Disney is on a roll with live-action fairytales. Last year, they released Maleficent and Into the Woods. This year, Cinderella was released and is currently the third highest-grossing film of 2015. (Yes, Beauty and the Beast is next...) Audiences were pleased to find that Cinderella stuck fairly close to the 1950s animated film while also keeping its own feel.
The film stars Lily James as Ella (later "Cinderella"), Richard Madden as Prince Charming, and Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine, Ella's stepmother (with an appearance by Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother).
SUMMARY
Ella is a young girl who has a "perfect life." Her parents are loving, kind to others, and wealthy enough to have everything they want. All is well and good. That is, until Ella's mother becomes sick. Soon before her death, Ella's mother passes on one last piece of wisdom to her beloved daughter: to always "have courage and be kind." So Ella takes her mother's last words to heart, always holding to those virtues.
The years go by, and Ella grows up in kindness and beauty. She loves her father and, while her life is not what it was, it still is good. However, that changes one day. Ella's father marries a widow, Lady Tremaine. She and her two daughters, Drisella and Anastasia, come to live with Ella and her father. Although the daughters are rude to her, Ella shows kindness to them. Lady Tremaine, though, seems kind enough to Ella.
Later, Ella's father must travel away for business. While gone, Lady Tremaine begins treating Ella worse and worse. Tremaine uses Ella's goodwill to make her move to the attic, giving her room to the stepsisters.
*SPOILER* But if that was not bad enough, tragedy strikes. News comes that Ella's father died during his traveling. *END SPOILER*
In order to secure their wealth, Lady Tremaine sends all of the servants away. She then gives all of the chores to Ella.
One day, to escape her troubles, Ella goes for a horse ride in the woods. She comes across a hunting party and runs into a young man. He introduces himself as Kit, telling her that he is an apprentice from the palace (he is actually the Prince). Kit is immediately attracted to Ella, though they part ways before he can learn her name.
Kit's father, the King, tells him that he must marry a princess. Yet the Prince cannot forget the beautiful young woman he met in the forest. He succeeds in convincing his father to allow all young women in the kingdom to attend the upcoming ball, hoping to run into the mysterious girl there.
Lady Tremaine sees this as a way to get one of her daughters married into the royal family. Ella fixes up her mother's old dress in hopes of wearing it to the ball. However, Tremaine and her daughters, upon seeing Ella in the dress, tear it up and leave.
Heartbroken, Ella flees to the garden and begins to weep. Suddenly an old woman asks about something to eat. While Ella gets some food, the woman reveals herself to be Ella's beautiful fairy godmother.
She then proceeds to turn a pumpkin into a stagecoach, lizards into footmen, and mice into horses. Then she transforms Ella's tattered pink dress into a magnificent ball gown and also gives her a pair of glass slippers. The fairy godmother sends Ella on her way with the warning that the spell will only last until midnight.
Ella makes it to the ball (fashionably late, of course!) and manages to dance with the Prince. Afterwards, the two walk through the palace gardens. However, midnight begins to approach, so Ella needs to leave...but not before accidentally leaving behind a glass slipper!
That night, Tremaine and her daughters return. Because of Ella's carefree attitude, Tremaine suspects something.
Later, the King gives permission for his son to marry whomever he chooses, even if he does not wed a princess. So the Prince decrees that every maiden in the land will be visited, so that the glass slipper can be tested on their feet.
But Tremaine discovers Ella's other glass slipper in her attic room. She tells Ella she wishes to be made head of the royal household and that her daughters be given advantageous marriages. Ella will not consent, so Tremaine smashes the shoe. She then locks Ella in the attic.
She then uses the shattered slipper to blackmail the Grand Duke into giving her and her daughters power and wealth. The Duke then tries to discourage the Prince from continuing his search for the mysterious girl, but there is no stopping him.
They discover Ella when they hear her singing a song. They try on the shoe, and the rest is happily ever after.
CONTENT
There is precious little violence in Cinderella. There is some mild, comical violence. Cinderella's carriage ride home is a little tense for younger children. Three people die as a result of illness or old age. Also, one of the stepsisters threatens to "scratch" the other's "eyes out."
There is no foul language. The worse it gets is a use of "gosh" and "oh lords."
Many dresses show part of the chest. Two young woman are seen in underwear (extremely modest by today's standards, as it covers their entire body). There are also two kisses between married couples.
In one scene, Lady Tremaine holds a party, full of gambling and even some alcohol (presumably), though neither are glorified nor dwelt upon.
Cinderella holds excellent moral lessons for all ages and some pointed specifically towards girls and young women. Cinderella holds to her vow to be courageous and kind. But she doesn't flaunt her virtue. Instead, she is humble, and even admits her own faults when she declares that she doesn't feel very brave.
Also, as a lesson for girls, there was a point made about the stepsisters having beautiful appearances, but inside, they are cruel and wretched. This can have a good impact on girls who worry about their appearance. It isn't everything! Although the main character is supposed to be beautiful, it is really her gracious spirit and goodness that draws the Prince to her.
The musical score was really something special. It was done by composer Patrick Doyle, known for his work on especially Chariots of Fire. It had a nice classical touch, for those who enjoy that genre.
The acting was great! Lily James was a superb Cinderella, and Cate Blanchett was magnificent as the aloof, evil stepmother. Also, Sophie McShera and Holiday Grainger were good in their roles as the bumbling stepsisters. Besides this, it was a treat to see the talented Helena Bonham Carter as Ella's fairy godmother.
This is actually a good film that is appropriate for all ages. I was very impressed with Disney's handling of the story, as well as the wonderful life lessons they put in the film. This was truly a great family movie. I especially liked it for its emphasis on girls holding to their virtue before beauty.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Length: 105 minutes
Rating: PG (for mild thematic elements)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Producers: Simon Kinberg, David Barron, Allison Shearmur
Music: Patrick Doyle
Year of release: 2015
Primary audience: Pre-teens, teens, family
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