Cinderella (1950)

Directors:

Clyde Geronimi
Wilfred Jackson
(more)

Writers:

Charles Perrault (original classic fairytale)
Bill Peet (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 March 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The greatest love story ever told. (1957 reissue)

Plot:

When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq, and from her Fairy Godmother.

Plot Keywords:

Cinderella | Ball | Fairy Godmother | Fairy Tale | Midnight

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ilene Woods	...	Cinderella (voice)
Eleanor Audley	...	Lady Tremaine (voice)
Verna Felton	...	Fairy Godmother (voice)
Rhoda Williams	...	Drizella (voice)
James MacDonald	...	Bruno / Gus / Jaques (voice) (as James Macdonald)
Luis Van Rooten	...	King / Grand Duke (voice)
Don Barclay	...	Doorman (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lucille Bliss	...	Anastasia (voice) (uncredited)
Marion Darlington	...	Birds (voice) (uncredited)
Mike Douglas	...	Prince Charming (singing voice) (uncredited)
June Foray	...	Lucifer (voice) (uncredited)
Betty Lou Gerson	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Earl Keen	...	Bruno (voice) (uncredited)
Clint McCauley	...	Mouse (voice) (uncredited)
William Phipps	...	Prince Charming (voice) (uncredited)
Thurl Ravenscroft	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
Helen Seibert	...	Mouse (voice) (uncredited)
Jeffrey Stone	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
June Sullivan	...	Mouse (voice) (uncredited)
Lucille Williams	...	Perla - a Mouse (voice) (uncredited)
John Woodbury	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Clyde Geronimi
Wilfred Jackson
Hamilton Luske

Writing credits
Charles Perrault		(original classic fairytale)
Bill Peet		(story) (as William Peed) &
Erdman Penner		(story) &
Ted Sears		(story) &
Winston Hibler		(story) &
Homer Brightman		(story) &
Harry Reeves		(story) &
Ken Anderson		(story) (as Kenneth Anderson) &
Joe Rinaldi		(story)

Produced by
Amy J. Bailey	....	line producer: Lowry Digital Images (restored version) (as Amy Bailey)
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Paul J. Smith		(uncredited)
Oliver Wallace		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Donald Halliday

Production Management
David Candiff	....	post-production manager (restored version)
Ben Sharpsteen	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Holoboff	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Larry Lansburgh	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Ted Sebern	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert O. Cook	....	sound recordist
Erik Flockoi	....	sound recordist: restoration (restored version)
Andreas K. Meyer	....	sound restoration: Sony Music Studios (restored version)
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration (restored version)
Keith Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration (restored version)
C.O. Slyfield	....	sound director
Harold J. Steck	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Jack Boyd	....	effects animator
Rachel Clement	....	restoration artist: restoration (restored version)
Ub Iwerks	....	special processes
April McMorris	....	digital producer: restoration (restored version)
Joshua Meador	....	effects animator (as Josh Meador)
George Rowley	....	effects animator
Bruce Tauscher	....	digital color timing supervisor: restoration (restored version)

Animation Department
Hal Ambro	....	character animator
Dick Anthony	....	background artist
Mary Blair	....	color and styling
Tim Campbell	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
Fox Carney	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
Les Clark	....	directing animator
Claude Coats	....	color and styling
Tom Codrick	....	layout artist
Merle Cox	....	background artist
Don DaGradi	....	color and styling (as Don da Gradi)
Marc Davis	....	directing animator
Phil Duncan	....	character animator
Doug Engalla	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
Norman Ferguson	....	directing animator (as Norm Ferguson)
Hugh Fraser	....	character animator
Don Griffith	....	layout artist
Ann Hansen	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
John Hench	....	color and styling
Hugh Hennesy	....	layout artist
Ray Huffine	....	background artist
Ralph Hulett	....	background artist
Ollie Johnston	....	directing animator
Milt Kahl	....	directing animator
Tamara Khalaf	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
Ward Kimball	....	directing animator
Hal King	....	character animator
Eric Larson	....	directing animator
John Lounsbery	....	directing animator
Don Lusk	....	character animator
Brice Mack	....	background artist
Fred Moore	....	character animator
George Nicholas	....	character animator
Lance Nolley	....	layout artist
Cliff Nordberg	....	character animator
Ken O'Brien	....	character animator
Kendall O'Connor	....	layout artist (as A. Kendall O'Connor)
Charles Philippi	....	layout artist
Vivian G. Procopio	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version) (as Vivian Procopio)
Thor Putnam	....	layout artist
Wolfgang Reitherman	....	directing animator
Art Riley	....	background artist
Lella Smith	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
McLaren Stewart	....	layout artist (as Mac Stewart)
Frank Thomas	....	directing animator
Harvey Toombs	....	character animator
Matt Tsugawa	....	animation research library: restoration (restored version)
Judge Whitaker	....	character animator
Thelma Witmer	....	background artist
Marvin Woodward	....	character animator
Edwin Aardal	....	animator (uncredited)
Blaine Gibson	....	animator (uncredited)
Jerry Hathcock	....	animator (uncredited)
Dan MacManus	....	animator (uncredited)
John McManus	....	animator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Cory Hansen	....	post-production coordinator: restoration
Timothy Peeler	....	digital colorist: restoration

Music Department
Mack David	....	songs by
Joseph Dubin	....	orchestrator
Al Hoffman	....	songs by
Jerry Livingston	....	songs by
Paul J. Smith	....	musical director (as Paul Smith)
Al Teeter	....	music editor
Oliver Wallace	....	musical director
Lyn Murray	....	music arranger: vocals (uncredited)
Edward H. Plumb	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Bagley	....	restoration team (as Robert H. Bagley)
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Claire Du Brey	....	live action model: Fairy Godmother (as Claire DuBrey)
Bridgid O'Donnell	....	restoration specialist
Helene Stanley	....	live action model: Cinderella and Anastasia
Eleanor Audley	....	live action model: Lady Tremaine (uncredited)
Marie Dasnoit	....	secretary (uncredited)
Eloise Tobelman	....	secretary (uncredited)
Rhoda Williams	....	live action model: Drizella (uncredited)
Ruth Wright	....	secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Film Distribution Company (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2002) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Walt Disney Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (199?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• RKO (1952) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Kingdom (2006) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Library of Congress, Motion Picture Conservation Center  acknowledgment: restoration
• Lowry Digital Images  restoration
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital mastering (restoration)
• Buena Vista Sound  sound re-recording (restoration) (as Buena Vista Sound Studios)
• Sony Music Studios  sound restoration

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Brazil:Livre | South Korea:All | USA:Approved (PCA #14083) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1973) | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | UK:U

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Cinderella's carriage is actually a live-action model painted white with black lines; this was the first time this technique had actually been used.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the King is dancing down the hall after leaving the Duke in charge of the ball, there is light filtering out of the open door at the end of the hall. When he closes the door, the light is still there.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: Once upon a time in a faraway land there was a tiny kingdom, peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition. Here in a stately chateau there lived a widowed gentleman and his little daughter, Cinderella. Although he was a kind and devoted father...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: (#8.36)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Oh Sing, Sweet Nightingale

Delightful Disney animation with some pleasant songs...

When I first saw 'Cinderella', I found it surprising that the mice had so much to do whereas in the fairy tale they were just incidental creatures. But Disney saw that giving them a big role in the main storyline was the key to providing all the humor and suspense needed to spice up the predictable story. The leading mice, Gus and Jaq are delightful creations and the valiant band of mice are given amusing bits of business.

Artistically, the animation art has a rather glossy modern look despite the fact that it's an old, old story from 1697, a classic children's fairy tale that has been done countless times as either a film, a play or a ballet. But this version will charm Disney fans young and old with its imaginative use of animation and a splendid collection of tuneful songs.

A highlight is the 'Cinderella Work Song' in which the mice make a dress for the mistreated Cinderella, full of inventive comic touches and accompanied by the intricate blend of song and animation. Add to that 'So This Is Love', 'A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes' and 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo' and you have a charming version of the Charles Perrault story.

For villainy, the stepmother and her black cat (Lucifer) are two of the most brilliantly animated creatures in the film. The cat reminds me of a naughty black cat I once owned. The scene where the stepmother is stroking the cat as she gives Cinderella a list of chores is striking in its use of shadow and menace. Along with some dark touches, there is always a bubbling sense of humor, particularly in this sequence.

Cinderella herself comes across as a pleasant heroine with a sense of humor herself, lifelike in her movements and one of Disney's more successful human figures. Disney's artists did greater art work in other films but this is a well-structured work, a great combination of music and clever animation. The pace is fast, even allowing for extended scenes of the mice and their shenanigans for the sub-plot. And Lucifer, the cat, makes a wonderful foil for their tricks.

The Disney touch is evident in every scene and makes this charming blend of comedy, music and romance a film with timeless appeal.