The Slipper and the Rose [VHS]
You know the story: Cinderella rides in a magical pumpkin to the ball, enchants the prince, and flees at midnight. He finds her slipper and tracks her down, and they live happily ever after. But wait! InThe Slipper and the Rose, it turns out there's more to the life of a prince than being charming. The king prefers to choose the prince's wife, one of proper social station who would provide a strong political alliance to ward off the kingdom's enemies. That's one of the twists in this 1976 British take on the classic fairy tale, one of a long line of musical versions.The disgruntled prince, who's as much of a focal point here as the lady with the footwear, is played by Richard Chamberlain, during the years when he was taking on the classics and had not yet been crowned king of the TV miniseries. He displays a pleasant voice opposite Gemma Craven as Cinderella, and veteran character actor Michael Hordern as the king leads the supporting ensemble. Add lavish sets and lush scenery (partially filmed in Austria), humor, fun choreography, and an Oscar-nominated score full of charming songs by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman (veterans of such Disney movies asMary PoppinsandThe Jungle Book, and who also  cowrote the script with director Bryan Forbes), and you have a grand, engaging family musical. The 143-minute running time and dreamy, deliberate pace might test the patience of antsy viewers, but this is the first timeThe Slipper and the Rosehas been available on video in its uncut version, and its legion of fans wouldn't have it any other way.--David Horiuchi