March 23, 2015

Cinderella: Disney's New Version



                                                                    




There have been several versions made of Cinderella. The first one I ever saw was Disney's animated version. 

Then there were a couple of movies I also remember: "The Glass Slipper" and "The Slipper And The Rose"

Drew  Barrymore has also done a Cinderella movie called "Ever After".

I have seen the animated version several times.Perhaps the new movie may also offer a little respite from  "Frozen" as it sounds very appealing, judging by this short review.

                                                                



The tale of Cinderella has been retold, directly or indirectly, countless times in recent years, but something just happened to it that I would not believe if I had not seen it.

The latest rendition, released in theaters this past weekend, tells the story with delightful charm, breathtaking beauty, squeaky-clean morality and — most surprising in this age of sly sarcasm — “without a hint of irony.”

That last phrase I stole from another princess film — Enchanted — which was, phrase notwithstanding, rich in irony (as well as terrific humor and great music).

With Cinderella (2015), director Kenneth Branagh and screenwriter Chris Weitz have done the almost unimaginable. 

They’ve displayed sincere affection between a prince and a servant girl, without post-modern angst or politically correct messaging.

In a word, they made a “Disney movie” the likes of which I feared had faded to black with each year since Walt’s passing.

If there is any seemingly obligatory commentary about the role of women, gender equality, and the impossible dream of true love, it’s among the bitter on Twitter, not in the film.

Perhaps more shocking than the genuine and chaste love between the prince and Cinderella is the sincere respect, love and admiration between the prince and his father, the king, as the son struggles to balance his love for the mysterious maiden, with his desire to honor his father. Most men yearn for a such a relationship with their boys.

Fairy tales were meant to sweep us from our mundane lives, captivate our hearts, lift our spirits and make us dream again.

 This Cinderella does all of that better than anything I’ve seen since Beauty and the Beast (1991).

By Scott Ott 

With many thanks to PJMedia

See more details about it at IMDb. The cast list is most impressive.

Lily James as Cinderella - you may recognise her from 'Downton Abbey', and Holliday Grainger, below, from "The Borgias" as Anastasia - just for starters.

                                                                   


Related:
Downton Abbey: Ending After Its Sixth Season?
The Real Downton Abbey
Jarrod Radnich - Strong From 'Cinderella' 2015
Downton Abbey Producers In Talks To Make A 1930s-set Feature-length Movie
Fairy Tales Are Grim! 
The Untold Truth About The Holy Grail