Customer Reviews

The Glass Slipper [VHS]

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a beautiful movie! A little-known adaptation of the classic fairy tale starring Leslie Caron, "The Glass Slipper" is charming, sweet and lovely to look at.

The plot follows the familiar curves of "Cinderella", with a few twists; this Ella is angry and slightly violent, and her fairy godmother is a kleptomaniac. Made in the 1950's, this version is perhaps more slowly paced than we're used to, but playful dialogue, terrific sets, great music and lush costumes make it well worth seeking out. An all star cast includes Elsa Lanchester, Estelle Winwood, Keenan Wynn and the Parisian Ballet, with direction by Charles Walters (who also directed Caron in the wonderful "Lili").

All in all, a good family film and a wonderful movie for a rainy saturday afternoon. So remember, "Loving one person makes it that much easier to love others", and be sure to check out "The Glass Slipper". Highly recommended!

THE GLASS SLIPPER is a magical, poetic and charming new telling of the Cinderella tale.

Leslie Caron plays Ella, the soot-covered heroine, who is the bane of all the townfolk's insults and jokes, and she is alone and friendless.

Enter the dotty Mrs Toquet (Estelle Winwood) who becomes her confidant and trusted friend, and who is an incurable kleptomaniac to boot!

Michael Wilding as the dashing Prince, Elsa Lanchester as Widow Sonder and Amanda Blake and Lisa Daniels as the sisters Birdena and Serafina all add color and whimsy to the proceedings.

The score is by Bronislau Kaper (FOREVER DARLING, LILI) and the ballet sequences are handled by Roland Petit and the Paris Ballet.

"The Glass Slipper" is a modern interpretation of the classic fairy tale. And it's a good one. Leslie Caron is cast as Ella, a girl almost destroyed by the death of her mother and the lack of understanding shown her by her insensitive stepmother (Elsa Lanchester) and haughty stepsisters ("Gunsmoke's" Amanda Blake, and Lisa Daniels.) The local villagers are likewise indifferent to her, and (as narrator Walter Pigeon dryly observes), her spirit is in danger of being broken as a result. Enter local "madwoman/kleptomaniac" Estelle Winwood, who, simply by reaching out to the defiant girl, gives her confidence and hope. Yes, she's the film's equivalent of the fairy godmother, and she is wonderful in the part. Although the prince (a mature Michael Wilding) leaves a bit to be desired in the dancing department, he is perfectly all right otherwise. Keenan Wynn is wasted as his companion, but Barry Jones is amusing as the prince's father, and Miss Lanchester makes a suitably nasty stepmother. But what of Leslie Caron? Well, she goes from neglected little spitfire to luminous princess effortlessly, and her appearance at the ball is a treat. The ballet sequences do tend to slow the film down, but Miss Caron did begin her career as a dancer, and she has a grace few others could match. The music by Bronislaw Kaper perfectly enhances the mood, as does the modest but tasteful production. Strangely enough, this could be called the original "Ever After", because, except for a delightful twist at the end, the tale is told as if it could have happened. All in all, a captivating version of "Cinderella", and one which will linger in your memory. [phillindholm]

This is my favorite version of Cinderella.Leslie Caron is captivating and refreshing as the feisty, not always aimiable fairy tale heroin.The fairy godmother character has a charming and interesting twist,and I like that the "ugly stepsisters"are quit beautiful outwardly,it's inner beauty they're lacking.[A good message for kids that outer beauty and inner beauty don't always go hand and hand.]There are some long ballet sequences in this movie which may not be for everyone...but I found them charming as well as my 5 year old daughter did.[Especially the scene where Cinderella imagines she's a ballerina dancing on a gigantic iced cake.]...Ooooooo,they just don't em like they used to.

The Glass Slipper has become one of my favorite movies. I really liked the interesting twists given to the well-known fairytale. Leslie Caron makes a perfect Cinderella. In fact I think all the actors fit the parts they played splendidly. I loved Estelle Winwood's act as the "borrowing" fairy godmother, & her interest in words like, " windowsill, elbow, apple dumpling, pickle relish, and Cinderella." I liked that the stepsisters weren't ugly, but their flaw was that they had ugly personalities. I also liked that for once the heroine was something other than the usual boring blonde blue-eyed beauty with long golden curls. The ballets were magnificent, I really liked the Egyptian twist added to the story. I could go on, and on, but you get the general idea-I loved it.

I remember seeing this years ago, presented as a special edition of a family TV anthology (this gives you an idea of how old I am; anthologies are but a thing of the past now). One of the things I immediately warmed to was the fact that they dispense with much of the conventional magic known from the original fairy tale: the fairy godmother is given a specific name and personality- and portrayed as something of a neighborhood kook who loves funny words and even steals. When she helps Ella (only given a 'Cinder' prefix by those who tease her) go to the ball she borrows a coach, steals a gown, and has to make her charge over herself. Leslie Caron, a positively beautiful dancer in her early years, is made to look less pretty than she really is, and the film teaches a rather sizable lesson by making the stepsisters conventionally beautiful for once- but still with poisoned personalities. With this scenario, we are allowed to judge the central character by her spirit, intelligence, and wistfullness (something that would be re-imagined 40 years later in the film EVER AFTER)- knowing all along that she will be rewarded in the end. It is also a sweet change that the prince and Ella meet before seeing each other at the ball- creating a real love story (which is further explored in the Roland Petit fantasy ballets- 'the son of the cook,' and so on). It is a shame that Leslie Caron did not continue to dance on film after this year; all of her subsequent films after 'Gigi' (a musical without dance sequences) were straight dramas. Check this out; it is one of MGM's lesser known, but evey bit as impressive.

I saw this movie first when I was very young. I was fascinated by Leslie Caron after seeing GiGi and my Granny had this in her vast video collection It is a great movie taking a new twist on the Cinderella story incoperating ballet in it which is great to watch Though Michael Wilding is quite a disapointment as Cinderella's prince but can be overlooked. The fairy godmother is funny and good fun to watch. With her list of favourite words 'Apple dumpling,' 'windowsill,' 'elbow,' and of course 'Cinderella' Leslie Caron is cast well and plays well the tortured Cinderella well. The sets and costumes are magnificent to watch. All in all a very pleasant film to watch on a rainy sunday afternoon

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie!! I just wish it was made in DVD format so I can watch it! It's only available in VHS and I don't own a VCR!
Other then that I love the music, the costumes, the dancing, the fairy Godmother, the step sisters, the prince and the rest of the cast!

I LOVE this movie!!! The music, the costumes, the different personalities they gave to the old characters is great and very simply done. Leslie Caron was charming and lovely in this.

I wish this was made in a DVD or someone would redo it into a DVD form, I would LOVE to buy it for my mom and older sister who love old movies like this one!!!!

I love this film!! I found it one day as a teenager on t.v., but can't seem to find it to watch unless I sign up for TMC (Turner Classic Movies, which is on Digital with Comcast & costs a bit more than I'm able to pay at this time). This is a classic, worth adding to any collection!! The one thing that I found somewhat boring is the ballet where Ella is dreaming about losing her prince (they start dancing together, but then he is "changed" into a prince ready to marry an Egyptian princess, and he totally ignores Ella). I can't wait to share it with my children. (Now, if they'd only enhance it for DVD!!)