Watch The Slipper and the Rose For Free

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This is a good lesson for filmmakers: if you are going to shoot a movie with songs, do not let your songwriters also write the script, because they would add a song into the story every five or ten pages. The worst part can be if their muse is on vacation or retired. This was the case of this lame version of Cinderella by Bryan Forbes. It is terrible and overlong! I give it a few points for the beautiful Austrian locations and because Forbes, in the last big opportunity that industrial cinema offered him after becoming an "international director", knew the trade and skillfully put the stories on screen, although it is merely academic, without any flight of inspiration. Richard Chamberlain and Gemma Craven look somewhat old for the roles of prince and orphan, poor Edith Evans is used as a clownish little old lady, the art direction seems to be the work of Margaret "Big Eyes" Keane, the choreography by Marc Breaux is mostly routine (and sometimes even ugly, as the dance in the royal mausoleum) and the songs by brothers Robert and Richard Sherman... oh, boy! Far are the days of "Chim Chim Cher-ee", "A Spoonful of Sugar", "Feed the Birds" or "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (which were not wondrous either, but they accompanied very well the adventures of "Mary Poppins") and what we have instead are monotonous concoctions with lyrics about protocol, dead kings or royal weddings. Of the whole thing, I think the best are Annette Crosbie as the Fairy Godmother and Margaret Lockwood as the Stepmother, although you have to be a very bad actor to ruin these two stereotypes. So proceed at your own risk.

I should clarify that I actually love "Cinderella" stories. I think what I really love is the challenge of how each subsequent version is going to differ from (or somehow outshine) the last one. Each Cinderella story is infused with new things, old things, and just plain bizarre things. In this telling, there is much more emphasis on the prince- after all, Richard Chamberlain is top billed. Unfortunately, the characterization of his prince Edward is no different from any other fictional depiction of royalty: born of privilege, but hating it and wanting to live like 'regular people.' (If these were actual royal figures, such a wish would never commence.) The story also expands roughly a half hour beyond the glass slipper finding its rightful owner, and for me this dragged the film out considerably. Nevertheless, it's still the quintessential fairy story.Yet I am amazed that so many posters hail it as some sort of Kirousawa-like masterpiece. Is this because it's a British film? We always seem to rate European films just a little higher than American ones, calling them high art and so forth. And as critical as so many are especially about musical films recently- RENT, CHICAGO, THE PRODUCERS, and perhaps most acerbically and nastily, DREAMGIRLS- they all seem to turn a deaf ear on this one. I did like the costumes and set pieces, but was not thrilled with most of the Sherman Brothers' score- save two rather exquisite songs. It paces a bit sluggishly and, at 143 minutes, is about 43 minutes too long. There are two saving graces: One is in the name of Annette Crosbie. Her fairy godmother is a dream and a scream at the same time. Possessing incredibly dry wit and very sly on the subject of magic, it appears that she works with other famous fairy tale heroines (some of whom are referenced throughout the film). Her introduction to Cinderella as a simple, practical woman who shuns the "sparkle and glitter," and seems to want to unionize fairies worldwide, is hilarious. And the rags-to-riches sequence built around the song "Suddenly It Happens" is magical indeed. (How could it not be, with mice that turn into ballet dancers even before they turn into horses?) The other saving grace is the ball: easily some of the most exquisite costumes ever assembled for a period film, all in an amazing rainbow of sherbet-like pastels. The ball sequence is climaxed by a glorious grand waltz, which begins with two dancers on an empty floor, then adds other couples- two and four at a time- joining into the swirling and spinning choreography, until all are waltzing in the same direction and having a marvelous time. A truly breathtaking sequence. I almost wished the film had ended right there.

Where do i begin? Probably the most underrated musical ever !!! Cinderella with the elegance and class of "My Fair Lady" and "Gigi". Gorgeous scenery, costumes, music - this movie had it all and yes - totally perfect and appropriate for children (except boys of around twelve years old may get a little bored). Even the approach of looking at the familiar story from the perspective of the prince as opposed to Cinderella's point of view was somewhat original.The wonderful songs and choreography were by the Sherman Brothers and Mark Breaux respectively - the same who did similar tasks for "Mary Poppins" "Sound of Music" "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "The Happiest Milllionaire" - that should give you a clue.The cast could not have been better starting with Richard Chamberlain as the prince - with a surprisingly good musical comedy presence complete with a great singing voice, new-comer Gemma Craven as Cinderella and a list of the cream of British theater including Michael Hordern as a slightly befuddled king, Margaret Lockwood as the stepmother who's mere voice is enough to give you chills, Kenneth Moore as the totally sympathetic Prime Minister and Annette Crosbie as the slightly daffy fairy godmother.The only thing that got me was early in the film, there seemed to be a preoccupation with death. The first song ends with the word "die", Cinderella's first song is in a cemetery and there's a rather strangely hilarious song and dance featuring the prince (Chamberlain) and his friend played by Christopher Gable in the royal crypt. Hmm ! Maybe the film had to take these two through their loneliness (believe me - i got married in my forties so i know how empty ones life can be) for one to really appreciate the happiness they ultimately feel.Finally - the ending (I'm not going to tell you) is somewhat different than you might expect - I was rolling on the floor.By all means, if you can find this one - Cherish it. It really was the last of a dying breed.Thank you Sherman Brothers - I wish that you can give us more of this.

This has been a favorite movie since I was a little girl. The music and costumes are incredible. It is the perfect switch from the little girl animated Cinderella tale to a grown up romantic movie. The words "captivating" and "spectacular" are the best to describe it. I find it a perfect film to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and get a little laugh, a little cry, and a lot of romantic smiles out of. If you are looking for a gift for a girl or woman in your life, this movie is the perfect choice! No one could have played a better heroine than Gemma Craven and the prince is as charming as any fairytale. You can sing along with all of the songs and you might even get up and dance with your daughter. You'll watch it a thousand times! I love this movie!