Cinderella (2015 Live-Action Film)

For the discussion of the live-action remake of Walt Disney's Cinderella (1950). I know this is beloved by a great many Disney fans. The costumes are definitely divine for the most part.

Everytime I rewatch this movie, I fall in love with it even more. Every heartbeat of this film is filled with love and care and I have not seen any modern blockbuster movie with a more wonderful message than "have courage and be kind" (besides Wonder with its message of "choose kind." Truly one of the greatest films Disney has made in the last decade (although that may not be saying much lol).

Wow, I really love what you said jeangrey. I was thinking recently, this film is made with so much love, it's like they wanted to put love in every scene. I think.that's why at times it comes off, to me, as sickeningly sweet. Mainly in Ella's childhood. But it's still a great film. I'll even call it a masterpiece just because I love it so much, haha. It's like the full story of Cinderella. They took the time to put in everything and the kitchen sink!

Thank you for saying something positive about the film, Disney's Divinity. The costumes are pretty much my favorite part!

I'm glad you liked what I said. I've never understood the complaints about her childhood being too happy. When I look at the comments for the extended opening on YouTube, I see the same criticism that nobody is that happy growing up and it's unrealistic. I just can't fathom why people find it so hard to believe that there are families out there who truly had an idyllic life, particularly in a fairy tale. It makes sense to show as much happiness as possible then to contrast what her life ends up as when her stepfamily enters the picture.

Whenever I am in the mood to watch something that feels comfortable and like home, this is usually the movie. Particularly the more magical scenes like the ball scene or when Ella first meets Kit. There are some scenes that I find so emotional now that I actually don't find myself rewatching the movie as much as I would expect because of those specific scenes. I know you said you felt Lily James could never emote enough to make you cry or feel anything, but her performance here has always emotionally affected me. First, when she breaks down after being given the name Cinderella and rides off into the forest, then when her dress is torn (even if the animated version does this better), and finally right at the very end of the movie when she's coming down to meet Kit after everyone has discovered her true identity. Only recently has that final scene really touched me, particularly when Lady Tremaine grabs Ella's arm at the last second and reminds her what a "wretch" she is and how the prince will never accept her. I never really paid attention that much to this scene or the Fairy Godmother's dialogue about how the most frightening and bravest thing any human may ever have to do is put themselves fully out there, with no pretenses, in front of someone they love in the hopes they will be accepted. With all the times I've seen this film, it was only on my last viewing that I finally understood what the Fairy Godmother meant with this and truly how afraid and defeated Ella must have been, fearing deep down that the prince will never accept her just like her stepmother claims, but she still has to take a chance and be brave enough to show who she truly is. Which is also why when she introduces herself, she uses the name "Cinderella" instead of "Ella," something I remember some people were confused by or criticized. Now, I think Ella's choice to let the prince know she is "Cinderella" makes perfect sense because she's showing him the basest part of herself, letting him know about all the drudgeries and horrors she's put up with to see if he will truly accept this part of her and not just the beautiful princess she came across as at the ball.

Wow. Wow. I love everything you said. But, unfortunately for me, I don't know what it is, but I just don't get the emotional feels from this film. I did used to feel a little sad at the sad parts, but it wore off. And it's actually not the happiness of Ella's childhood that bothers me, it's just that I don't like the parts with Ella's father. They just don't come off as good or emotional for me. It doesn't help I think he is the worst actor in the film. If it weren't for him and when he dances with Ella, I probably wouldn't be so bothered.

Someone also said that even though it's true that being seen as your true self does take...courage (have courage and be kind!), Cinderella is really a perfect person and pretty much would be the ideal princess if she just had noble birth. So I don't feel that effected by that aspect, either, although what you said about her telling the Prince she is "Cinderella" does make sense, and that part has never bothered me. But what I love is that that scene, from Cinderella saying "You have never been, and you never will be my mother" to the end really makes you feel the romance between Ella and Kit. And it is that that I always enjoy and am so happy the film has.

You've seen so many Cinderella adaptations that perhaps this one doesn't have as much of an emotional effect on you because you've seen some of the scenes so many times and found them superior in other versions. It was easy for me because I've only seen the Disney adaptations of Cinderella or the teenage ones. I actually agree though that I don't care too much for the actor who played Ella's father. I don't think he was terribly bad but nothing about his casting really grabs me. It also doesn't help that I watched a movie he did when he was young with Nicole Kidman and it was so far off from his character in Cinderella that it's sorta tainted him for me lol.

I think the idea is that we all look at Cinderella and see her as a perfect person but she definitely doesn't feel that way. Whenever you have someone who has been abused for so long (and this would make more sense with the animated version since she's been abused for almost a full decade), no matter what good qualities they actually possess, they're not going to recognize that. They only know what they've been told on a daily basis by their abusers and they firmly believe that and I think the idea is that Ella has also experienced so much heartbreak and torment from her stepfamily that she truly believes what they're saying about her too. Like when the Fairy Godmother's narration mentions that names are powerful things and when Ella was branded Cinderella, she began to believe herself to be Cinderella and thus unworthy. So I think from her POV, no matter how we look at her, it makes sense that she would feel transformed by that name and think of herself for the worst. I also adore that line you mentioned when she tells Lady Tremaine that she is not her mother. A very powerful line.

Hmm...I don't know if it's because I've seen so many adaptations, but maybe! It's too bad that actor is tainted for you. Oh well, we both would prefer a different one cast.

I think you are right that Ella feels she may be unworthy of the Prince because of her background and treatment, but I don't think they built it into the movie very well. She doesn't seem to feel like trash because of what they say, I feel like she goes riding into the woods to feel better, and then Kit makes her feel even better, and she feels she can go to the ball in her mother's dress, and the Prince wanted her there, so I don't really feel like that aspect of Ella feeling so unworthy...well I guess it just isn't there for me. However, what you said is a really good idea and if if is in the film, that really makes it great. I am glad we agree about that line, though.

Although I'm not sure who I would cast as the father then.

I think her statement to the prince when they meet in the forest when she's asked how she's treated and she says "as well as they can" or something like that can kinda imply that not only is she referring to the behavior of her stepfamily and how this is the best side of them already but also how they're treating her exactly how she deserves to be treated. You're right that it's kinda inconsistent but I think it mostly manifests at the end when she's sorta given up after being locked in the attic and remains content with keeping the prince safe from her stepmother. At that point, especially with Lady Tremaine's last remark to her, I can see it.

Yes, I don't know who I would cast.

Hmmm...I feel like when Ella says, "As well as they are able" she means they are not able to be kind, even though she deserves kindness. Otherwise, I do agree with the rest of your post. If only the film was consistent.

Thanks for putting the exact line. I usually remember that line but I didn't for some reason when I was writing my post. I think your take on it is the one that is more accurate and what I agree with, that she's just referring to the fact that her stepfamily aren't capable of treating her any better than they already do, but I think there's enough wiggle room there to interpret it also as she feels she isn't deserving enough of kindness based on her tone and line delivery.

Hmm...you know, maybe you are right. Her delivery could go with my interpretation or yours, I think.

I wish I didn"t have depression, because then I think I would enjoy this film even more. But, despite that, I actually have started watching it at my friends' place one night almost every week when they are asleep, and just walk around and think about stuff while occasionally looking at the screen when my favorite parts come on!

I also wish you weren't suffering from depression because I believe you wouldn't find this movie to be soulless then. That's really great though that you've been watching it one night almost every week at your friends' place. Is there a specific reason you put this movie on instead of any other?

I actually watched the film last night and Ella says "They treat me as well as they are able" with a smile, so I feel she kind of feels pity for her stepfamily not being able to act better and she is also kind of laughing off their treatment of her. I don't think she believes she is a ragged servant girl there.

For the Cinderellas I watch at night, I put on the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella because it's one of the best Cinderellas and it's also on my Amazon Prime library on my friend's TV. I like to imagine how that movie could be better as I watch it, while thinking of how to make my Cinderella graphic novel better (I don't think you know yet, I am changing my book back to a graphic novel!). I put on the 2015 Disney Cinderella to watch as the best version to watch just walking around thinking of other stuff. Because it's so good, but not the 1950 one good.

I did love it (and bought a necklace with her glass slipper on it when it came out, which I've sadly now lost) and it's definitely the most faithful remake I've seen. It works because you can tell as someone else said that the creators truly LIKE the source material. Some other remakes... they don't seem to particularly like the movies they're remaking or especially the princess they're changing. But you can see the very same lovable qualities in Ella that audiences liked in the original girl, with the same themes of love and inner strength too. Giving the mice smaller roles and fleshing out Charming as well as his relationship with Ella worked enormously well too. I wish they had kept the godmother as a grandmotherly figure but Helena's still works.

My only problems with it are 1) the remake kind of suggests new Ella is smarter when that's not really the case at all (and I don't mean to say she's dumb) and 2) I didn't really think her reasoning to stay made a lot of sense. In the original, Cinderella would be homeless and in a worse situation if she left because women simply had few resources. In this one, Ella has tons of friends to support her, and her excuse for remaining in a miserable home is that it's where she grew up.

Disney Dusty wrote:

I actually watched the film last night and Ella says "They treat me as well as they are able" with a smile, so I feel she kind of feels pity for her stepfamily not being able to act better and she is also kind of laughing off their treatment of her. I don't think she believes she is a ragged servant girl there.

For the Cinderellas I watch at night, I put on the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella because it's one of the best Cinderellas and it's also on my Amazon Prime library on my friend's TV. I like to imagine how that movie could be better as I watch it, while thinking of how to make my Cinderella graphic novel better (I don't think you know yet, I am changing my book back to a graphic novel!). I put on the 2015 Disney Cinderella to watch as the best version to watch just walking around thinking of other stuff. Because it's so good, but not the 1950 one good.

I'll have to rewatch that scene again soon so I can see how I interpret it this time. If she's smiling, then it feels like she is taunting her stepfamily kinda like the scene in the original movie when she talks about interrupting the music lesson to the mice.

How exciting that you're turning your book back to a graphic novel! I think it will benefit from sumptuous visuals. Your reasonings are sound and make perfect sense as to why you picked certain Cinderellas.

OnTheMoonAtLast wrote:

I did love it (and bought a necklace with her glass slipper on it when it came out, which I've sadly now lost) and it's definitely the most faithful remake I've seen. It works because you can tell as someone else said that the creators truly LIKE the source material. Some other remakes... they don't seem to particularly like the movies they're remaking or especially the princess they're changing. But you can see the very same lovable qualities in Ella that audiences liked in the original girl, with the same themes of love and inner strength too. Giving the mice smaller roles and fleshing out Charming as well as his relationship with Ella worked enormously well too. I wish they had kept the godmother as a grandmotherly figure but Helena's still works.

My only problems with it are 1) the remake kind of suggests new Ella is smarter when that's not really the case at all (and I don't mean to say she's dumb) and 2) I didn't really think her reasoning to stay made a lot of sense. In the original, Cinderella would be homeless and in a worse situation if she left because women simply had few resources. In this one, Ella has tons of friends to support her, and her excuse for remaining in a miserable home is that it's where she grew up.

I have a glass slipper charm from the Disney Movie Club for this movie. Although it looks more like the animated glass slipper than the live-action one. I remember hearing once how Cinderella was one of the only Disney remakes where they didn't trashtalk or belittle the original movie. There definitely seems to be a trend where the Disney remakes that aren't disrespectful to the originals tend to be better-received and of higher quality than the ones that feel the need to "fix" every little thing. I was very pleased with Ella and Kit's relationship in this movie since the original doesn't give us much to work with because of the prince's limited screentime.

What do you think in the remake suggests that Ella is supposed to be smarter than the old one? In the remake, they explain that the reason Ella doesn't leave the house and find work with the former servants is because she made a promise to her mother to protect their family home (although like many said, I'm sure her mother would rather she feel safe and happy anywhere else than abused at her family home). There's a lot of emphasis on her home here so I can sorta buy it.

Wow OnTheMoonAtLast, I really agree with almost everything you said!

The "I made a promise to love my home" and "It's where I grew up" ideas are complicated because it's bad to live somewhere you are abused just for those reasons, however, I can see Ella having an emotional attachment to her home. I think the reasons work, but the best reason to not leave is still the original's, in that it was her best option.

The only thing, Moon, I also have a question about is how this Ella is supposed to be smarter, or intended to be, in this film than Cinderella in the 1950 one?

Thank you for saying that about my graphic novel jeangrey! I can't wait to show it to you when it's done, or sneak peek it to you!

Disney Dusty wrote:

Wow OnTheMoonAtLast, I really agree with almost everything you said!

The "I made a promise to love my home" and "It's where I grew up" ideas are complicated because it's bad to live somewhere you are abused just for those reasons, however, I can see Ella having an emotional attachment to her home. I think the reasons work, but the best reason to not leave is still the original's, in that it was her best option.

The only thing, Moon, I also have a question about is how this Ella is supposed to be smarter, or intended to be, in this film than Cinderella in the 1950 one?

Thank you for saying that about my graphic novel jeangrey! I can't wait to show it to you when it's done, or sneak peek it to you!

I'm in agreement with you that I think the motivation to stay because she loves her home so much for all the happy family memories there is kinda weak but it can work. However, the animated movie did a better job with this since she's been living there as an abused servant since she was a child. I know some classics fans who love the animated movie but could not take the live-action remake seriously because they felt it was ludicrous that a grown woman, who has only been living with her stepfamily a few months at most, would decide to spend the rest of her life there and continue to be abused. They felt that the animated version makes sense because half her life has been spent like this and as an impressionable child, she'd remain trapped in that life whereas live-action Ella seemed to have more options.

Of course, I'm glad you're still working on it and can't wait to see the finished product!

Yeah. I agree with all you said jeangrey! I'll just say both films work for me in why Cinderella becomes a servant. And stays.