Cinderella is my favorite Princess, so it’s only natural that I report for this day in Disney history! People would begin to wonder what was wrong with me if I didn’t take advantage of Cinderella’s Birthday, and write an article in honor of it. I was more than happy to revisit one of my most loved movies as a child, enjoy!
February 15, 1950:
Disney’s animated feature film, Cinderella is released.
The twelfth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is based on the fairy tale “Cendrillon” by Charles Perrault. What a whirlwind this movie created, for little girls and “big” girls alike, for generations to come. I believe most of us know the storyline. When Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine, refuses to allow her to attend the Royal Ball, she gets some magical help from the some super cute mice, Gus and Jaq, and from her Fairy Godmother. Ilene Woods supplies the voice for Cinderella and Eleanor Audley (the future voice of Madame Leota for the Haunted Mansion attraction) is the voice of Lady Tremaine.
What happens next, courtesy of the Fairy Godmother, is nothing short of pure Disney Magic. A pumpkin turns into a stagecoach, Cinderella’s animal buddies become a horse and a coachman, and naturally, Cinderella gets transformed into the future Princess we know and love. Did you know that the transformation sequence of Cinderella was said to be Walt’s favorite piece of animation? That makes it even better. So, Cindy goes to the ball, meets the handsome Prince, and has to run out of there by midnight, leaving only her glass slipper. The Prince finds the slipper, goes around the Kingdom trying it on all the girls, to figure out who left it behind. He finds Cinderella, and they live “happily ever after.”
Cinderella’s music is just as well known as the movie itself.
Mike Douglas (future talk show host) is the un-credited singing voice of Prince Charming. For the first time, Disney had turned to Tin Pan Alley song writers to write the music, which includes “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and “So This Is Love.” (Cinderella will be one of the top grossing films of 1950 and be nominated for 3 Academy Awards.)
This film is so pivotal for girls from an early age. More so now, than when I was a little girl, most girls want to be a “Princess.” Even as we get older, we are awaiting our “Prince” to find us, and have a fairytale of our own. I always think about the scene in “Enchanted” when Prince Edward is looking for Giselle in the apartment complex. He comes to a door, where a tired looking housewife/mom comes out and says “you’re too late.” That, to me is funny, and sort of true. We wish our Prince Charming would come, but that’s a high expectation to hold out for. That’s what Disney is about though, high standards, magic, fantasy, and love.
Cinderella gives us hope that even if we come from rough beginnings, we can still achieve that fairytale, and the magic that comes along with it. Thank you Walt, and Happy Birthday to Cinderella. You have us the dream of living Happily Ever After.
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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Cinderella was the first Disney movie I saw when I was just a little girl. It had such a big impact on me that it has remained my favorite of all Disney movies.