Cinderella is a 1950 American animated musical fantasy film made by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Based on Charles Perrault’s 1697 fairy tale, the film tells the story of Cinderella, the daughter of a widowed aristocrat, who becomes a servant for her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. Later, Cinderella’s fairy godmother helps her attend a royal ball and meet the prince. The film was supervised by Ben Sharpsteen and directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi. It includes the voices of Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Rhoda Williams, June Foray, James MacDonald, and Luis van Rooten.

During the early 1940s, Walt Disney Productions faced financial difficulties after losing business connections in Europe due to World War II. This led to the failure of films like Pinocchio, Fantasia (both from 1940), and Bambi (from 1942). These movies later became more successful through re-releases in theaters and on home video. By 1947, the studio owed over $4 million and was close to bankruptcy. In 1948, Walt Disney and his animators began making feature films again after creating a series of package films. They decided to adapt Charles Perrault’s Cendrillon into an animated movie.

Cinderella was released in theaters on February 15, 1950. It received praise from critics and was a big hit at the box office, becoming Disney’s most successful film since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). This helped improve the studio’s financial situation. The film was also nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Sound Recording, and Best Original Song for “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo.”

After its release, Cinderella was followed by two direct-to-video sequels: Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002) and Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007). A live-action version of the film was released in 2015. In 2018, Cinderella was added to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress because it is considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Plot

Cinderella is the daughter of a widowed aristocrat who lives in a small but wealthy French kingdom. When she is a child, her father remarries Lady Tremaine, a widow with two daughters, Drizella and Anastasia. Her father passes away shortly after the marriage. Lady Tremaine and her daughters treat Cinderella poorly because they are jealous of her kindness and beauty. They force her to work as a servant in their own château. Over time, Cinderella remains kind and hardworking, completing her chores without complaint. She also befriends the mice and birds that live in the château, caring for them and protecting them from Lady Tremaine’s pet cat, Lucifer.

One day, the King invites all eligible young women in the kingdom to a royal ball, hoping his son, the Prince, will choose a bride. Cinderella wants to attend the ball and finds a dress from her late mother to repair. Lady Tremaine and her daughters prevent Cinderella from preparing by keeping her busy. Jaq, Gus, and other animals help her fix the dress using beads and a sash left behind by the stepsisters. However, when Cinderella tries to go to the ball with her family, the stepsisters recognize their belongings on the dress and tear it apart, leaving Cinderella behind. Heartbroken, Cinderella runs to the garden, where her fairy godmother appears to help. The fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, Cinderella’s horse Major into a coachman, and her bloodhound Bruno into a footman. She also gives Cinderella a shimmering silver ball gown and glass slippers, warning that the magic will end at midnight.

At the ball, Cinderella is not recognized by the stepsisters, though Lady Tremaine feels she has seen her before. The Prince is immediately drawn to Cinderella, and the King orders the Grand Duke to ensure their romance continues. The Grand Duke allows Cinderella and the Prince to dance and spend time together, and they fall in love. When Cinderella hears the clock strike midnight, she flees the ball before the Prince can learn her name. The Grand Duke tries to stop her, but as the magic ends, Cinderella and the animals return to their original forms and hide in the woods. Cinderella finds the other glass slipper still on her foot and takes it home.

The Prince vows to marry only the woman who fits the glass slipper. The King orders the Grand Duke to try the slipper on every girl in the kingdom. When the news reaches the château, Cinderella realizes the Prince is the one she met at the ball. Hearing her hum the waltz from the ball, Lady Tremaine locks Cinderella in her attic. The stepsisters fail to wear the slipper, and Jaq and Gus steal the key from Lady Tremaine to free Cinderella. Lucifer tries to stop them, but the birds summon Bruno, who scares Lucifer away. A freed Cinderella meets the Grand Duke. In a final attempt to prevent Cinderella from outshining her daughters, Lady Tremaine causes the Grand Duke’s footman to trip and break the slipper. Cinderella reveals she has the other slipper, which fits perfectly. The Grand Duke places it on her foot, and Cinderella and the Prince are married. They share a kiss and leave for their honeymoon in a carriage.

Voice cast

• Ilene Woods voices Cinderella, a kind and hardworking young woman who becomes a servant because of her mean stepmother and stepsisters.
• Eleanor Audley voices Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's harsh and sneaky stepmother who is jealous of her beauty.
• Verna Felton voices the Fairy Godmother, a warm but slightly forgetful older woman who helps Cinderella go to the ball.
• Rhoda Williams and Lucille Bliss (not credited) voice Drizella and Anastasia Tremaine, Lady Tremaine's selfish and clumsy daughters who are also Cinderella's stepsisters.
• James MacDonald and Candy Candido (not credited) voice Jaq and Gus, Cinderella's loyal talking mice who help her with chores. James MacDonald also voices Bruno, Cinderella's dog.
• Luis van Rooten voices The King, the Prince's loud and angry father who wants his son to marry and have children. Luis van Rooten also voices the Grand Duke, the King's strict and particular assistant.
• William Edward Phipps (not credited) voices Prince Charming, the King's son and Cinderella's love interest. Mike Douglas (not credited) provides Prince Charming's singing voice.
• Marion Darlington and Clarence Nash (not credited) voice Cinderella's bird friends.
• June Foray (not credited) voices Lucifer, Lady Tremaine's spoiled cat who disrupts Cinderella's work and chases her mouse friends.

Betty Lou Gerson provided the voice for the narrator in the prologue but was not credited. Lucille Williams, Thurl Ravenscroft, Clint McCauley, June Sullivan, and Helen Seibert provided voices for Perla and other mice but were not credited. John Woodbury provided additional voices but was not credited.

Production

Walt Disney first adapted Charles Perrault’s 1697 fairy tale “Cinderella” as part of his cartoon shorts series for the Laugh-O-Gram Studio in 1922. In December 1933, he planned a second version as a Silly Symphony short. Burt Gillett was the director, and Frank Churchill was the composer. A story outline included “white mice and birds” as Cinderella’s playmates. Storyboard artists added funny visual jokes, some of which appeared in the final film. However, by early 1938, the story was too complex for a short film. It was then suggested as a potential animated feature film, starting with a fourteen-page outline written by Al Perkins. Two years later, a second treatment was written by Dana Cofy and Bianca Majolie. In this version, Cinderella’s stepmother was named Florimel de la Pochel; her stepsisters were Wanda and Javotte; her pet mouse was Dusty, and her pet turtle was Clarissa. The stepsisters’ cat was Bon Bon, the Prince’s aide was Spink, and the stepsisters’ dancing instructor was Monsieur Carnewal. This version closely followed the original fairy tale until Cinderella arrived home late from the second ball. Her stepfamily then locked her in a dungeon cellar. When Spink and his troops arrived at the la Pochel residence, Dusty took the slipper and led them to free Cinderella.

By September 1943, Disney assigned Dick Huemer and Joe Grant to work on Cinderella as story supervisors, with a preliminary budget of $1 million. However, by 1945, their work was paused. During the writing stages of Song of the South (1946), Dalton S. Reymond and Maurice Rapf had a disagreement, and Rapf was reassigned to work on Cinderella. In his version, Cinderella was written to be more rebellious than Snow White, and she resisted her stepfamily. Rapf explained, “I made her earn her happiness. She had to rebel against her stepmother and stepsisters, and stop being a slave in her own home. I had a scene where she throws things back at them and is locked in the attic.” He noted that others did not take his idea seriously.

In spring 1946, Disney held three story meetings and received a treatment from Ted Sears, Homer Brightman, and Harry Reeves dated March 24, 1947. In this version, the Prince appeared earlier in the story, similar to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), and there was a hint of a cat-and-mouse conflict. By May 1947, the first rough phase of storyboarding began. An inventory report suggested focusing on animals in the barnyard and their observations of Cinderella’s daily life.

After the release of Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Walt Disney Productions’ bank debt dropped from $4.2 million to $3 million. At this time, Disney emphasized the need for sound financial policies but warned against cutting production. To restore the studio’s health, he wanted to return to making full-length animated films. However, his brother Roy O. Disney was hesitant and suggested selling the studio and retiring. After weeks of discussion, Roy agreed to let a new film be made. At that time, three animated projects—Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter Pan (1953)—were in development. Disney believed the characters in Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan were too cold, while Cinderella had elements similar to Snow White. He approved Cinderella and assigned Ben Sharpsteen as supervising producer, with Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson, and Clyde Geronimi as sequence directors. However, production on Alice in Wonderland continued so both animation teams could compete to finish first.

By early 1948, Cinderella had progressed faster than Alice in Wonderland and was fast-tracked to become the first full-length animated film since Bambi (1942). During a story meeting on January 15, 1948, the cat-and-mouse sequences grew into an important part of the film. Disney placed veteran story artist Bill Peet in charge of these scenes.

By the late 1940s, Disney’s involvement in production decreased. He was occupied with trains and filming Treasure Island (1950), leaving directors to make more decisions. Although Disney no longer held daily story meetings, the three directors communicated with him by sending memoranda, scripts, storyboard Photostats, and acetates of soundtrack recordings while he was in England for two and a half months in 1949. When Disney did not respond, work continued and then had to be undone. For example, when he returned to the studio on August 29, he reviewed Luske’s animation sequences and ordered many changes, including a major rewrite of the film’s climax. Production finished on October 13, 1949.

Nearly 380 people auditioned for the role of Cinderella. In March 1948, The Hollywood Reporter announced that singer Jeannie McKeon had been signed to voice the character, but the deal did not work out. That same month, Ilene Woods announced on national radio that she had been cast as Cinderella. She joined the project after helping songwriters Mack David and Jerry Livingston, who knew her from her ABC radio show. They asked her to sing demo recordings of songs for the film, which were then shown to Walt Disney. Two days later, Disney called her and offered her the role. Woods accepted.

For the role of Lucifer, a studio representative asked June Foray if she could provide the voice of a cat. Foray said, “I could do anything,” and was hired as Lucifer the cat in Cinderella.

Walt Disney insisted that Cinderella be planned more carefully than previous films. He used live-action footage first to test scenes, as changes in animation were too costly. The live-action was filmed without costumes or sets on a soundstage to see if scenes worked. Would they be too long or short? Would they hold the audience’s interest?

Starting in spring 1948, actors were filmed on large soundstages, speaking to a playback of the dialogue soundtrack. Disney had used live-action reference before on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940), and Fantasia (1940). To save money, the footage was used to check the plot, timing, and movement of characters before animation began. The footage was then edited frame-by-frame onto large Photostat sheets. However, animators found this restrictive because they could

Music

The original songs were written and composed by Tin Pan Alley songwriters Mack David, Jerry Livingston, and Al Hoffman, who had written six songs for the film by March 1949. Oliver Wallace and Paul Smith composed the score. A soundtrack was not released during the initial release in 1950. Walt Disney Records later released the official soundtrack on CD and audio cassette on February 4, 1997. A collector's edition soundtrack was reissued on October 2, 2012, and included several lost chords and new recordings of them. In conjunction with the film's 65th anniversary and the release of its live-action remake, the soundtrack for Cinderella was re-released in 2015 as part of the Legacy Collection.

Original songs performed in the film include:

Release

The film was first shown in theaters on February 15, 1950, in Boston, Massachusetts. It was also shown at the first Berlin International Film Festival in June 1951, where it received the Golden Bear for Best Music Film. The film was re-released in 1957, 1965, 1973, 1981, and 1987. It had a limited showing in some Cinemark Theaters from February 16–18, 2013. To celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, the film was shown in UK theaters from August 25 to 31, 2023, and in Latin American theaters from October 12 to 18, 2023, along with Toy Story (1995).

The film was Disney’s most successful movie at the box office since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It earned about $4.28 million from the United States and Canada, which was the distributor’s share of ticket sales. It was the fifth highest-grossing film in North America in 1950 and the fifth most popular movie in the UK in 1951. In France, the film is the sixteenth most-watched movie of all time, with 13.2 million tickets sold.

The film’s success helped Disney continue making movies in the 1950s. Money from the film, plus profits from records, music, books, and other products, allowed Disney to fund new projects, create a distribution company, start making TV shows, and begin building Disneyland and the Florida Project, later called Walt Disney World.

The film has earned $93 million in the United States and $182 million worldwide across its original release and reissues. Adjusting for inflation, its total earnings are about $565 million.

The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc on October 4, 1988, as part of the Walt Disney Classics collection. A free lithograph was given to people who ordered the video before its release. Disney initially sent 4.3 million VHS copies to stores, but due to high demand, they sent over 7 million copies. At the time, it was the best-selling VHS until E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) surpassed it. The VHS was taken out of circulation on April 30, 1989, with 7.2 million copies sold and $108 million in sales.

A digitally remastered version of the film was released on VHS and LaserDisc on October 4, 1995, as part of the "Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection." A special feature called "The Making of Cinderella" was included. A Deluxe LaserDisc version also had a book with story illustrations and artwork. Over 15 million VHS copies were shipped, with 8 million sold in the first month.

The film was released on DVD on October 4, 2005, with a digitally remastered version. This was the sixth release in the Walt Disney Platinum Editions series. It sold 3.2 million copies in its first week, earning over $64 million. The Platinum Edition was also released on VHS but had only one special feature: a music video. The Platinum Edition DVD was put into the Disney Vault on January 31, 2008. A special "Royal Edition" was released in the UK and Ireland in 2011 to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

A 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Diamond Edition was released on October 2, 2012. It included a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo and a 6-disc "Jewelry Box Set" with the film and its sequels. A 1-disc DVD version was released on November 20, 2012. The Diamond Edition was put into the Disney Vault on January 31, 2017.

The film was released on HD digital download on June 18, 2019, and on Blu-ray on June 25, 2019, as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection to mark its 70th anniversary.

On March 18, 2023, the film was re-released on 4K Ultra HD as a Disney Movie Club exclusive. It was also released in SteelBook packaging on August 1 and in standard format on October 17 as part of the Disney100 promotion. The 4K version used the restored print from the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival screening, making it the first animated film from Disney’s "golden era" to receive this treatment. The 4K version, called the "Ultimate Restoration," began streaming on Disney+ on August 25.

A 4K remastered version of the film premiered at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on February 19, 2023, to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary. The restoration was done by Disney’s team with help from key artists and involved using the original 35mm Technicolor negative from the Library of Congress. The film was scanned in 4K resolution, and each frame was cleaned to restore its original quality. The 4K version began streaming on Disney+ on August 25.

Reception

When Cinderella was released, it received a lot of praise from critics, who appreciated its animation, visuals, music, and story. The film was praised more than any other Disney animated film since Dumbo; some critics called it Disney’s greatest artistic success since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which it was often compared to in reviews. In a personal letter to Walt Disney, director Michael Curtiz called the film "a masterpiece among all your films." Producer Hal Wallis said, "If this is not your best, it is very close to the top." A review in Chicago Tribune noted, "The film is not only visually beautiful, with creative art and bright colors that bring the old fairy tale to life, but it is also told gently, without scary villains that might frighten young children. It includes fun, clever moments and music that appeal to both children and adults." Time magazine wrote, "Cinderella is a charming example of Walt Disney’s ability to create a magical fairyland. It recalls the style of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), with many Disney artists working together to give the classic Cinderella story a lively, joyful feel that makes children feel like elves and adults feel like children."

However, some critics had mixed opinions about the character of Cinderella. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote, "Cinderella has a full, attractive face and body—not to mention a cheerful personality—that reminds some of Al Capp’s Daisy Mae." He also criticized her role and personality, saying, "Because of this, the scenes involving Cinderella and the prince feel stiff and unchanging, like scenes from a comic book. When Mr. Disney tries to make them act like real people, they become unremarkable." Variety noted that the film was more successful in showing animals than in portraying Cinderella, who was described as "not very colorful or expressive," as was Prince Charming. Empire Magazine gave the film 4 stars out of 5, saying, "Yes, it’s beautiful and classic. But the main characters are somewhat plain. That said, it’s still enjoyable family entertainment and will remain so for many years."

Modern reviews have stayed mostly positive. Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars during its 1987 re-release. Jonathan Rosenbaum of Chicago Reader wrote that the film "shows Disney at the end of his best period, when his backgrounds still had rich detail and his side characters still had depth and personality." The review site Rotten Tomatoes reported the film received a 95% approval rating based on 42 reviews, with an average score of 8/10. The site’s summary states, "The film’s bright colors, sweet songs, cute mice, and kind but troubled heroine make Cinderella a charming, nostalgic classic."

In June 2008, the American Film Institute announced its "10 Top 10" list, which named the best ten films in ten classic American film genres after asking over 1,500 people from the creative community. Cinderella was listed as the 9th greatest film in the animation genre.

Cultural impact and legacy

Charles Solomon, an animation historian, said that Cinderella "remains one of the most popular animated features in the Disney canon." In 2023, Ben Mankiewicz, host of Turner Classic Movies, told Parade magazine that "Disney was in trouble. Cinderella saved Disney." He also said, "It has everything you want in a princess story, and it's done in this authentic, beautiful way."

Cinderella is often called one of the most well-known stories in history. Parade magazine listed the film among the greatest animated films of all time. In 2008, the American Film Institute ranked Cinderella as the ninth best animated film of all time, stating: "One of the most recognizable fairytale stories ever, Cinderella has stood the test of time."

• A direct-to-video sequel, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, was released in 2002.
• A second direct-to-video sequel, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, was released in 2007.
• Several characters from the film have appeared as guests in House of Mouse, Mickey's Magical Christmas, and Mickey's House of Villains.
• Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother appear in Kingdom Hearts. A world based on the film, called Castle of Dreams, and many characters appear in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts χ. The Fairy Godmother returns in the Kingdom Hearts III DLC Re Mind and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
• A smaller stage musical version, Disney's Cinderella KIDS, is often performed by schools and children's theaters.
• A live-action version of the film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and directed by Kenneth Branagh, was released in 2015—the 65th anniversary of the film's original release. The film stars Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, and Helena Bonham Carter.
• The Fairy Godmother (Melanie Paxson) appears in the Descendants franchise. Lady Tremaine (Linda Ko) appears briefly in Descendants 3, and Cinderella (Brandy Norwood) and Prince Charming (Paolo Montalban) appear in Descendants: The Rise of Red. In that film, Morgan Dudley, Tristan Padi, and Grace Narducci play the teen versions of Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the Fairy Godmother, respectively.
• Some characters from the film appear as playable characters in the video game Disney Magic Kingdoms.
• Cinderella, Jaq, and Gus have guest appearances in the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet.
• The film was featured in King Richard.
• Like other characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the characters from Cinderella appear in the short film Once Upon a Studio (2023).