Once upon a time, CINDERELLA was going to be directed by Mark Romanek, much like THE WOLFMAN – things happened which required Mark to leave. I have only heard rumors… but whereas THE WOLFMAN never completely recovered from Mark’s exit and some of the abuse that production was subjected to, CINDERELLA has flourished under the exquisite direction of Kenneth Branagh.
The Kenneth Branagh we find helming this fine fairy tale is the Branagh behind the majesty of HAMLET, the joyous celebratory tone of the original THOR, the playful brightness of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Branagh brings his Production Designer from HAMLET back for this film, Dante Ferretti – whose genius has often graced the fine work of Martin Scorsese, Neil Jordan, Martin Brest, Anthony Minghella… and here it is in the service of pure delight and wonder.
Now as a movie fan, I was coming to this tonight, not as a feature adaptation of a Disney Classic… but the latest foray into the magical realm of yesteryear, that Branagh often likes to engage with. I knew we’d be swept away by Patrick Doyle’s music, Sandy Powell’s costumes and Branagh’s cast… which was nothing short of exemplary.
The film begins in the idyllic splendor of young “Ella’s” childhood. A wondrous country home that served as her private castle. The little Ella made friends of all the animals, and was loved dearly by her parents, played by AGENT CARTER’s Hayley Atwell and REMAINS OF THE DAY’s Ben Chaplin. You’ll be surprised how quickly you care about them, knowing full well the pain that this tale means for young Ella. The loss of mother binds the young Ella and father closer than they ever imagined, but when the father dares to dream of personal happiness, little Ella wants nothing more than her father to blossom again and approves.
Enter… The Wicked Stepmother… Galadriel herself… Cate Blanchett – and as she showed young Frodo Baggins in Lothlorien once… Cate can be a viscious nightmare scarier than any Sauron ever hoped to be, and when she brings her two dim-witted slobs of daughters to Ella’s “palace” – the world begins to shift, but the goodness and virtue of Ella keeps her strong. She attends to her tasks, moves into the attic… loses everyone she grew up knowing and becomes a slave to the three Mistresses of the house once Dad is gone. Sleeping by the embers of the fire and waking with ash upon her cheeks, her intolerable step-sisters deem her CINDER-ELLA and think themselves geniuses.
All of this… perfect.
Contrary to the other live-action adaptations, where the various parties adapting saw fit to completely throw out the classic storyline, Branagh with Chris Weitz’s script loves the original story with every frame of this film. Kenneth understands beautifully the whimsy and the magic of this realm.
Once Cinderella meets Robb Stark, shortly after meeting the grand Stag of the forest… well, he’s perfect. He hides his royal reality and becomes an apprentice that lives at the palace named Kit, and she remains shy and anonymous. But the charisma is flying in all directions. You see the spark of young love here.
Now – at this point – let me tell you the audience was enraptured by the film. The crowd was aggressively feminine, tons of little girls – and they made the most adorable noises at moments of romance, moments of just downright unfairness and giggled at the giggl-worthy acts of delight.
The gasps as Cate Blanchett & the wicked Step-Sisters’ destruction of Cinderella’s mother’s dress… were telling. They saw Cinderella work and toil under the cruelty and then working still hours more to try to be presentable for the ball… and… it was her Mother’s dress – and when Hayley Atwell’s mother passes… you could feel the swelling of tear ducts upon each princess’ cheeks in the hall.
This film was made for every little princess upon the planet. Because once Helena Bonham Carter’s Bippity Boppity Boo spewing Fairy Godmother is upon the scene… things become downright magic.
For me, the tale of CINDERELLA was first introduced to me, not through the magical land of Disney, but upon 16mm film, we had a color print of “POOR CINDERELLA” which was the only Color Betty Boop cartoon originally. At the transformation of the wildlife and pumpkin, there’s a part of me that feels the magic of Fleischer as well as Disney… and that got me giddy!
Still though… there was worry that hit me at this juncture in the film. Everything up until this point in the film was note perfect, however, now we’re at the point where things must become ethereally sublimely ideally perfect. The transformation of Cinderella’s dress was perfectly realized… but the dance… that dance, would it make souls soar and little girls coo? That’s what has to occur, right?
The entire palace and dance… I longed for HAMLET’s 70mm perfection, and I was just in a 2K Digital Projection house watching this film in 2D… but my eyes knew that, my brain knew that – and it was at this dance that I swore to take Yoko to see this movie in the best possible way, because this dance between Robb Stark and Cinderella was simply breathtaking. I find myself enraptured with how Cinderella’s dress moved… was that mere fabric or was there something more? I don’t know, but it was absolutely hypnotic in the way it flowed and moved. This is what animation could never quite capture… unless that dress was somehow CG and my journeyman eyes couldn’t pop the pixel reality from that of mere fabric.
Vastly superior to all the other animated princess adaptations – this film feels exactly right. I love that Branagh brought a Marvel PRINCE and a Disney PRINCESS to life, I would say his PRINCESS is absolutely perfect – and his Marvel PRINCE could have been an even better movie, but I love it all the same.
Now before CINDERELLA was an adorable child magnet of a short… called FROZEN FEVER, and yes, it’s FROZEN releated – and brings all the fave characters back for Anna’s birthday, where Elsa has laid about a billion miles of string tying together presents that would take all day to find – and Elsa is fighting a cold she denies having, but every time she sneezes, a bunch a baby snowmen show up to cause mischief. This is a delightful short that had all these kids laughing constantly. Disney has created a real magical night at the movies for all that battle the cold to engage!
How does CINDERELLA end? Magically… of course.
Now, if you HATE this story, HATE the idea of a Prince Charming… I’d actually be interested in your thoughts. I think the film handles the story where, she not only needs and wants him, but the reverse is absolutely true as well. She never needed to wear armor and fight monsters. Her monsters kept her in the attic and his monsters would manipulate him into a loveless marriage of convenience. A soul crushing reality that all should avoid. Marry for love. Love whom you marry… and you will rule together. That’s a fairy tale for all.
