Once Upon a Time a Very Sick Girl Watched a Bunch of Cinderella Movies
Back in March I suddenly got very sick and had to go to the emergency room. It turned out I had mono and a UTI. No fun. After getting medical treatment I spent a lot of time at home recuperating. So of course in great need of comfort and lots of time on my hands I did what I always do: watch movies. I turned to fairy tale films because they offer a special kind of comfort to me. I adore fairy tales and spend much of my time studying them, and fairy tale films are some of the most fascinating and beautiful films out there. A little background information: many fairy tales are in the public domain for various reasons such as their old age, their copyright has lapsed, etc. Therefore filmmakers often turn to fairy tales for inspiration because they don’t have to jump through the hoops of getting the rights to a particular story. Which is why there are a TON of fairy tale/fairy tale inspired films out there.
For this particularly stressful and unconformable time I was in while I recovered, I decided to hone in on Cinderella films in particular. After watching several of my old favorites I popped into one of my fairy tale groups on Facebook and posed the question: what are your favorite Cinderella films? I knew that this big group of fellow fairy tale fanatics would have plenty of good insight and new-to-me material. They didn’t disappoint. In total I watched seven Cinderella films, some of which were new to me, and I added a few more to my list to get to later. It was the perfect magic movie medicine I needed during my road to recovery (I’m feeling much better in case you were wondering). Below I will list the Cinderella films I watched, the ones I have left on my list for later, and some I have seen before but did not rewatch during this project but that I still highly recommend. I’ll also throw in a few similar fairy tale films because I just love them.
Ever After (1998). My sister went through a faze when we were young where Ever After was the only movie she would watch. I admit I got sick of it after a while. But now I can’t blame her. This Drew Barrymore classic that played with historical fiction is truly one of the best Cinderellas out there. The acting is excellent all around, the chemistry between Drew and the prince (Dougray Scott) is electric, and the costumes are divine. The image of Drew in that shimmering gown with Da Vinci’s handmade translucent wings has imprinted itself on the hearts of 90’s girls everywhere.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997). The late 90s were a primetime for Cinderellas. This made-for-TV version with Brandy as Cinderella was not only a colorful, sparkly ball of romantic joy but also a milestone in colorblind casting. Colorblind casting is when characters are not cast based on race. For instance, this version of “Cinderella” features the mixed race couples of a Black Cinderella and a Filipino prince and a white king with a Black queen, as well as interracial siblings in the two stepsisters. The cast is packed with diversity as well as celebrities (Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, and Jason Alexander to name a few!). While sadly two of the film’s stars have passed away (Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother and Natalie Desselle as the stepsister Minerva) the film now acts as a beautiful memorial to their lovely work. Fortunately there has also been a resurgence in interest for this version because it recently became available to stream on DisneyPlus.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1965). Another classic version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical (more info on this to follow). This 60s version starred the adorable Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella. “Charming” and “ethereal” sum up this gorgeous adaptation. My sister and I used to watch this one to death all the time as well. We have a collection of photos of my sister looking absolutely regal wearing a tiara and a copy of Cinderella’s fur collared gown my mom made.
Cinderella (2000). This is a rather obscure UK version that played on TV many times when I was young. Very cool production style with a mix of modern and fantastical elements. Kathleen Turner is perfection as the stepmother with a wardrobe worth a thousand words. My favorite part is that the fairy godmother is some kind of sea witch! She’s thought to possibly be a mermaid and lives behind a waterfall. And she gets her own love story to boot! Zezolla (Cinderella’s name in this version) has a butler named Felim who is revealed to have been in love with Mab (the sea witch fairy godmother) at some point in the past but they were incompatible so they parted ways. Inspired by Zezolla’s love for the prince and touched by how Mab helped her, Felim takes a bouquet of flowers to Mab’s cave where they share a kiss and decide to try again. It’s so rare to see older people fall in love or to try again at love on screen. Seeing an example of it in this film always moved me.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1957). You may be thinking “You’ve already mentioned this one twice!” But here is the deal: this 1957 broadcast was the original version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical that then spawned the stage version, and the two other made-for-TV productions I mention above. Starring the practically perfect Julie Andrews, this version was a mega hit that ushered in the popularity of filmed stage productions being broadcast on television. Unfortunately it has fallen into obscurity and I couldn’t find a copy of it until someone shared a YouTube link with me. This YouTube link however is thought to be a black & white recording of a dress rehearsal, not the original color broadcast. It’s still lovely however and I’m glad it exists!
The Slipper and the Rose (1976). I had heard of this version before but had never seen it. When it was recommended to me yet again I decided to give it a try. And now I feel like it was made for me! Absolutely gorgeous in it’s set design, costumes, visuals, everything! And it’s even a musical! Once again one of my favorite characters is the fairy godmother. She is so sassy here! I love that she helps Cinderella throughout the whole story, not just the night of the ball. And she even meddles in other people’s love lives and makes a happy ending all around. Spectacular.
Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973). This Czech version is apparently still a Christmas classic in parts of Europe. Gritty and lovely at the same time, Cinderella is given lots of agency and the prince is given many chances throughout the story to fall in love with the many facets of her personality not just her beautiful face at the ball (which is strategically veiled).
The Glass Slipper (1955). While I did not rewatch this version during my marathon, I still highly recommend it. It stars Leslie Caron and gives Cinderella the MGM Musical treatment, making it a dazzling ballet fairy tale confection.
Three Wishes for Cinderella (2021). I have not had a chance to watch this version yet, but I’m excited to! It’s a remake of the 1973 version of the same name and it looks gloriously glittery and lavish.
Other versions I have not watched but were recommended to me: Ashpet (1990), Celestial Clockwork (1995), Ella Enchanted (2004). I hope to get to these soon.
Other similar fairy tale films that I just adore: Donkeyskin (1970). This is a film adaptation of the lesser known Cinderella-like story “Donkeyskin.” I discovered this film during the pandemic and fell head over heels in love with it. I may write its own dedicated post later on. But for now let me just tell you it is so luscious and splendid, it’s candy for my frothy-sparkly-fantasy loving soul. Beauty and the Beast (1946). This is a classic French version of the native French fairy tale and is dark and seductive. A must. Faerie Tale Theatre: Beauty and the Beast (1984). I grew up watching this episode of Faerie Tale Theatre. A remake of the 1946 French version, it stars Susan Sarandon as Beauty and was directed by Roger Vadim! Enchanting.
Now with all this new glimmering fairy tale film knowledge I bet you’re going to dive head first in to some sumptuous Cinderella films yourself aren’t you? Fiddle dee dee, of courses! I know you’ll have a ball!
