What’s it About
Confined to slavish housework by her cruel stepmother (Audley) and two ugly stepsisters, sweet, impoverished Cinderella (Woods) dreams of attending a cotillion hosted by Prince Charming (Phipps). Just when all hope seems lost, a Fairy Godmother grants Cinderella her heart’s desire, outfitting her with a ball gown, pumpkin coach, and glass slippers. The only catch is, she must be home by midnight, before the spell wears off.
Why we love it
Even after over 60 years, “Cinderella” remains an enchanting milestone of Disney storytelling, with splendid animation, vibrant color, and marvelous songs to complement the rags-to-riches, Charles Perrault-inspired storyline. Woods voices Cinderella with delicate charm, Phipps gives his Prince plenty of suave charisma, and Audley, as the wicked Stepmother, is an appropriately nasty piece of work. With a horde of ebullient animal characters like Jacques and Gus-Gus, “Cinderella” is the perfect dinner date for kids and wistful adults. Song highlight: “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.”