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IF there’s one tale that has been told more times than any other, Cinderella surely has to be it. It’s so well known that each cinematic iteration has to try something different to freshen it up to avoid acute boredom.
Yet here we are, with Cinderella: Version #468, which again shifts focus from its predecessors and tries to shake things up by … going back to basics and being as pure a Cinderella telling as can be.
Director Kenneth Branagh, who has made a career out of revitalising tried-and-tested tales with his wonderful Shakespearean adaptions, does not try to make Cinderella: With Added Bells and Whistles, this is a straight-up retelling, with the obvious jump to live-action as opposed to animation being the only major difference.
However, although this might be seen as a negative, it’s actually a good thing. Seeing the world and characters brought to life in such a bright and vibrant way with 21st century technology makes for pleasant and relaxing viewing, with the costume and set design being particularly stunning.
The original Disney feature was a fantastic artistic feat for its time, but nothing in 1950 could match the grandeur of 2015’s walking, talking animals, magnificent pumpkin carriage and flowing, effervescent gowns.
It is clearly the Disney classic which is the main influence here, with Branagh painting a dreamy, flamboyant landscape. Hope and optimism abounds in the kingdom, and any darker or corruptible suggestions are quickly snuffed out with magic and sickly-sweet love. There’s one gooey-eyed encounter between Cinderella and Prince Charming too many, and definitely two too many exaggerated hair swishes, but this has never been a tale for subtlety.
There’ll be no Into The Woods-esque amputating of toes to make feet fit glass slippers, that’s for sure.
There is absolutely no need for me to rehash a plot synopsis of such a staple of folklore, so I’ll just throw out a few key words and enjoy the adulation of my editor for successfully controlling the word count this week.
Poor girl. Evil step-family. Fairy Godmother. Ball. Preposterously pretty prince. Mushy-mushy stuff. Midnight. Slipper. Done!
What I did like about the plot was that Branagh spent a decent chunk of the opening focussing on Cate Blanchett’s Lady Tremaine (‘evil stepmother’ to most of you) and her motivations behind her cruelties towards Cinderella. It’s something that hasn’t been explored before, at least in versions I’ve seen, and it was nice to see her character given depth and complexity.
Although still inherently a bad person, and outright nasty at times, having her painted in shades of grey and almost eliciting sympathy is a welcome change from the strict black-and-white portrayal of heroes and villains in classic Disney fare. Her humanisation is the best part of the movie, and complemented by great acting, makes her the story’s most compelling character.
In a similar vein, while to his detriment I still can’t see past Robb Stark in Madden’s portrayal of Prince Charming, the character was given a moral centre and his relationship with his dying father heightens his wish for happiness and stability. He isn’t just a handsome face existing as a pure form of idealism for the young maidens, both inside the screen and outside of it.
Helena Bonham Carter is a great fairy godmother, almost unrecognisable at first thanks to a large set of false teeth and a flowing blonde mane so far removed from her usual quirky, gothic roles. Embracing her role with her usual unabashed eccentricity, she makes the magic happen in a believable fashion.
This is no doubt a movie aimed at youngsters, in particular young girls probably closer to 10 than 20, but there’s something here for everyone. Cinderella and Prince Charming are too saccharine sweet, which will no doubt leave anybody past the stage of having crushes to roll their eyes with vigour. However, and with particular emphasis on Cinderella’s stepmother, Branagh maintains the essence of the original story, while incorporating elements and themes previously untapped in this most well-trod of narratives.
And somebody should tell Cinderella that marrying this guy might not be the wisest idea …
