Even though we all know the story of Cinderella, I don't want anyone to open the rest of this post and get upset, SO the intention of this blog is to go over the new Disney's Cinderella!
Daniel and I saw Cinderella last Friday, and I must say it is a MUST SEE. Of course there are going to be some cheesy parts in it because it's a romance about love at first sight (ish), but dads and brothers, it is worth watching! (Especially for both the father-daughter relationship AND the father-son relationship)
First, Cinderella showed the dynamics of a loving and healthy family relationship before Ella is orphaned. Although the first quarter of the movie is cheerful and endearing, it is when the mother dies that epitomizes the family's attitude towards life and love. As her mother dies, she tells Ella "Have Courage. Be Kind" which becomes Ella's mantra throughout the difficulties that her life brings: including her father's frequent departures.
When Ella's father announces his desire to marry, Ella at first looks to the ground, but otherwise she was very adamant about wanting her father to be happy. Although it had to have been at least five years since her mother died, it would have been nice for the audience's sake to have a little more happen between the mother's death and the father's engagement. The mother was kind of awesome (and they did a great job casting the mother daughter look alikes)
Now. We all know what happens when the stepmother and stepsisters arrive, and this is where I say kudos to Disney. Ella is obviously rubbed the wrong way by these new women, but she continues having a positive attitude. While this may seem like every other Cinderella movie, Disney does a few things that make this Ella different and more admirable than most Cinderellas, but first a few details.
It doesn't take long though for Ella to realize that the new women in her life have made her less than human. Stepmother insists that Ella calls her Madam rather than Stepmother. She has her do petty things and knocks things over just to see if she will pick them up. What truly makes her realize that they have gone too far though is when they call her "Cinder"Ella. (Which leads her to meeting the prince, but we'll get to that in a second).
Don't worry, it explains why Ella allows the stepmother and sister to treat her so. (REASON NUMBER 1) She does so for two reasons. Her mother's last words keep Ella going and remind her what is important, and her father's love is an example for Ella of what true love looks like. Also, Ella is so struck with grief that she uses the chores that the stepmother gives her as a distraction from her father's sudden and heart-wrenching death rather than wallowing in self-pity.
REASON NUMBER 2: SHE IS HUMAN. This girl isn't perfect. (although she is pretty good) She has trouble dealing with the cruelness of these women. It doesn't just come naturally for her. She cries (sometimes a bit dramatically), and she doesn't enjoy being treated the way she is and just go about singing and playing with mice like everything is okay. She isn't oblivious to how the women are treating her. She even spitefully says to the Stepmother towards the end, that she never was her mother (which is true but still...not kind). There are a few other places where she almost stands up for herself, but mostly she just reminds herself: Have Courage. Be Kind.
When Ella meets the Prince, this is really where virtue starts getting more obvious. Ella meets the Prince and not only tells him her mother's mantra, but she says that just because things are a certain way doesn't mean they should be. Ella is very aware of the world and how love is a necessary and beneficial virtue even when it is unreciprocated. She has seen the cruelties and experienced the ultimate joys. What drives her is love, and that is conveyed better in this movie version of Cinderella in comparison to any other I have seen so far.
Through this working of love, there is also an element of faith that is addressed. Ella's mother teaches her about magic and fairy godmothers, and although this is not about God specifically, the idea of faith keeping someone going is a Christian notion. The magic that is in Ella's world is fostered by Ella's love and her parents' love for her, and when the fairy godmother appears, Ella is given the opportunity to love in a very sad moment. Although this scene felt a little bit like a "virtue rewarded" sort of idea, Ella was incredibly grateful and did not necessarily feel entitled to such gracious treatment. (The scene was also hilarious which was fantastic).
That being said, for anyone who is super thrilled now to see Cinderella, I will say it was not my favorite depiction of the prince. Unlike Ever After (a Drew Barrymore Cinderella story which is a little darker and has better character development of both "Cinderella," "Prince Charming," the stepsisters, and "the fairy godmother"), the relationship between Ella and Kit (the Prince) consists only of two meetings before they are engaged. Thus, there is not a lot of time to develop his character or their relationship. While it is admirable that the Prince is smitten with Ella because she is so different and charming, this does not really say much for him. HOWEVER the relationship between him and his father is most endearing and definitely demonstrates his ability to love and do what he believes is right rather than blindly doing what is expected.
Overall, the movie was comical but with serious moral lessons. My favorite part of all was when Kit finds Ella in her home, and they are about to leave her childhood home together. Ella turns around and sees her Stepmother on the stairs watching them leave, and Ella says three very loving very difficult words: "I forgive you." The Stepmother then sinks to the ground and watches in defeat as the girl she loathed leaves. What was nice too was that the Stepmother's loathing did not go unexplained (unlike the stepsisters who are just dumb). She loathed her because Ella understood and lived a love that the Stepmother never understood, received, or gave.
Disney's Cinderella is a story of love - not necessarily about romance - but about how to love your enemy, how to love yourself no matter what others may say about you and how to love life despite the obstacles. Despite the cheesy moments and some characters who could've been developed better, the virtue taught in Cinderella and the familial relationships (especially paternal) make the movie a must see. (It's also a very colorful movie which is a plus ;)
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