What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is a classic that families
can enjoy together. Little ones may be upset by the wicked
stepsisters and stepmom. In today's world of blended families,
it might also be worth discussing that not all step-parents and
siblings are mean. Even children who are living with intact
families of origin may need to hear this so that they will not
worry about their friends.
While the story has enduring appeal, many people are troubled by the passive heroine, who meekly accepts her abusive situation and waits to be rescued, first by her godmother and then by the Prince. It's worth discussing, with both boys and girls, what some of her alternatives could have been ("If you were Cinderella, would you do what that mean lady told you?"), and making sure that they have some exposure to stories with heroines who save themselves.
Families who see this movie could talk about these questions: Why does Cinderella do what her stepmother says? What could she have done instead? Why is the King so worried about whether the Prince will get married? If you had a fairy godmother, what would you like her to do for you? Or would you like to be a fairy godmother? Whose wish would you grant?
Common Sense Media Review
The classic fairy tale by Charles Perrault is lovingly and
imaginatively brought to life in this animated Disney version,
also a classic. Cinderella, a sweet, docile, and beautiful girl
forced to act as a servant for her mean stepmother and
stepsisters, goes to the ball with the help of her fairy
godmother. But her godmother warns that the beautiful coach and
gown will only last until midnight. Cinderella meets the Prince
at the ball, and they share a romantic dance. But when the
clock begins to strike midnight, she runs away, leaving behind
one of her glass slippers. The Prince declares he will marry
the girl whose foot fits that slipper. He finds her, and they
live happily ever after.
Disney expanded the simple story with vivid and endearing characters and memorable songs. The animation is gorgeously detailed and inventive. In one musical number, as the stepsisters squawk their way through their singing lesson in another room, Cinderella sings sweetly as she scrubs the floor, reflected in dozens of soap bubbles.
When Cinderella asks if she can go to the ball, her stepmother tells her she can, if she can make an appropriate dress. She then keeps Cinderella much too busy to have time to make the dress. But Cinderella's friends, the mice and birds, make one for her in another delightful musical number. As the fairy godmother sings "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo," she transforms a pumpkin into a coach, the mice into horses, the horse into a coachman, and finally, Cinderella's rags into a magnificent ballgown. The scene when the Duke comes looking for the girl whose foot will fit the glass slipper is very suspenseful and highly satisfying.
This story has been told many times, and families might enjoy seeing sme of the other versions, including "Cinderfella," with Jerry Lewis as the title character and Ed Wynn as his fairy godfather. The made-for- television musical version starring Leslie Ann Warren, with songs by Rogers and Hammerstein, and the remake with Brandi and Whitney Houston are available on DVD and well worth watching. Drew Barrymore's revisionist Ever After gives us a spirited Cinderella who rescues herself.
Kids might be amused to hear that Cinderella's most famous accessory is the result of a mistake. In the original French story, her slipper was made of fur. But a mistranslation in the first English version described it as glass, and it has stayed that way ever since.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
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