History WesternAnimation / Cinderella

Entry #12 in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon, ''Cinderella'' was based on [[Creator/CharlesPerrault Charles Perrault's]] 1697 telling of the FairyTale "Literature/{{Cinderella}}", and marked Disney's return to single-story feature-length films in [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1950]], after the UsefulNotes/WorldWarII years where Disney was limited to making collections of shorts (e.g. ''WesternAnimation/MakeMineMusic'', ''WesternAnimation/FunAndFancyFree'') while many of their staff were drafted to the war effort. Advertisement posters touted ''Cinderella'' as the studio's best since ''WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}}'' and for the time it definitely marked a return to form, though the painstaking (and extremely expensive) animation techniques of the earlier films were scaled back.

* AnAesop: Never stop believing in your dreams. One day, they will come true if you keep your hopes high.

(See the Cinderella category under FanWorks/AnimatedFilms for various fanworks of all 3 films)

* ColorCodedWizardry: While "wizardry" is a misnomer, the results of the Fairy Godmother's magic creates a unique, homogeneous look for Cinderella: Bruno and Major's human forms wear blue and gray and have white hair; the mice turn into horses of a grayish colour, and Cinderella's dress and carriage are of a silver colour.

* ColorCodedWizardry: While "wizardry" is a misnomer, the results of the Fairy Godmother's magic creates a unique, homogenous look for Cinderella: Bruno and Major's human forms wear blue and gray and have white hair; the mice turn into horses of a grayish colour, and Cinderella's dress and carriage are of a silver colour.

* PimpedOutDress: Layered skirts, sparkles and complete with opera-length gloves and glass slippers. The silhouette itself would make Christian Dior proud.

* BigDamnHeroes: The birds and Bruno the Dog are ultimately what save Gus and Jaq from Lucifer, when he comes close to sabotaging their attempt to free Cinderella. This is made even more triumphant by the fact that a first-time viewer might be wondering out loud during Jaq and Gus's long climb, just where the other animals are (especially the mice) and why they're not helping.

* DomesticAbuse: Lady Tremaine treats her stepdaughter as a slave and constantly belittles and mistreats her, a vice she encourages in her biological daughters. Moreso than [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney Frollo]], the Evil Stepmother is arguably Disney's most chillingly realistic villain, the one who lives behind closed doors and commits [[EvilIsPetty petty]] abuses against a helpless and innocent victim on a daily basis.

Entry #12 in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon, ''Cinderella'' was based on [[Creator/CharlesPerrault Charles Perrault's]] 1697 telling of the FairyTale "Literature/{{Cinderella}}", and marked Disney's return to single-story feature-length films in [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1950]], after the WWII years where Disney was limited to making collections of shorts (e.g. ''WesternAnimation/MakeMineMusic'', ''WesternAnimation/FunAndFancyFree'') while many of their staff were drafted to the war effort. Advertisement posters touted ''Cinderella'' as the studio's best since ''WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}}'' and for the time it definitely marked a return to form, though the painstaking (and extremely expensive) animation techniques of the earlier films were scaled back.

Cinderella got not one, but ''two'' DirectToVideo sequels: ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIDreamsComeTrue'' (2002) and ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIIATwistInTime'' (2007).

* {{Determinator}}: Cinderella is always optimistic and remains positive despite her negative situation, and she never gives up on her dreams to one day have an ideal life and enjoy living. When her stepsisters ruin her dress, the Fairy Godmother explains that if she'd lost ''all'' her faith she couldn't be here to help he dreams come true.

* DigitalDestruction: The 2005 DVD [[http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=6399775&postcount=1 restoration]] removed outlines, altered all of the colors and even backgrounds (in some cases out of carelessness, in others to match with the marketing), and erased a lot of the magic dust. Later releases still have this problem, until the 2023 Ultra HD Ultimate Collector's Edition (the first physical 4K release for any of Walt Disney's animated movies) finally fixed it.

[[caption-width-right:275:''"Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo!"'']]

'''Grand Duke:''' ''(as he rises out of the wreckage of furniture the King threw at him)'' Of course, your Majesty, but we must be patient...\\

* AdaptationExpansion:

* DigitalDestruction: The 2005 DVD [[http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=6399775&postcount=1 restoration]] removed outlines, altered all of the colors and even backgrounds (in some cases out of carelessness, in others to match with the marketing), and erased a lot of the magic dust. Later releases still have this problem, until the 2023 Ultra HD Ultimate Collector's Edition finally fixed it.

* DeathGlare: Lady Tremaine has one when she realizes Cinderella was at the ball and got the prince. The glare even included shadows darkening over her face.

* DigitalDestruction: The 2005 DVD [[http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=6399775&postcount=1 restoration]] removed outlines, altered all of the colors and even backgrounds (in some cases out of carelessness, in others to match with the marketing), and erased a lot of the magic dust. Later releases still have this problem.

** Cinderella is given a collection of mice and bird friends she has made who occasionally help her with her chores [[spoiler: and help facilitate the happy ending]].

** Attention is drawn to Cinderella still keeping the glass slippers after the spell wears off. [[spoiler: Lady Tremaine breaks the one the Grand Duke brought to prevent her from trying it on, but Cinderella then reveals she has the other slipper]].
** Cinderella losing her slipper as she runs from the ball is turned into one of her CharacterTics - she loses a shoe on the stairs earlier in the film.

-->'''Cinderella:''' Maybe I should interrupt the, uh "music lesson"! (Jaq and Gus stifle laughs)

(Then, when the coach barely makes it through as the gates close.)\\

* BigBad: Lady Tremaine is the cause of all of TheProtagonist's woes and the one she must overcome to reach HappilyEverAfter.

-->'''Cinderella:''' Oh please, you don't think that I would --\\

'''Cinderella:''' But I was only trying to --\\

'''Cinderella:''' But I just finished --\\

''[Cinderella goes silent and [[DeathGlare glares at Lady Tremaine hatefully]].]''

* BraggingThemeTune: ''Cinderella, you're as lovely as your name. Cinderella, you're a sunset in a frame...'' It sounds pretty classy in comparison to most examples.

* BreakTheCutie: Cinderella tries to stay positive and graceful despite witnessing her father's death at a young age, having to work day and night for family that won't even give her a morning greeting, and seeing her desires crushed. Case in point: she merely wants to go to the ball for a night out, and her stepfamily racks up the abuse up to eleven with ExactWords and LoopholeAbuse to ensure that she won't go. It says a lot that what finally makes her cry is not being overworked so that she has no time to make a dress, but having a dress to wear to the ball. . . and getting it ripped to shreds while she's wearing it.
* BrokenAesop: Downplayed. The film tries to emphasize the importance of having faith, but the fairy godmother appears to help Cinderella when she's at the edge of the DespairEventHorizon. It's worth noting, though, that shortly after manifesting herself, when Cinderella is at her lowest point the fairy godmother points out the importance of having even the smallest speck of faith.

** For the Duke, being a BeleagueredAssistant to the King and his head at stake for finding the prince a wife, he [[ThrowTheDogABone finally gets a bone]] after finding the right girl, and being able to prove it [[spoiler: with the slipper she saved]].

* EvilIsPetty: Lady Tremaine abuses Cinderella and uses her as a servant for no given reason, even though having three {{Gold Digger}}s would be more profitable than having two and Cinderella would also have an obligation to help her after marrying up. This is shown most prominently in the moments when Cinderella points out she has a right to go to the ball, and when Lady Tremaine realizes Cinderella was the girl the prince loved: instead of either outright telling her "yes" or "no," on the first occasion Tremaine creates a HopeSpot by invoking ExactWords to make Cinderella think she has a chance to go, while planning for the opposite. This leads to Cinderella going on her own later, in fact stealing the spotlight from Anastasia and Drizella by accident when they present themselves to the prince. As for the second scenario, Lady Tremaine has a girl that the prince wants to marry, who is related to her by marriage . . . and locks her up, despite having a potential golden ticket to the royal family, because she wants the prince to marry one of her girls. She also breaks the slipper in ''view'' of the Duke despite being caught violating a royal decree, and having lost at that point.
** She had a very obvious reason for using Cinderella as a slave - it provided free labour. This is why slavery has been so rampant throughout history and continues to be today. Lady Tremaine likely did want to degrade Cinderella due to her own vendetta, but her method also resulted in a cushy deal for her and her daughters for about 10 years. This also means that she had a logical reason for not wanting Cindy to have a chance with the Prince - most people aren't going to want to share their shiny perks with people who have treated them like garbage for 10 years, so Lady Tremaine knew that if the Prince married Cindy, she and her daughters could kiss both their social climbing opportunity and their free labour goodbye.

* ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow: Lady Tremaine's heavy eyeshadow helps bring out her bright green eyes.

* FlippingTheBird: After politely greeting girl after girl at the ball, the prince aims a yawn towards where his father sits when he isn't greeting anyone. It may not seem much to a modern viewer, but at the time presented in the film it was like the prince gave his father the finger.

** This is why Tremaine married Cinderella's father, since soon after his death she and her daughters squandered the family fortune. She's encouraging her girls to marry royalty so as to keep up those spending habits.

* {{Hammerspace}}: After the Fairy Godmother offers to help Cinderella get ready for the ball, she searches around for her magic wand, then remembers that she "put it away." She uses a special hand motion to summon the wand from thin air.
* HandWave: Both the original movie and ''Cinderella III'' [[LampshadeHanging hang a lampshade]] on how it's ridiculous to expect just one girl to fit the slipper, but they both {{justif|iedTrope}}y it differently. In ''Cinderella'' it's implied the prince said he'd marry TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper as a shorthand for "that girl I fell in love with", but the king is so fed up with his son and lack of grandchildren that he makes it a literal royal order. In ''Cinderella III'' [[CanonDiscontinuity on the other hand]] it's the king himself who points out the absurdity of the quest, and indeed when the person who fits the slipper [[spoiler:turns out to be Anastasia]] the prince [[spoiler:apologizes and refuses to marry her. [[{{Brainwashed}} At first]].]]

* HateSink: [[WickedStepmother Lady Tremaine]] is a despicable AbusiveParent and SocialClimber who is cruel and petty in ''every'' scene she's in. It says a lot that a lady with no magical powers, evil henchmen, servants, or ambitions beyond social-climbing manages to be one of the vilest characters in the entire Disney canon based on her personality alone.
* HatsOffToTheDead: The mice draw straws (actually, their own tails) to see who has to distract Lucifer while the others get breakfast. Jacques gets picked, and the others take off their hats to show they think it's a guaranteed death sentence.

* HellYesMoment: The Duke is ''about'' to leave the Tremaine household when a young lady appears at the top of the stairs, begging to try on the slipper. He takes a look and gives a giant grin, especially when confirming with his monocle that she is the same girl that danced with the prince. Her change of outfit and hairstyle did not fool the Duke at all, especially when examining her feet. He gets another one when Lady Tremaine smashes the slipper he has, and Cinderella reveals she has the other one-- proving both that it fits her and that she was the girl that night.

* HollywoodCostuming: A deliberate example. While other characters' style is fairly accurate for roughly the mid-19th Century, Cinderella's outfits reflect the changes that were occurring in fashion in the 1940s. Her initial look has her with a shorter dress and hair worn down but with some body, as was in style during World War II. When she puts on her mother's dress, it is pink and has a bow in front like designs of UsefulNotes/ElsaSchiaparelli, whose style gave way to the "New Look" of UsefulNotes/ChristianDior; the latter is reflected in the long, full, wasp-waisted gown that the Fairy Godmother gives Cinderella, the "Dior" look being completed by Cinderella having her hair up.
* HollywoodToneDeaf: The stepsisters cannot hold a tune to save their lives. Cinderella on the other hand...

* HypocriticalHumour:

--->'''Grand Duke:''' Perhaps if we just let him alone--\\

-->'''King:''' I can't understand it ! There must be at least ''one'' who would make a suitable [[FreudianSlip mother]]!\\

* LovesMyAlterEgo: A variant; Lady Tremaine starts to say that the girl dancing with the prince is "very lovely . . ." up until she gets a glimpse and has a sneaking suspicion. Before she can verify it, though, the Duke closes the curtains on Cinderella and the prince so they can get some alone time.

* MicroMonarchy: At least the narration refers to the setting as "a tiny kingdom, peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition." This kingdom seems to have a French vibe, so it's probably a (presumably fictional) Francophone country. Also, the entire country seems to consist of the city where Cinderella lives. That's about all we can say for sure about the country where this takes place.

** Cinderella's mom gets a couple tiny nods; the prologue makes it clear that she died and that the main reason her dad married again was because he thought she needed a mother. The dress that Cinderella originally plans to modify to wear to the ball was, as she specifically states, her mother's.

* PrinceCharming: It's implied that the prince has a rebellious streak, but with Cinderella he is nothing if not charming.[[labelnote:Bonus points]]Also literally! The prince's official name is Charming.[[/labelnote]]

* RebelPrince: If the King's word is to be trusted, Prince Charming is a bit like this; this is best seen at the beginning of the ball where after bowing to greet a guest the Prince looks up to his father in the balcony and yawns; that might not seem like much today but at the time depicted in the film it was like giving his old man the finger.

* RunningGag
** Cinderella losing her shoe is turned into one. In addition to the famous one, she loses one of her shoes while delivering breakfast to her stepfamily and again [[spoiler: at her wedding]].

-->''"Cinderella, Cinderella"''
-->''All I hear is "Cinderella"''
-->''From the moment that I get up''
-->''Till shades of night are calling''
-->''There isn't any letup''
-->''They're always calling, calling''
-->''"Go up into the attic''
-->''Then go down into the cellar''
-->''You can do them both together, Cinderella!"''

** Cinderella losing her slipper as she runs from the ball is turned into one of her CharacterTics - she loses a shoe elsewhere in the film.