Disney’s live adaptation of the classic story of Cinderella was a magical and enchanting movie. The production was a beautiful work of both art and literature. In my opinion, the cast consisted of many great actors who suited their roles. The young and innocent “Ella” (Cinderella’s real name) is played by a young actress Eloise Webb, who fits the role of an innocent young girl very well. English actress Lily James plays Cinderella as a woman, and the young, attractive, blonde-haired Englishwoman portrayed the character of Cinderella perfectly. Cate Blanchett plays the evil stepmother. Her angular facial features and rather menacing eyes help to amplify the sense of fear she induces. These are just some of the characters in the movie.
The setting of the movie was very well depicted and had the true feeling of a European kingdom. The occasional use of the French language in the movie is likely a reference to the original story by French writer Charles Perrault. I like the fact that the actors were mostly English and had English accents which further amplified the sense of a European kingdom, unlike the 1950s animated version of Cinderella where she has an American accent, which did not feel right to me. The physical design such as the detailed architecture of the houses, and objects from the 1800s such as the Baroque harpsichord, all made the setting in time more realistic.
There is plenty of symbolism in the movie such as the colour blue, which seems to represent goodness. Blue is the colour of Cinderella’s ball gown, Prince Charming’s eyes, the birds flying free in the sky, and the magical sparkles made by the fairy godmother. There is also much symbolism in the eyes of the characters. The eyes of the stepmother are similar to the eyes of the lizardmen, which could mean that the stepmother is being compared to an animal, due to her inhumane behaviour.
This movie revolves around the theme of kindness, represented by Cinderella who is shown to be kind throughout the movie, all the way till the end where she forgives her stepmother. Her mother’s last words to her were also “have courage and be kind’. This movie also shows the materialistic nature of humans, as shown when both the king and the evil stepmother wanted their children to marry for social status and money, not love. It also shows how greed can put people in delusion.
Written in 2015
Age: 15
