Product: The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 4.0
A different slant to an old story...
The story of Cinderella has had numerous dramatic incarnations over the years, probably the best known being the 1950 Disney version, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein TV adaptation from 1957 (and 1965 and 1997). The story is timeless in its appeal, and in its variations ("My Fair Lady" is the same story with Henry Higgins functioning both as Fairy Godmother and the Prince...). But perhaps the most intriguing, and undoubtedly most physically beautiful, telling of Cinderella is in the 1975 British film "The Slipper and the Rose". Adapted for the screen with genuine affection as well as patience and care, this original film musical was released to unresponsive audiences in the US during the fall-out period that came after the age of reserved seat musical extravaganzas. Cut by about 20 minutes after its US premiere at Radio City Msuic Hall, the movie played listless engagements before seemingly disappearing from the face of the earth. Now all that has changed with Image's beautiful new DVD release - Panavision, 5.1 digital stereo, lots of extras, and best of all, it's full length of 143 minutes.What makes the film so intriguing, aside from its stunning visual beauty (locations shot in Austria), is the very dark slant to the fairy tale that's given here. The Prince refuses to marry just anyone, he wants to marry for love; the King needs a political marriage for his son to stave off the prospect of war. Not only that, but the search for the mystery girl who rushes from the "bride finding ball" at midnight (and leaves behind one sparkling slipper) is unfruitful. When the Prince and his beloved are finally reunited, politics rears its ugly head once more, and Cinderella is put in exile while the Prince is betrothed to a Teutonic maiden (in a really ghastly wedding headdress). All ends happily, yes, but this is definitely a much more sophisiticated slant to the traditional way the story usually plays out.Sprinkled in along the way is a generic score by the Sherman brothers (of Disney fame and fortune), some truly uninspired choreography, and a raft of fine supporting character actors. Richard Chamberlin is surprisingly effective as the Prince (he has a genuine singing voice, by the way), and Gemma Craven (who?) does very well as the heroine. Some parts of it are enchanting, and others are so maddeningly attenuated that you want to scream, but it's a gorgeous sight to behold and there are a couple of not-bad tunes. And it's great to have it on home video uncut and letterboxed as it should be.