Cinderella

Rating: 8/10 (11 July 2005)

I had not seen this Disney classic cartoon based on the famous fairytale for several years, I probably only saw it a couple of times as a child, so when it was finally broadcast on terrestrial television I was not going to miss the opportunity to get a proper opinion at last. Basically in a small kingdom young Cinderella was the beloved child of a widowed aristocrat, the father married Lady Tremaine (Eleanor Audley) for a mother's care, she has two daughters, Drizella and Anastasia, from a previous marriage, Cinderella's father dies and Lady Tremaine reveals her true colours as a cold and cruel woman, she and her daughters take over the estate and reduce Cinderella to becoming a scullery maid in her own home. Cinderella (Ilene Woods) despite her mistreatment becomes a kind and gentle young woman, befriending animals who live around the château, including the mice and birds, but she cannot escape the ruling of strict Tremaine and ugly sisters Drizella (Rhoda Williams) and Anastasia (Lucille Bliss). Meanwhile at the royal palace, the King (Luis Van Rooten) and Grand Duke (also Van Rooten) organise a ball in an effort for the Prince Charming (William Phipps) a wife, word is spread that "every eligible maiden" is to attend, Cinderella wishes to attend, Lady Tremaine agrees she can, provided she finishes her chores and finds a nice dress. While Cinderella is called for more chores and work by the stepmother and stepsisters, her animal friends, led by Jaques (James MacDonald), Gus (also MacDonald) and the other mice, work together to fix a gown that belonged to Cinderella's mother, avoiding Lady Tremaine's wicked cat Lucifer (June Foray) they also manage to beads and a sash thrown out by the stepsisters. Cinderella is delighted by her new gown and comes down to attend the ball, but Lady Tremaine makes sure Drizella and Anastacsia destroy the dress, pointing out the apparent theft of the beads and sash, just as Cinderella is about to give up on hope her Fairy Godmother (Verna Felton) appears, using her magic wand to transform a pumpkin into a carriage, the mice into horses, her horse into a coachman, and dog Bruno (MacDonald) into a footman, and finally creating a new ball gown, with glass slippers. Cinderella is warned that at the stroke of midnight the spell will be broken and everything will return as it was before, at the ball Prince Charming rejects every girl, then he spots Cinderella in the distance, the two meet, fall deeply in love and dance alone throughout the castle grounds, then the clock starts to chime midnight, so Cinderella flees, dropping one of her glass slippers, away from the palace her gown turns back into rags, the mice point out one glass slipper is still on her foot. The Duke tells the King of the Prince meeting the unknown girl, the King is angered by her getting away, but the Duke calms him down telling of the glass slipper and that the Prince will marry the girl who fits the slipper, so the next morning a search begins to every house to find the girl whose foot fits the slipper, this news reaches Cinderella's household, the stepmother and stepsisters prepare for the arrival, and hearing Cinderella dreamingly humming at the news Lady Tremaine realises she is the girl dancing with the Prince, so she locks her in the attic. While the Duke arrives and Drizella and Anastasia try unsuccessfully with their large feet to fit the glass slipper, Jaq and Gus steal the key, Lucifer ambushes them, but Bruno chases him out of the window and Cinderella is freed, the Duke prepares to leave but Cinderella appears and requests to try on the slipper, but Lady Tremaine trips the footman causing the slipper to shatter on the floor. But then Cinderella produces the other glass slipper, to Lady Tremaine's horror, the delighted Duke slides the slipper onto her foot, fitting perfectly, in the end Cinderella and Prince Charming celebrate their wedding and live happily ever after. I was so happy that I was able to watch this again, I had forgotten so many moments in it, only remembering the obvious bits, the leading female character is lovely, her mouse and other animal friends are likable, the evil stepmother is sadistically sinister and the stepsisters are suitably irritating, the songs are delightful, the animation is fantastic, it will just make the family watching feel all warm inside, a terrific animated musical fantasy. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Song for "Bibbidy-Bobbidi-Boo", Best Music and Best Sound. It was number 53 on The 100 Greatest Musicals, and it was number 98 on The Ultimate Film. Very good!