Plot
When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.
Release Year: 2015
Rating: 7.7/10 (14,748 voted)
Critic's Score: 67/100
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden
Storyline
The story of "Cinderella" follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella into the family home. But when Ella's father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella since she used to work in the cinders, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words and to "have courage and be kind." She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her ...
Cast: Cate Blanchett -
Stepmother
Lily James -
Cinderella
Richard Madden -
Prince
Helena Bonham Carter -
Fairy Godmother
Nonso Anozie -
Captain
Stellan Skarsgård -
Grand Duke
Sophie McShera -
Drisella
Holliday Grainger -
Anastasia
Derek Jacobi -
King
Ben Chaplin -
Ella's Father
Hayley Atwell -
Ella's Mother
Rob Brydon -
Master Phineus
Jana Perez -
Princess Chelina of Zaragosa
Alex Macqueen -
Royal Crier
Tom Edden -
Lizard Footman
Filming Locations: Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Box Office Details
Budget: $95,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $67,877,361
(USA)
(13 March 2015)
Gross: $122,041,000
(USA)(20 March 2015)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Lily James sang her version of "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" and Helena Bonham Carter sang her version of the magic words "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" in this new film, both songs are made popular in the 1950 animated classic. See more »
Goofs:
After the proclamation of the king that all maidens shall try on the slipper in his search for the 'mystery princess' Cinderella addresses him as the prince when speaking with her stepmother. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 10/10
The story of Cinderella can be traced back to early Egypt, China,
France, Germany and many other countries from around the world. The
most well-known versions were written by Charles Perrault, Cendrillon,
and by the Brothers Grimm, Aschenputtel. There have been countless
film, television and stage adaptations of the iconic story, but the
most well-known adaptation is Walt Disney's 1950 animated film.
I first fell in love with Walt Disney's animated film when I was just
three-years-old. It was actually the first Disney film that I ever saw
as a child. I can still remember being captivated by the story and
singing along with the songs. It was as though a spell had been cast
upon me, but the magic never wore off at midnight. There were no words
to describe the level of excitement I had when I first found out that
Disney was developing a live-action film of the timeless story.
Tonight, I had the opportunity to attend an advance screening of the
upcoming live-action version of Walt's most beloved animated film. What
I enjoyed most about the latest "animation to live-action" treatment,
is that it's a relatively straightforward telling of the iconic story.
While Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent were re-imaginings, Cinderella
is retold respectfully for the new generation.
Lily James (Cinderella) and Richard Madden (Prince Charming) were
rightfully chosen for their iconic roles. Lily truly captured the true
essence of Cinderella's charm and beauty. Richard... those eyes...
ahem... was truly charming in every sense of the word. I loved the
chemistry between the Prince and Cinderella -- I don't think I've seen
such chemistry between two characters in a Disney film for a very long
time. It's very refreshing to see a fairy tale romance blossom!
Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine) and Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy
Godmother) were perfectly cast for their respective roles. Cate not
only brought a lot of depth to her character, but you could tell she
was enjoying the role as the malicious stepmother. Helena not only
brought a bit of comic relief to the film, but she was definitely fun
to watch -- although you can't help but wonder if Mrs. Weasley actually
zapped Bellatrix Lestrange into a parallel universe. Hmm?
I personally believe that Disney made the right decision to hire
Kenneth Barangh to direct the film and Chris Weitz to write the
screenplay. As I was watching the film on the big screen tonight, I
could tell that they both approached the story with deep understanding
and, most importantly, respect. I was genuinely relieved that it wasn't
ruined by some unnecessary "dark" and "edgy" plot twist. Phew!
I absolutely loved Patrick Doyle's score for the film and found it to
be quite fitting with the story. It was perfectly timed and it drew you
into the fairy tale world. I will definitely buy the soundtrack when
it's released next month. Sandy Powell's costumes, though silly at
times, were excellent. I don't think I've seen such beautiful designs
in one film since the Golden Age of Hollywood. I genuinely hope Sandy
will be nominated for an Oscar for those stunning costumes. Bravo!
The film itself is a visual marvel -- especially for the fairy tale
genre. I was truly swept away by the lavish sets that were designed by
Dante Ferretti. I don't think I've seen such a breath-taking production
since the late 1930's. The special effects were equally breath-taking,
with the dress transformation and the carriage-to-pumpkin scenes being
two of my favourite visual highlights. I'm genuinely happy that Disney
kept the magic alive in this film. Very impressive!
My only disappointment was the running time of the theatrical cut. I
personally believe that it should have been 10 minutes or 15 minutes
longer to flesh out the story more. The film flowed smoothly and didn't
feel rushed, but there were a number of scenes and dialogue that were,
unfortunately, left on the cutting room floor. Hopefully Disney will
release an extended cut, or include those deleted scenes on the home
media release. You hear me, Disney?!
Despite my issue with the running time, I genuinely believe that Disney
did something right with their latest live-action film. While most
people were probably expecting a sword-wielding action hero, I'm happy
that Disney treated their most beloved character with the uttermost
care and respect. The story of Cinderella is very personal to each
person who has felt like the underdog, but managed to rise like a
Phoenix from the ashes in the end. If Walt Disney were alive today, I'm
sure he would be proud to see his most treasured little savior be
retold to the new generation in a beautiful and charming way. Bravo!
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