DISNEY CINDERELLA

     Cinderella is one of the most popular and noteworthy animated movies that have ever been created, especially during the era in which animation was just beginning to bloom as an art and, more importantly, a novel, productive and rewarding activity, apart from its early development as an industry. Disney Cinderella was released in 1950, and was based on the extremely popular fairy-tale, as written by the great author and adapter Charles Perrault in his ‘happily ever after…’ version.

     Disney Cinderella did, however, include many more characters, mostly animals who befriend our lovely protagonist, and who help her in their own ingenious, and actually quite successful ways every time she needs it. These characters include Bruno the Bloodhound, Major the horse, Jacques ("Jaq" for short), and Octavius, or “Gus”, the mice. And of course, it did have the main characters such as Cinderella herself (obviously), her father the aristocrat, her stepmother Lady Tremaine, stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella, the Fairy Godmother, the Grand Duke, the King, our very own Prince Charming, and Lucifer, the evil cat that belonged to Lady Tremaine.

     While its plot follows the basic story of the fairy-tale, Disney Cinderella also includes a lot of other interesting scenes and additions which make it even more fascinating a spectacle. And then of course, you have the unforgettable, award-winning songs, written by Tin Pan Alley, which every heart hums even now, such as "Cinderella" – sung by The Jud Conlon Chorus, "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" – sung by Cinderella herself, "Oh, Sing Sweet Nightingale" – by Drizella, Cinderella, "The Work Song" – by the Mice, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" – by The Fairy Godmother, and "So This Is Love" – by Cinderella and Prince Charming.

     The narration was done by Betty Lou Gerson, and the film starred Ilene Woods as Cinderella, Eleanor Audley as Lady Tremaine, Verna Felton as the Fairy Godmother, Rhoda Williams as Drizella, James MacDonald as Bruno, Gus, Jaques, and himself, Luis Van Rooten as the King and the Grand Duke, Don Barclay as the doorman, Mike Douglas as Prince Charming’s singing voice, William Phipps as Prince Charming himself, and Lucille Bliss as Anastasia, apart from many others who made the film worth watching as well as listening to.

     This film was, quite obviously, produced by Walt Disney, directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson, based on the novel by Charles Perrault, as mentioned above, and written by Ken Anderson, Perce Pearce, Homer Brightman, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Harry Reeves, Joe Rinaldi and Ted Sears. It was released for the first time on February 14th, 1950, and lasted seventy-two minutes.

     Disney Cinderella was and remains one of the best animated movies ever created in the history of this genre of movie-making, and in case you have not experienced this wonderful film in its fullest bloom, you ought to do so as soon as possible. Let the magic of this film sweep you away, into a world of colorful fantasy and enchanting fairy-tales.