With Kenneth Branagh’s live action of Disney’s Cinderella hitting theaters this week, we thought it would be best to go through some of our personal favorite iterations of the story. Check them out below and let us know in the comments what movie you think told the classic story best!
Into the Woods (2014)
I think Anna Kendrick is great and I think the two of us would be fantastic wine night pals, but I don’t think she made for a very interesting Cinderella-sorry Anna! In large part due to the writing, her character spends most of the movie running from point A to point B, and little else. By the film’s end she is delivering a strong performance, but her character is never truly fleshed out.
Enchanted (2007)
I wasn’t as in love with the film as a whole as much as I was in love with Amy Adams performance as Giselle. She was captivating and sweet and allowed the film to feel heartfelt rather than ill-spirited.
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Cinderella (1950)
Let’s be brutally honest here. The original Cinderella is kind of dull. Completely devoid of any real personality, her characterization is as two dimensional as it gets in Disney terms. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had the luxury of being the first feature length Disney film and survives on that notoriety-interesting characters be damned. Cinderella is entertaining for children with the talking mice and the threats that never become too scary, but it isn’t one that aged well. It gets points on being the first but that’s about it. Also, Prince Charming does the impossible and out-bores Cinderella.
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Cinderella (2015)
I really enjoyed this film. It’s an homage to the classic while giving our lead heroine a personality. Richard Madden makes a lovely Prince Charming or Kit in this film and Cate Blanchett easily embodies the evil step-mother with more power and subtetly than any other version before her. It’s a lighthearted affair that stripped itself back to simpler storytelling styles. It’s altogether lovely. Not every live action film of our favorite fairy-tales need to be given an edge, they simply need some life breathed into them. And no, I don’t think it’s the anti-Frozen. More on that Friday.
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Cinderella (1997)
No one dare say that this wasn’t a perfect film. It is the only version of this rags-to-riches story that had me humming a tune by the films end. It also had a diverse cast which was daring for the story it was telling as well as more inviting. It’s tough for a little girl to watch these Disney stories and see few representations of themselves and this version gave them visibility while also delivering a truly entertaining film. Whitney Houston’s Fairy Godmother is the performance who defines the role for me and the one I remember. It’s a fantastically fun film and it’s instilled a sense of magic into it where others have not.
Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)
I have a hunch that this film along with Little Women and A Little Princess has a BIG influence on who I am today. Feminist themes run rampant in the Drew Barrymore led film. Every After borrows from the original Cinderella tale the film undoubtedly and makes it its own. It’s a visually stunning film, and the moment Danielle steps out in her gown and her wings is an iconic one that has stuck with me ever since seeing it when I was seven years old. I had a crush on Dougray Scott’s Prince Henry and then even more of a crush on Barrymore’s Danielle when she proved to be the hero who could carry Dougray out on her shoulders if need be. Director Andy Tennant instilled whimsy, progressive storylines and magical realism in this film and I can’t see it fading from my favorite list any time soon.
Make sure to go and see Disney’s Cinderella out in theaters Friday, March 13th.
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