‘Cinderella’ works her magic
Did Cinderella’s stepmother have a point? Is the blonde-haired, blue-eyed gal just a little too perfect? Nice hair and figure, lovely singing voice, can-do attitude, supertidy. She’s even on great terms with rodents. Alas, Lady Tremaine overcompensated, and it came back to bite her in “Cinderella,” the latest in our Disney Plus project, which reviews Disney’s animated films in the order they were released.
We all know how this is going to end, so it’s difficult to think of the Cinderella character as an underdog, despite her poor time-management skills and her inability to spot a local royal.
The basics: Cinderella’s mother dies, then her dad remarries ... and he dies. The stone-faced stepmother favors the two daughters she birthed, and they all load her up with mending and tending to the mansion. Meanwhile, a nearby king wants his son to marry and produce grandchildren. Since this is pre-eharmony, a royal ball is thrown.
Spoiler alert: She casts a spell on him, and they live happily ever after.
The legacy: “Cinderella” ranks among the most beloved of the Disney films. It kicks off the ’50s for Disney, paving the way for classics such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter Pan” and “Sleeping Beauty.”
The flashback: I was mesmerized by the dramatic staircase scenes and was tickled by the mice and their “Cinderelly” song as a child. A visual image that stuck: a stepsister cramming her foot into the glass slipper.
Adult art of animation appreciation:
Cinderella is scrubbing the floor, and we see her multiple reflections in soap bubbles whilst hearing her harmonize with herself on “Sing, Sweet Nightingale.” A more classically beautiful moment is when the glowing carriage rolls through town to the castle. Little touches to like include the various wallpaper styles, the score for “So This is Love,” which plays throughout the movie, on the conductor’s stand and the prince rolling his eyes at the stepsisters at the gala.
Parental guidance/kid stuff: The physical violence is limited in “Cinderella,” but bullying and mental abuse are presented (with ensuing disappointments).
What brought me back to reality:
Cinderella’s battling thoughts: “They can’t order me to stop dreaming” versus her subsequent “There’s nothing left to believe in.” Cue Fairy Godmother, who tells us “Even miracles take a little time.” Sigh.
Burning questions: Why doesn’t she just leave? According to the internet, the character is 19 years old. One Disney Plus extra explanation, presented as an alternate opening found in Disney’s archives, has Cinderella singing about all the orders and chores she must do. “What? Why don’t I run away?” she sings to her mouse friends. “Goodness me, I thought you knew. I haven’t time. Too much to do.”
As a child, I was unhappy with the notion of “if the shoe fits, you’re the princess.” No two girls in the kingdom wore the same size?
Meanwhile, back in Orlando: “Cinderella” first played in Orlando at the Beacham, the downtown theater where “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” played 12 years earlier. But, wait, there’s more math. There are 21 years between the premiere of “Cinderella” and the opening of Magic Kingdom theme park. That’s the same amount of time as between today and the premiere of “Tarzan.”
The theme-park angles: Cinderella Castle is the iconic structure of Magic Kingdom, and it houses Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant. Cinderella herself pops up in meet and greets, in parades, at character breakfasts and elsewhere. For special occasions, she has a sparkling carriage, which may be the Disneyest of all Disney things.
Up next: Get your Cheshire Cat grin on, it’s “Alice in Wonderland” (1951).