Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #12: Cinderella (1950)

By Munir Abedrabbo.

Make Sure You've Read: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Silver Age (Part 1) Introduction

Cinderella represented a huge gamble for the Disney studio. After a decade that didn't turn a profit, Walt desperately needed a hit to keep the studio afloat. In order to do so, he returned to fairy tales (something that proved successful with Snow White) and, as usual invested a lot of his own talent and funds to make it. The result was not only a huge hit at the time, but a movie that is still fondly remembered even now. Cinderella is pure Disney formula: a damsel in distress, a heinous villain, a handsome prince, cute animals aides and a little magical help. Many cynics have scorned this and criticised the film for not being remarkable enough, but I think what's remarkable about it is how well executed all these traditional elements are. This film proves once more that Walt Disney was a master storyteller and it's another bright spot in his enormous legacy. Rating: 4.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #13 Review: Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Related posts: Animation Essays - Disney at War, and the Importance of Cinderella