her as long as he couldn’t have Victoria.
One can hope, I suppose. But then some of the most ardent opponents of expanding the social safety net and eliminating government programs in favor of private enterprise are those who worked their way up from humble circumstances, but then become blind to all the lucky strikes and even the occasional helping hand (eg: fairy godmother) they had along the way that allowed their merits to shine through even as other people, no less deserving than themselves, were ground into the dirt around them.
Alice’s Restaurant: Ostensible happiness: Arlo finally beats the draft. Alice and Ray, after marital troubles, are reconciling and renewing their vows in a second wedding.
Reality: The draft board sent Arlo’s fingerprints to Washington (COINTELPRO). Ray is still a crude oaf and his marriage with Alice is still doomed. Their whole community is about to start breaking up.
The glum ending with its long shot of Alice standing alone says all there is to say.
Along the same lines the ending of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace only seems like a happy ending. Sure The Trade Federation is defeated and Naboo is free but [SIZE=“3”]JAR JAR BINKS STILL LIVES!!![/SIZE]