Walt Disney's Cinderella At 75 • The Animated Treasure That Saved The Studio Financially And Ushered In A Golden Age For Disney

A Fantasy Tale and a Golden Age for a Studio in Financial Straits 

No creatures or giant bugs, no flying saucers, just a magical fairy and a fantasy tale that turned Disney around and launched a Golden Age … Cinderella.  

The war years had not been kind to the studio and even though Pinocchio (February, 1940), Fantasia (November, 1940) and Bambi (August, 1942) would become timeless classics, they had failed to earn back their production costs during their initial theatrical runs … at least Dumbo (October, 1941) turned a small profit for Disney during its initial theatrical release.

European markets were closed (as well as others).   Collecting film rentals owed turned out to be red ink write-downs.   

When World War II finally came to a close, Disney took some of the sting out of the production losses by reissuing both Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio and Dumbo, but it was still perilous financial times for the studio.

Darr Smith’s column in the Los Angeles Daily News on January 14, 1949 laid it out, “Walt Disney Productions, currently in mild financial straits, looks forward to next year and the release of its first postwar, all-cartoon feature ‘Cinderella’ to put the company permanently back on its feet.”

Smith continues, “Disney makes no bones about needing another ‘Snow White’ to put the company in the black, and hopes ‘Cinderella’ is it.”

There are little tidbids about what was in the works at Disney throughout the spring of 1949 and the news was also good about the success of the live-action release of So Dear to My Heart, which was completed three years earlier, but held back for more favorable times.   What was in the works had been “in the works” since 1943, when Walt laid out plans to do Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and Hiawatha.

Back on March 31, 1948, Hedda Hopper’s syndicated “Hollywood” column leads with: “When Walt Disney was in Ireland a year ago, he got material for ‘Three Wishes,’ a yarn about what when a real Irishman matches wits with a Leprechaun.”   Hopper continues, “Also on the future list are ‘Peter Pan,’ ‘The Sword in the Stone,’ and Longfellow’s American classic ‘Hiawatha’ … Walt’s ‘Melody Time’ will be released in August, and ‘So Dear to My Heart,’ in December.”

She concludes with, “ ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Treasure Island’ are also in work (sic).”   By the spring of 1948, Hiawatha got swapped out for a live-action telling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, “Treasure Island” and the animated features of Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland had been switched in the production order. 

Walt Disney set down with Los Angeles Times entertainment columnist Philip K. Scheuer for a major feature piece on Sunday, June 5, 1949.  The first part of the interview focuses on the upcoming live-action production of Treasure Island, and then we get to Cinderella, where Disney says, “Then there’s ‘Cinderella,’ the first really postwar picture reflecting out present organization.”  

He continues, “ ‘Cinderella’ gave us plenty of latitude; it hasn’t the tradition behind it that ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Peter Pan’ have.  Our biggest problem was the human characters — and ‘Cinderella’ has lot of ‘em — to make thousands of drawings, animate them naturally, keep them believable as humans and still within the realm of cartoon fantasy!”

During the extensive interview, Walt shares an insight, “The stepmother has a cat, a heavy, who’s about as mean to Cinderella’s mice as the stepmother is to Cinderella.”

The film might be ready for the Christmas season, which again was stressed in a blub in Edwin Schallert’s July 25 “Drama” section in the Los Angeles Times, “Walt Disney will return from England in about four weeks to prepare ‘Cinderella’ for Christmas launching.” 

No Christmas Season For Cinderella

Hedda Hopper breaks the news nationally on September 27 that Cinderella will be a 1950 theatrical release.  “Walt Disney will definitely do ‘Peter Pan’ after ‘Alice in Wonderland.’”  “ ‘Cinderella’ is being scored and will be ready for January release.”

The consumer press is quiet for the most part during October and November on the status of Cinderella, which is a little odd that the studio is not beating the promotional drums (planted stories, etc.).

And then in December we get a series of PR hits focused on consumer interest and awareness for the forthcoming film.   For example, Hedda Hopper has a Christmas morning tease in her syndicated “Hollywood” column that has the headline “Masterpiece.”   

She says of the film, “Walt Disney’s ‘Cinderella’ was completed this year, but won’t be released until February.  It’s ageless.  The film will be just as good 20 years from now as it is today.”

Hopper continues, “The antics of Cinderella and her animal cronies make you purr and laugh, taking you back to childhood and the excitement of first reading this fairy story.  Walt is one producer who improves on classic.”   

The publicity machine goes into overdrive in January beginning with a full-spread piece on New Year’s Day by “This Week” movie editor Louis Berg in the Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times.

Berg’s piece is titled “Local Girl Makes Good,” which is a reference to Helene Stanley who was used as the model for Disney’s animators to nail down the human movements as referenced by Walt in Scheuer’s sit-down interview six months earlier.

Berg teases, “Gus-Gus: A 2nd Dopey?” … complete with picture of the chubby little mouse.
There are product tie-ins during this pre-release period as well.   These include “Golden Books,” cottage cheese, slippers (of course), a “complete cutting and sewing guide to make your own Walt Disney Cinderella Apron” (free of charge at all participating J.C. Penny’s stores) and more.

Boston Gets the World-Wide Premiere of Cinderella 

On Sunday, February 5 the news breaks in the Boston Globe, the RKO Keith Memorial Theatre will host the world-wide premiere of Cinderella on Wednesday, February 15.  On the Sunday before the film’s debut it is revealed that Ilene Woods (the singing voice of Cinderella) will be at each showing of the film on opening day, beginning at nine in the morning.

Marjory Adams’ review in the Boston Globe had the headline, “Cinderella Charming Disney Fantasy in Color at the Keith Memorial” and said of the film in the opening paragraph of her review, “Cinderella, one of those delightful Disney fairy stories, bright with color, happy with melody, and gay with humorous fantasy.”

One week later (February 22) Cinderella opens at Brandt’s Mayfair in New York City.  

Kate Cameron, writing in the Daily News the next day, gave the film four stars with the headline reading “Cinderella Charms On Mayfair’s Screen.”  She opens with, “Walt Disney has again recreated fairyland on the screen for the delectable enjoyment of children of all ages.”

Los Angeles had to wait a full month for Cinderella to makes its hometown debut … the RKO Pantages (Hollywood) and the RKO Hillstreet (downtown) opened the film on Saturday, March 25, with Ilene Woods on stage at the Pantages for the 11AM, 1:15PM and 2:30PM screenings.   First showing at both venues was at 8:30 in the morning.


Edwin Schallert’s review in the Los Angeles Times had the headline, “Cinderella Spreads Joy; Seen As Boon to Show World”

He said of the film, “Only Disney could create a picture so rich and imaginative in beauty, and so uniquely exampling what the films alone can achieve.   It is a wonderful fairy tale of the cinema for both children and adults.  Its appeal should be universal.”

Cinderella was still in theatrical release when 1950 came to a close … Disney had a monster hit and a Golden Era was at hand for the studio.

    

Cinderella 

 February 15, 1950
     RKO Keith Memorial Theatre, Boston, MA.
       Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. 

Cast of Characters 

Irene Woods ......................................... Cinderella (voice)
Verna Felton .............................. Fairy Godmother (voice)
Eleanor Audley ............................. Lady Tremaine (voice)
Rhoda Williams ........................................ Drizella (voice)
Lucille Bliss ........................................... Anastasia (voice)
James MacDonald ............... Jaq (voice), Gus-Gus (voice)
William Phipps .......................... Prince Charming (voice)
Mike Douglas ......................... Prince Charming (singing)
Luis Van Rooten ........................................... King (voice) 
Helene Stanley ........................ Human Model, Cinderella
Claire DuBrey .............. Human Model, Fairy Godmother
           Betty Lou Gerson ................................................ Narrator           

Voice Talent: Don Barclay (Doorman), June Foray (Lucifer), Lucille Williams (Perla), Earl Keen (Bruno), Jeffrey Stone, John Woodbury, Thurl Ravenscroft, Clint McCauley, June Sullivan, Helen Seibert and Marion Darlington (Birds)

Synopsis

 

We begin with a narrator telling of a peaceful and prosperous kingdom wherein a widower lives with his young daughter by the name of Cinderella.  Alone, he remarries a widow, Lady Tremaine, who has two daughters of her own, Drizella and Anastasia. 

Sadly, we are told, Cinderella’s father dies and Lady Tremaine squanders much of the family fortune promoting her two daughters, so much so that Cinderella has been reduced to being nothing more than a household servant.

It’s morning and Cinderella, asleep in her barebones tower loft, is awakened by the singing of the birds, who tease and play with her while they sing a happy tune.  Soon Jaq, her mouse friend, urgently tells her that a new mouse has been caught in a trap on the stairs and something must be done quickly before Lady Tremaine’s cat, Lucifer, finds him.

Cinderella arrives in time and discovers a terrified mouse trembling in the cage-like trap.  Once freed, Jaq tells him that Cinderella is good and that he now has a new home with many friends.  She names the chubby new arrival Gus, who repeats it as Gus Gus and so it remains.

A series of vignettes play out as we learn of Cinderella’s many duties in service to Lady Tremaine and her two daughters, who all have spacious bedrooms of their own.   We also see that Jaq, Gus Gus and the rest of the mouse clan have secret passages that honeycomb the chateau, which keeps them one step ahead of Lucifer.

During lessons given by their mother it becomes apparent that Drizella and Anastasia are completely devoid of any singing talent — even Lucifer closes doors and finds quieter areas to avoid the screeching sounds of the pair.  In counterpoint, Cinderella, even down on her hands and knees scrubbing floors, has the voice of an angel.   The mice and birds join in.  

There are also Cinderella’s dog, Bruno, who is not the brightest, but loveable nonetheless and Major, her father’s horse, who has seen better days.

At the castle, the King has had it with his son, Prince Charming!   He demands that he get married and give him lots of grandchildren.  To make this happen, the King announces that a fancy ball will be held at the castle and all available young maidens within the realm are invited to attend.

When the invitation arrives, things are set in motion that finds Drizella and Anastasia designing fancy gowns for the event, while Cinderella tries her best — with the help of her friends — to refashion one of her mother’s dresses.   The mice help with the process and find castoff bits of material from the stepsister’s handy work, which they incorporate into Cinderella’s gown.

The day of the ball arrives and the stepsisters discover what Cinderella’s mice have been up to when they see her dress and tear it to shreds.  Cinderella resigns herself to missing the festivities as Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella depart. 

At her lowest point and in deep despair that she will never see an end to the misery heaped upon her by the Tremains, Cinderella is suddenly visited by her Fairy Godmother.  With a “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and the wave or her magic wand a pumpkin in the field is turned into a marvelous carriage!  

Jaq and two other mice are turned into magnificent horses to pull the carriage, while Gus Gus scurries away only to be trapped by Lucifer!   But with the wave of the Fairy Godmother’s wand he too becomes a noble steed and the startled cat runs for cover! Bruno and Major become coachmen and Cinderella’s tattered dress is magically transformed into a beautiful gown complete with glass slippers like no other to be seen at the ball.

Wonderful!  But not so fast, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother tells her that all of the magic — all of the “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” — will be gone at the stroke of midnight!   And with that Cinderella is off to the ball!

The festivities are well along with Prince Charming enduring a seemingly endless line of the Kingdom’s eligible young women while the King and the Grand Duke watch in frustration.  The last to arrive — and unannounced — is a mystery woman in a fine carriage wearing a lovely gown and glass slippers.  This is at the same moment that the end of the line is reach — literally and figuratively — with Drizella and Anastasia.

Prince Charming spots the mystery woman from far across the ballroom and instinctively heads for her — passing between the stepsisters — and asks the beautiful young woman to dance with him.   The King orders the orchestra to play … perhaps his dream has come true. 

As Prince Charming and the mystery woman dance, Lady Tremaine becomes suspicious, but she can’t quite bring herself to believe that this is the housemaid that she left dejected back at the chateau.   The pair dance off into the palace garden and the King instructs the Grand Duke to wake him when Prince Charming proposes.

Time has passed so quickly that as the midnight hour arrives Cinderella tells a shocked Prince Charming that she must leave and moves as quickly as she can in heels and a ball grown to her awaiting carriage and in the process sheds one of her glass slippers.  Riders are dispatched to catch her, but all they find is a smashed pumpkin in the middle of the road … the mystery woman has seemingly vanished.

The Grand Duke awakens the King to the bad news and after some shouting and sword play is instructed to take the glass slipper and go house to house until Prince Charming’s future bride is found … the Grand Duke’s life might well depend on a successful outcome.

News arrives of his mission and Lady Tremaine deduces that Cinderella is the mystery woman once she sees her reaction to Prince Charming’s intent on marrying the maiden whose foot fits the slipper.  She locks Cinderella in her tower room.

Jaq and Gus Gus must steal the key from Lady Tremaine and climb the endless staircase to free Cinderella before the Grand Duke finishes measuring the feet of Drizella and Anastasia — back and forth the action shifts until the situation appears hopeless as Lucifer has taken up position in front of the tower door.   

In a moment of inspiration, the trapped Cinderella asks the birds to summon the sleeping Bruno in the courtyard below to chase Lucifer from the door.  A terrified Gus Gus is finally free to deliver the key.

The Grand Duke is about to depart when suddenly Cinderella speaks and asked to be fitted for the slipper that he holds.  But Lady Tremaine is having none of it … the Duke’s assistant is tripped, the slipper shattered, the end.

The love of Prince Charming’s life will never be found and the Grand Duke knows that he will not likely see the next sunrise when the King hears of his failure.  Just when all seems lost, Cinderella calmly produces the other slipper … cut to the wedding day and departing carriage.   They live happily ever after.

Film Masters Looks To August 5 As The Street Date For A Limited Edition Blu-ray Presentation Of The Class Of '74

Film Masters has tabbed Aug. 5 as the street date for the Limited Edition Blu-ray release of tag-team directors Mack Bing and Arthur Marks’ The Class of ’74.

You have to admire Mack Bing, he noticed packed theatres for Valley of the Dolls and the sequel, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (and others), and so he recruited Barbara Mills (The Harem Bunch, Wild, Free and Hungry, Sinthia: The Devil’s Doll, Matinee Wives) to star in a sexual awakening tale that he titled Gabriella, Gabriella.   

Mills was even billed as Gabriella Caron, but by all standards it was an unstructured mess.  What Gabriella, Gabriella had going for it was some nice footage of Mills, and this is why you have to both enjoy and admire the filmmaking process whereby an “unstructured mess” is turned into a commercial theatrical success.

Enter Arthur Marks, who had just written and directed Togetherness, starring George Hamilton, Peter Lawford and Olga Berova (aka: Olga Schoberova).   The film was also distributed under his newly formed General Film Corporation, or simply “GFC,” and it was a winner.

Marks was from a show biz family and he got the bug, first in production and set work, then some “assistant director” assignments (re-shoots, etc.) and finally the big break came as both a director and producer on the popular Perry Mason courtroom series.   This filmmaking background taught him the efficient use of time and resources — set up, shoot quickly and move on.   Time is money!

Somehow he meets up with Bing, who has this unstructured mess, but with some nice footage of Barbara Mills.  A flash of lightning!  Why not use the footage as the basis for “flashback” sequences and quickly recruit and shoot a wrap-around narrative featuring a naïve “Gabriella” (Mills) as a college student.

With Barbara Mills onboard, Marks casts three “experienced” college classmates — Carla (Marki Bey — Sugar Hill, The Roommates, Hangup), Heather (Pat Woodell — The Big Dollhouse, The Twilight People, The Roommates) and Maggie (Sondra Currie — Jessi’s Girls, Teenage Seductress … and as Linda in The Hangover trilogy) — who are more than willing to give “Gabriella” some much needed instruction in making the transition from naïve co-ed to a sexually-charged woman!   Genius!

Although the film is generally considered a spring/summer of 1972 release, Marks actually had the film completed in the fall of 1971 and had prints ready to test screen during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday period in the Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas markets.  

One of these, as an example, was the Circle Drive-In Theatre in Waco, Texas (a triple feature with Quick, Let’s Get Married and A Swinging Summer), where advertising in the local paper was relatively inexpensive, but nevertheless effective.

The feedback from this limited run gave Marks some valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the adverting … and some assurance that The Class of ’74 was going to be a winner!  General Film Corporation had a hit!

Now Film Masters has this new Limited Edition Blu-ray presentation of The Class of ’74 heading home on Aug. 5 for film fans to take a fun-filled trip down memory lane.

Bonus features include a newly-prepared commentary by film historian and “Cereal at Midnight” host Heath Holland!