User reviews

Not the best of Walt Disney's feature length animated films, but any film that has Bibidi Bobbidi Boo and A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes has to rate as good in anyone's standards.

I saw this for the first time as a small child on Walt Disney's Disneyland hour and it was as effective on the big screen as well as the small. I don't think there's anyone who is literate in the western world who does not know the story of Cinderella. The story is intact and kept in the mythical medieval times it was written for.

As a subplot to the main story we have the story of Cinderella and her relationship with the animals around the house. The pecking order is dog, cat, mice with a horse thrown in for good measure. Naturally the evil stepmother who is voiced by Eleanor Audley has the cat as her favorite. What does that say about us cat lovers.

Ilene Woods voices and sings A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes which Perry Como made a big hit record of. Bibidi Bobidi Boo is sung by Verna Felton who voices the Fairy Godmother. She's unforgettable in this role although she's better known as Hilda Crocker, Spring Byington's Ethel Mertz on December Bride.

This is one eternal film that I hope my niece let's my new grandnephew check out and his sister or brother to be.

When I first saw 'Cinderella', I found it surprising that the mice had so much to do whereas in the fairy tale they were just incidental creatures. But Disney saw that giving them a big role in the main storyline was the key to providing all the humor and suspense needed to spice up the predictable story. The leading mice, Gus and Jaq are delightful creations and the valiant band of mice are given amusing bits of business.

Artistically, the animation art has a rather glossy modern look despite the fact that it's an old, old story from 1697, a classic children's fairy tale that has been done countless times as either a film, a play or a ballet. But this version will charm Disney fans young and old with its imaginative use of animation and a splendid collection of tuneful songs.

A highlight is the 'Cinderella Work Song' in which the mice make a dress for the mistreated Cinderella, full of inventive comic touches and accompanied by the intricate blend of song and animation. Add to that 'So This Is Love', 'A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes' and 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo' and you have a charming version of the Charles Perrault story.

For villainy, the stepmother and her black cat (Lucifer) are two of the most brilliantly animated creatures in the film. The cat reminds me of a naughty black cat I once owned. The scene where the stepmother is stroking the cat as she gives Cinderella a list of chores is striking in its use of shadow and menace. Along with some dark touches, there is always a bubbling sense of humor, particularly in this sequence.

Cinderella herself comes across as a pleasant heroine with a sense of humor herself, lifelike in her movements and one of Disney's more successful human figures. Disney's artists did greater art work in other films but this is a well-structured work, a great combination of music and clever animation. The pace is fast, even allowing for extended scenes of the mice and their shenanigans for the sub-plot. And Lucifer, the cat, makes a wonderful foil for their tricks.

The Disney touch is evident in every scene and makes this charming blend of comedy, music and romance a film with timeless appeal.

Legendary movie producer Walt Disney brought three of the world's greatest fairy tales to the screen. They remain among the most popular animated films of all time. The first was his groundbreaking classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" released in 1937. The last was the then-under appreciated "Sleeping Beauty" which made it's debut in 1959. In between these two was perhaps his most satisfying adaptation of a classic fairy tale: "Cinderella" (1950). Of the three films, "Cinderella" is the one most faithful to its origins. Ironically, unlike "Snow White", which for better or worse, became for many the definitive version of the story. "Cinderella" did not follow the same path. Although it was a hit and, like "Snow White", was responsible for restoring the dwindling Disney fortunes, it never achieved the same audience recognition which it certainly deserved. Disney, for once, did himself proud, electing not to tamper with a classic, instead elaborating and adding substance to the tale, rather than rewriting it for the screen. The result was enchanting.

A combination of superb animation (in beautifully soft Technicolor) and the perfect voice talents brought the story to life with a radiance that endures to this day. Ilene Woods, who was a radio performer, recorded demonstration discs of the songs as a favor to the authors of the material, Al Hoffman, Mack David, and Jerry Livingston. When Disney heard them, he knew he had found his Cinderella. And indeed he had. Woods heartfelt renditions of "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes", "So This Is Love" and "Oh Sing Sweet Nightingale" are perfect. Eleanor Audley, who would go on to voice Maleficent in "Sleeping Beauty", masterfully captured the icy cruelty of the stepmother, while Rhoda Williams and Lucille Bliss were convincingly nasty stepsisters. Luis Van Rooten admirably performed as both the King and the Grand Duke, and James Macdonald was endearing as both Jaq and Gus, Cinderella's devoted mice. William Phipps has little dialog as the prince (future talk show host Mike Douglas provided his singing voice) but film (and Disney) veteran, Verna Felton was born to play the fairy godmother, and she made the best number, (the Oscar-nominated "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo") her own show-stopper.

Among the artists responsible for the "look" of the film, was Mary Blair, whose inspired use of color was greatly admired by Disney. Her elegant French-period backgrounds add tremendously to the quality of the movie. But, most important of all' are the believable characters--from Cinderella, right down to Lucifer, the stepmother's deliciously evil cat. They bring both life and vibrancy to the often told story, something very difficult to create in an animated film.

In conjunction with the film's 55-year anniversary, (and, not so coincidentally, the coming holiday season) "Cinderella" has just been released on a special edition DVD. It simply has never looked better. The fully restored film must be seen to be appreciated--suffice it to say, it looks wonderful. An enhanced stereo soundtrack has been added, and serves the music well. The DVD extras, now a standard part of Disney Platinum Editions, are too numerous to list here, but as usual, some are directed towards children, some are slanted to adults, and the rest fall somewhere in between. But real fans will want to get the Deluxe Gift Set, because, along with an actual cell from the film and eight character sketches, it includes a 160-page hardback book, which not only incorporates most of the material found in the book with the 1995 special edition home video release, but much more as well. As usual for Disney, "Cinderella" will only be available for a limited time. So, if like me, you are a "Cinderella" lover, get it NOW! This edition is truly a "Dream Come True."

Walt Disney's CINDERELLA takes a story everybody's familiar with and embellishes it with humor and suspense, while retaining the tale's essential charm. Disney's artists provide the film with an appealing storybook look that emanates delectable fairy tale atmosphere. It is beautifully, if conventionally, animated; the highlight being the captivating scene where the Fairy Godmother transforms a pumpkin into a majestic coach and Cinderella's rags to a gorgeous gown. Mack David, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston provide lovely songs like "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" that enhance both the scenario and the characters.

Even though CINDERELLA's story is predictable, it provides such thrilling melodrama that one shares the concerns and anxieties of the titular heroine and her animal friends. Both the wicked stepmother and her dreadful cat Lucifer present a formidable menace that threatens the dreams and aspirations of Cinderella and the mice. It is this menace that provides the story with a strong conflict that holds the viewers' interest. The film's suspense, however, is nicely balanced by a serene sweetness, especially in the musical numbers. It is in these segments that reveal the appealing personalities of Cinderella and her friends, moving the viewers to care for them. Overall, Walt Disney's CINDERELLA is wonderful family entertainment that has held up remarkably well after half a century.

People criticise Disney's animated features of the 1950s for being overly glossy, set in landscapes that are much too pristine. That criticism is just. And yet it can't be the whole story, because the two least glossy - "Alice in Wonderland" and "Peter Pan" - are also the weakest. "Cinderella", on the other hand, set in a world in which the very dirt sparkles, is clearly the best.

It DOES look good. The backgrounds are subtle and consistent; the colours are pure without being too bright. The animation varies a bit. I'll swear that some of the humans are rotoscoped - but then, the rotoscoped humans (including Cinderella herself) aren't full-blooded characters in the script, so this approach works well enough. It's really the animals that make the movie. I think the studio had never quite used animals in this way before, as totems rather than sidekicks. The mice, for instance, are the creatures who draw us into the story; but they are really representatives or allies of the more colourless Cinderella. The cat, Lucifer, is a kind of witch's familiar to the Wicked Stepmother. (The cat is brilliantly conceived and animated - one of the best feline creations of all time. The supervising animator was Ward Kimball and he modelled it on his own cat. I wonder how he put up with the animal.) This approach allows the animals to steal the show without drawing our attention from the main story. Their actions are of maximum interest only in the light of the main story.

Among the supporting cast the notable humans are the King and the Grand Duke. The King is a one note character - he wants grandchildren and appears to have no other desires at all - but the note is struck in a pleasing fashion. The Grand Duke is a put-upon character who deserves to be lifted out of his sphere as much as Cinderella does. (Although he, of course, is richer.)

"Cinderella" is Disney's return to features after an eight-year hiatus, and neither with it nor with any subsequent movie would he recapture the raw brilliance of his early years. Moreover he made things hard for himself by picking "Cinderella". She's a passive heroine and there's not much anyone can do about that. (Maybe I'm wrong on this score - I haven't seen the recent "Ever After".) Nonetheless it is remarkable how successful Disney was in bringing this unpromising story to life, without cutting across the grain of its spirit.

Beautiful young woman, orphaned and living with her evil stepmother and two jealous stepsisters, hopes to attend the Royal Ball in the castle on the hill but may be thwarted by her cruel keepers and a decidedly nasty cat named Lucifer. Animated classic from Walt Disney has the company's signature style, but the scenarists skimp on the background details. Walt wasn't exactly into character development, and our heroine seems a bit of a masochist (one has to wonder, especially in this age, why she doesn't stick up for herself; does she feel trapped or is her isolation a comfort to her after her father's demise?). The friendly, chattering mice who help Cinderella provide comic relief, and there are at least two excellent songs ("Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" and "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"), but the movie is on the slim side--running a scant 74mns--and is reminiscent of "Snow White" besides. There are moments of gorgeous animated magic, and yet the picture is loaded up with villains. The pacing seems to stall in the third act when what we could have used was more of the grandmotherly Fairy Godmother (who literally vanishes). Nonetheless, "Cinderella" is exquisite to look at and has some very funny slapstick. *** from ****

In a small kingdom, the happily child Cinderella loses her beloved mother and his father marries with the cruel Lady Tremaine, who has the mean daughters Drizella and Anastasia. When her father dies, Cinderella becomes a servant in her own house and her stepmother and sisters feels only hatred for her. Cinderella's only friends are four mice, a dog and a horse that live in the house.

When the King decides that his son, the Prince, should get married, he invites every maiden in his kingdom to a ball in order that the Prince could choose his bride. However, Cinderella's cruel stepmother does not allow her to attend the ball. When Cinderella is hopeless of going to the Royal Ball, her Fairy Godmother appears and uses magic to help her to make her dream come true. But she must leave the ball before midnight since the magic effect will end.

"Cinderella" is one of the classics produced by Disney that belongs not only to my childhood, but also to my daughter and my son's childhoods. This adorable fairytale is wonderful and should be mandatory to every child in the world. I do not have much to say, since I believe that most of the readers certainly know the story of "Cinderella". I feel sorry for those that have written stupid things about this lovely fantasy – what a poor childhood they had. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Cinderela" ("Cinderella")

The 12th animated Disney classic is a reasonable movie told through a simple story. Even though a little dated, it deserves a place in the list of Disney classics.

It's not among Disney's top works, but is satisfying. One of Disney's most "simple" works, yes, but keeps a certain magic and enchantment (which old Disney is well known for). This was an important movie because it saved Disney from a delicate situation. If this was a failure, there wouldn't be any more Disney animated classics.

"Cinderella" is somehow like a return to Disney's 1st animated classic ("Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs") because it brings back the fairy tale genre. It's not clear where the story takes place, but I suppose it's somewhere in France because this is based in a tale by Charles Perrault.

There are plenty of likable characters, such as Cinderella, the Prince, Bruno (the dog), Jaques and Gus (the two main mice), the Fairy Godmother (for a fairy she sure is funny), the birds, the King and the Grand Duke.

Jaques is very smart and amusing. I love his voice. Really has that mouse-like quality. Gus might not be that smart, but he's humorous.

The King is hilarious, but I think that what makes him so funny is his short temper. The Grand Duke is a very cool chap and funny too. They're two of my favorite characters in this film and responsible for many of the most amusing moments.

The Prince is certainly one of the most charming in Disney. No doubt that Prince Philip from "Sleeping Beauty" was inspired on this prince, because they are very similar-looking.

On the other hand, Lady Tremaine (the stepmother) isn't supposed to be likable because she's cold, jealous, bitter and cruel. Her daughters (Anastacia and Drizella) aren't much better than her. However, the stepmother isn't as annoying as her ugly and selfish daughters. Cinderella, the main character, has nothing to do with them. Cinderella is gentle, kind, pretty and lovable. By the way, I think her beautiful pink dress is much nicer than the one given by the Fairy Godmother.

Lucifer (the cat) is hilariously malicious. The way he walks, sticking up his nose in the air and those arrogant and snobbish facial expressions make him funny. Ironically he's very much like the stepmother when it comes to personality. He always agrees with the stepmother's attitudes towards Cinderella. Lucifer has the right name for him because he's such a devilish and mean cat. Yet, there's nothing annoying about him.

The soundtrack is simple but pleasant, although not among Disney's best. The best song in this movie is "Bibiddi Bobiddi Boo".

There are plenty of well known talented voice actors in this, such as James MacDonald, Marion Darlington, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton and Luis Van Rooten.

Despite being simple-looking, the movie has good artwork, as well as its nice details, although never something "out-of-this-world". However, the King's palace is a spectacular masterpiece, being truly majestic and colossal.

but "Cinderella" gets my vote, not only for the worst of Disney's princess movies, but for the worst movie the company made during Walt's lifetime. The music is genuinely pretty, and the story deserves to be called "classic." What fails in this movie are the characters, particularly the title character, who could only be called "the heroine" in the loosest sense of the term.

After a brief prologue, the audience is introduced to Cinderella. She is waking up in the morning and singing "A Dream is A wish Your Heart Makes." This establishes her as an idealist (and thus deserving of our sympathy). Unfortunately, the script gives us no clue as to what she is dreaming about. Freedom from her servant role? The respect of her step-family? Someone to talk to besides mice and birds? In one song (cut from the movie but presented in the special features section of the latest DVD) Cinderella relates her wish that there could be many of her so she could do her work more efficiently. You go girlfriend! In short, Cinderella is a very bland character. She passively accepts her step-family's abuse, escaping into her unspoken dreams for relief. She only asserts herself once by reminding her stepmother that she is still a member of the family. For this, she is given permission to go the ball if she completes her housework and finds something to wear, a token gesture that is clearly absurd to everyone except, of course, Cinderella. Can anyone see Belle or Jasmine being such a doormat? If Cinderella is dull, her male counterpart is nothing short of lifeless. The Prince in Cinderella gets no dialog and almost no screen time. We are given no indication if he is a good man, if he respects Cinderella or anything. All we know is 1) he is a prince and 2) he dances well. Heck, even the prince from "Snow White" got to sing a romantic song at least. Not only does this lack of development make the romance less interesting, it makes Cinderella look like either a social climber or an idiot, weakening her already tenuous appeal.

Perhaps realizing how dull the main characters were, the animators chose to give excessive screen time to the movie's comic relief, Cinderella's friends, the mice. Granted, these characters are amusing. Even so, when the comic relief steals the show from the principals, well, let's just say your story has some problems.

Dinsey loves to proclaim all its animated features as "masterpieces." While many of them are, there are some that do not deserve this appellate in any way. Cinderella is a prime example of this fact.

Let's not be coy, this is one of Disney's finest animated features. The characters, the colors, the music, it's all wonderful. The studio was at it's absolute peak at this point, with the terrific "streamlined" look to the artwork, that would be changed to a more "rough" appearance in just a few years following this movie.

And what's not to like about it? Cinderella is one of the more endearing characters to come from a Disney feature, her stepmother and stepsisters some of the meanest, and her mice and bird friends, some of the most charming.

Memorable scenes include the "Nightingale" number, with Cinderella's reflection in the soap bubbles, the evil sisters tearing her dress to shreds, her arrival at the ball, and the trying-on of the slipper. Add to that some great numbers like "Bibbodi Bobbodi Boo", and the mice's "work song". A wonderful movie, that never loses its magic, no matter how old you are.

I've never been as enamored with this film as with other Disney films. First of all, the villains just are laughable. They don't' have the cruelty that they have in other movies. The prince is a dud. He is strictly window dressing, someone for Cinderella to fall in love with. But the real downer is those tiresome mice and their electronically enhanced voices. After a few minutes of them, I've had enough. Even the Fairy Godmother is a dull, undeveloped character. Cinderella's plight in the original fairy tale is hell on earth. Here she is mostly inconvenienced. I know it's animation out of the fifties and Disney is for kids, but when I was young I didn't like this very much. Again, there are some really good songs, including "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes." A theme for the whole Disney enterprise.

As a young boy, I always sort of hated "Cinderella," since I was outvoted by my two sisters when my parents were considering what Disney movie to buy. I wanted "Dumbo," but my sisters won out, and we got "Cinderella." They thoroughly enjoyed the movie while I sulked in the back of the room playing with my Star Wars action figures.

A lot has changed since then. My love of the Disney theme parks landed me an internship at Walt Disney World, and I now have two young nieces. I like to showcase Disney to them as much as I can, and we recently watched "Cinderella" together. With my newfound appreciation for all that is Disney, I watched "Cinderella" with a new perspective and was impressed with what I saw.

From the beginning of the movie, though, I didn't quite understand why Cinderella was trapped in such a horrible predicament. Why was she such a slave to her stepfamily, and why couldn't she just run away? I wasn't too sympathetic to Cinderella, but as the story progressed, I found myself becoming immersed in the story. Maybe the eye-catching animation or the fun-loving characters drew me in, or maybe it was the timeless songs. Listening to songs like "Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boo" and "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" sort of whisked me back to the theme parks. I can picture myself in that carefree and fun atmosphere while looking at the awe-inspiring Cinderella Castle.

Something about this movie just evokes the magic of Disney. That may make many people scoff, but go to the Magic Kingdom and see all the little girls dressed up like Cinderella that are excited to be in this fantasy world, and you'll know what I'm talking about. The images of Cinderella and the glass slipper - as well as Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Tinkerbell - embody why Disney is one of the most beloved companies in the entire world.

While "Cinderella" may not be the strongest story, it is sort of iconic in Disney and movie history. It represents that fun, idealistic, and fantasy-like wonderment we held when we were kids. I imagine this movie holds a lot of meaning to many, many people out there. It may not be my favorite Disney movie, but it does represent all that I love and admire about the Company.

My IMDb Rating: 10/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)

Cinderella is raised by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters, who make her do chores and essentially keep her as a slave after inheriting her father's estate. When the prince (with the prodding of the king) decides to throw a ball, Cinderella ends up going with the help of her fairy godmother and some lovable mice.

The problem with criticizing "Cinderella" is that many of the criticisms aren't really related to the film so much as to the story it's based off of. Some feminists decry her reliance on a prince to save her from hardship (a common theme in Disney films). Others have the more general criticism that the film portrays women as little more than future brides with no life outside of her husband.

You could also say that the film offers no real hope for those looking to it for inspiration. A girl in a desperate situation is saved at the 11th hour by a magical hag with a wand. Without her, Cinderella would be left to toil and the prince would have chosen some other girl to be the princess. In real life, no fairy godmothers exist, so I guess we are left to suffer on our own with little recourse.

These concerns aside, the film itself is sound. The animation is great, and looks even better in the restored edition. I've heard some complaint that the "dirty" world of Cinderella is too clean, but I think that's really ignoring the fantasy element of the film. It's a simple but effective story, timeless. And the songs are now a part of our culture with good reason.

I gave the film a fairly low rating because I don't think there's much about the film that pushed any boundaries. It really played it safe in every way it could. Don't get me wrong -- sometimes following the formula makes a good movie, and I think this is a good movie. But it won't get you recognized as one of the best movies of all time, certainly not by me.

Cinderella takes me back, when I was a little girl I loved the princesses of Disney. Cinderella was one of my favorites because I always was so enchanted by the story. Any child or family members will enjoy this wonderful and magical story.

We have Cinderella who is a beautiful girl enslaved by her wicked step mother and ugly step sisters. She cleans and cooks for them without ever receiving thanks. The only friends she has in the world are the mice in the attic that are so charming and musical. When the ladies receive an invitation to the King's ball to find a lady for his son, the prince, a.k.a. Prince Charming, they all get excited, Cinderella overhears the exciting news and asks if she could come too. Her step mother makes a false promise and says if she does her chores and such, she can come too. Of course, she doesn't keep her promise and destroys a beautiful dress she and the mice made for the ball. Leaving poor Cinderella behind, a wonderful thing happens, Cinderella's fairy god mother appears and creates a beautiful dress and carriage out of things from around the house and even makes the mice and horses into elegant horses and a driver for the carriage. When the prince sees Cinderella at the ball, he has fallen hard for her. All the ladies are jealous, including her step mother and sisters. But Cinderella must return home at midnight when the spell is broken, all she leaves behind is her glass slipper. The next day the prince is on a hunt to find this girl who fits the slipper and is making a stop at Cinderella's house where her step mother has found out about her night and locks her in her room.

Can she escape in time to tell the prince that it was her at the ball? You'll just have to find out. Trust me, this is a true Disney classic with beautiful animation and classic music that is so charming. You can't help but fall in love with this masterpiece. A dream is a wish your heart makes, this movie captures everything a girl could want.

9/10

Whilst this film is lauded as a Disney classic and a general film classic I found it to be a pretty dull affair overall.

The animation in this film really is one of the films biggest strengths as somehow it translates that magical feeling the film is going for. This is why even if I'm not overly keen on some of the stories the classic Disney era will always get extra marks in my book. There is just something magical captured in well done hand drawn animation and it's something that cannot be recreated in these soulless live action remakes Disney have been churning out recently.

The other thing I really enjoyed about this film were the side characters of the mice who brought a lot of fun and heart to this tale. The vile step mother really stole the show, everything from her character design to the superb dark villain esque way she was styled (those eyes) to her voice actor really brought her to life and added some much needed spice to this otherwise mediocre tale.

Obviously this film is aimed at little girls and romantics of which I am neither so this film was really never going to win me over. However the charm and wickedness of certain characters mixed with the lush animation really elevates this film for me.

Cinderella....

I hadn't watched this film for about five years the last time i saw it. The magic remains. There is something that definitely contains that storybook feel, the songs entertain and the secondary character's all please. The villains in the form of step sisters are perfectly evil and vile. Then there is the most magical of all Disney, the mice making the dress and well you know the rest. To sum up the four of the Disney princess movies are all great but this is a charming magical experience, watch and enjoy. Oh and of course, Cinderella is wonderful as the main character in the movie.

If you think about it Disney movies can really lost their charm. With Elene Wood and others the movie has such a feel to it, you simply can't help but smile

They say the moral of this story is that dreams come true. Of course in the real world some are believers others are hoper's. In this film it's even more the magical when her rainbow comes smiling.

And of course the rest is...Cinderella

Cinderella was one of the first movies I ever saw, and to me it is timeless. It is a lovely looking film, with gorgeous animation. My favourite animation scenes were the dress scene- I just love those mice, and of course the iconic Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boo sequence. The songs are also lovely, not as good as Snow White's, but they are a delight to sing, and are reminiscent of Tchaikovsky. A dream is a Wish and So this is love? are standouts. The characters are also a delight. Cinderella is idealistic and strong, and the mice provided great comic relief. The stepsisters were also well done, as well as Lucifer. But I loved the stepmother the best, she was really evil, in comparison to a great character in the name of the Fairy Godmother. It is true, the movie drags slightly, with the antics of the mice with Lucifer, but they were genuinely funny, so I don't care. I don't think it is overrated, underrated don't you mean? It rarely plays on television, but the really bad sequel does on Cinemagic on a regular basis. if you want a great Cinderella adaptation, try the wonderful Ever After, or the lavish Slipper and the Rose, which isn't as good. But whatever you do, avoid the sequel, which I have the mistake of owning, because you'll thank me. 9/10. Bethany Cox

"Cinderella" is a VERY famous fairy tale, and I remember it from my childhood in more than one form, but don't recall ever seeing much of this 1950 Disney movie version. I guess I was reminded of this film's existence from watching "Enchanted" last week, which is a parody/homage to the Disney princess movies, including this one. I have to admit, as popular as that comedy/fantasy flick is, I thought it was annoying, and it was the third 2007 film I've seen which I personally found to be an incredibly overrated turkey (the other two being "Juno" and "Superbad")! Still, I watched this particular version of "Cinderella" a little over a week later, expecting it to be a lot better than the hit 2007 Disney film, and I was not proved wrong.

Cinderella used to live happily in a castle as the daughter of a widowed aristocrat who remarried to Lady Tremaine, a woman who already had two daughters of her own, Anastasia and Drizella. Sadly, since her father's death, Cinderella has been mistreated by her cruel stepmother (who never showed her true nature until after death of Cinderella's father) and spoiled stepsisters, who are jealous of her beauty. She is now forced to be the servant of the castle, but remains kind in nature and has many animal friends. One day, which appears will just be another day of chores for Cinderella at first, an invitation to a royal ball to find a suitable bride for Prince Charming is delivered. Lady Tremaine says Cinderella can attend if she finishes all her chores in time and has something suitable to wear. While the mistreated young woman has her animal friends and eventually a Fairy Godmother to help her get to the ball, her terrible stepfamily obviously doesn't wish for her to be the one who marries the prince!

Watching this on DVD, I was very pleased with the animation, with some very nice backgrounds in the outdoor scenes. However, there were a number of things I didn't like about this adaptation of "Cinderella". It doesn't feature the greatest bunch of musical numbers in an animated Disney movie, and the film is off to a shaky start with Cinderella waking up and talking to her animal friends. The voice acting for the main character provided by Ilene Woods is also flawed, though it's not always bad. Her mouse friends provide comic relief, but I didn't find them very funny. I did find them mildly amusing at times, with them trying to get their food without getting captured by Lucifer the cat and such, but I've seen much funnier characters in Disney animation. With these gags, it takes a little too long to get into the story. Better comic relief in this film is provided by The King. Even though this character doesn't make as many appearances, he certainly made me laugh. The story gets more entertaining as it goes along, and most of the characters stand out, including the lead.

During my childhood, I remember seeing part of an animated film featuring a cat named Lucifer, but didn't know it was this movie. Like I said, I don't recall seeing much of this particular Disney flick as a kid (unlike a number of other Disney animations, some produced by Walt Disney during his long career, like this one, and some made after his death), but I'm sure I would have enjoyed it if I had seen it all. Finally watching it from start to finish in my 20's, I felt I would have liked a lot of it better as a kid, including the scenes with the mice, but overall, I still thought it was a decent piece of animation. Also, I'm not sure haw many readers will approve of me saying this, since Cinderella is a cartoon character and this is a squeaky clean family film, but during my recent viewing of the film, I thought the main character was hot, which obviously wouldn't have been the case when I was a kid! Anyway, if you're a Disney fan, regardless of age, I can't think of any reason why this 1950 production wouldn't be worth watching. It's still an entertaining family film after sixty years.

This is the first movie I have ever seen and it was love at first sight. Since then I've watched it a hundred times or so and collected the video in many languages. Cinderella is wonderful, funny and rich. I know that many people remember it for the mice and Lucifer, but look at the human figures: they're (with the exception of the Prince) perfect and truly convincing. For example the relationship between Cinderella and the stepmother is strongly rendered and it's clear that the girl fears that woman. The sequence of the fairy godmother is one of the best of all Disney films (what a dream the transformation of the dress) and the ball episode is exciting and fascinating in both drawing (note the use of the shadows at a time when computer coloring was far away), dialogue and music (the Cinderella Waltz "So this is love" is enchanting).

Overall this movie is kinda dumb. Even though I was really bored when I watched this as a child, I'm assuming that it can only be enjoyed by children? I have no clue. This is a really dumb movie with some decent animation. I don't really see why so many people like it, but whatever.