Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgard, Sophie Mcshera, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell, Nonso Anozie, Eloise Webb
Rating: B+
Who would have thought that four mice, two lizards, a goose and a pumpkin carrying off a beautiful young girl to meet the man of her dreams would become one of the most lovable fairy tales of all time? The Disney animated classic Cinderella is being brought back to life in a live action contemporary film version directed by Kenneth Branagh. This delightful new rendition of the famed fable will make for a magical and whimsical experience for all to enjoy. A film that could have been an over-the-top mushy mess is instead handled with care and the end result is just a good old fashioned love story that will do justice to the classic story.
The film opens with 10 year old Ella (Eloise Webb) living the picture perfect life with her mother (Hayley Atwell) and father (Ben Chaplin) at their beautiful home nestled in the scenic countryside. Sadly, Ella’s mother gets ill and her parting wish is to teach her daughter to “have courage and be kind” – words that would become Ella’s mantra throughout the film. Ella is left to take care of her windowed father and the two build a life together as Ella (Lily James) grows into a young a woman.
Ella’s father wants another chance at happiness and that is when things at the country manor change drastically. Into their lives come Lady Termaine (Cate Blanchett) and her two spoiled annoying silly daughters Drisella (Sophie Mcshera) and Anastasia (Holliday Grainger). At first Ella is excited to have a stepmother and two sisters, but tragedy strikes again and her father dies. Ella’s life takes another drastic turn as her new family turns her into their own personal house maid, forcing Ella to wait on them hand and foot. One fine day, the triple threat notice ash from the fireplace all over Ella’s face and with official rudeness and cruelty give her the title Cinderella.
On a sunny afternoon Cinderella rides off into the forest where she runs into a handsome young stranger who introduces himself to her as Kit (Richard Madden). The lass is totally unaware that Kit is actually a prince and heir to the throne. After their encounter, the prince cannot get the girl in the forest out of his mind. He agrees with his father, the king, to hold a ball so that he can choose a wife under the condition that all maidens in the land are invited to the royal gala. The prince hopes that his mystery lady will show up so he can find out her true identity.
Lady Termaine is giddy with excitement at the thought that one of her daughters could snag the prince, making her a very wealthy and powerful woman. The two bumbling stepsisters and their wicked mother are off to the ball, but not before preventing Cinderella from attending. That is when fairy godmother (Helen Bonham Carter) steps in and works her magic seeing to it that Cinderella goes to the ball and meets her prince… and of course we all know how the story ends after that.
Lily James, with her abnormally tiny waist, brings an airy fresh breeze to the role of Cinderella and pulls off the gentle and slightly mischievous heroine with ease. Cast perfectly in the role of the prince, Richard Madden is simply dreamy with his piercing blue eyes and wide smile making him a very dashing prince. James and Madden will capture the hearts of all romantics during a ballroom scene as they float across the dance floor in a dream like sequence that will make almost anyone wish for a chance at true love.
Sophie Mcshera and Holliday Grainger bring the ridiculousness of their characters to life and one can’t help but laugh at the two empty headed self-absorbed stepsisters. Helen Bonham Carter singing out “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo” is a ton of fun as the glammed-up fairy godmother. Bringing a big punch to the film is the wonderful Cate Blanchett who is deliciously evil in her role as the mean stepmother. Only Blanchett could deliver lines filled with venom so elegantly making her character the one you love to hate.
Cinderella is filled with opulent majestic scenes of the royal palace. The palace staging is luxurious grandeur on overload making it a feast for the eyes. One of the best moments in the film is when Cinderella makes her entrance into the ballroom, walks down the massive stair case, and accepts the first dance with the prince. The visual imagery of this moment and when the couple starts dancing is simply breathtaking. Another heart pounding moment in the film is when the fairy godmother waves her magic wand and transforms mice into elegant white horses, lizards into regal footmen, an unsuspecting goose into a coachman, and a pumpkin into a golden carriage. The CGI effects are seamless and will almost make you believe that this is possible. Equally stunning is when, at the stroke of midnight, everything reverts back to as it was.
The costume design is very avant-garde giving the film the feel of the era around the 1800s. Cate Blanchett got to wear some amazing outfits but her wardrobe made her look more like she belongs in the time period of the 1940s. Despite the mismatched look, Blanchett still looked amazing and her stylized closet totally fit the character she was portraying. Needless to say the gown Lily James flaunts through the palace was spectacular.
The animated mice, goose and lizards made interesting companions for Cinderella. The damsel in distress takes great pleasure in talking with her little friends and it would’ve been nice to see a little more interaction and charter development from the small creatures that could have made them more believable characters. The same could be said for Cinderella’s relationship with her two nutty stepsisters. The film could have expanded more on the dynamics of the sibling rivalry making the relationship between the three even more powerful.
For the most part this recent film version of Cinderella is just the right dose of razzle dazzle that will cast a spell on anyone watching, making this fairy tale with a happy ending an enchanting little treasure for many years to come.
