Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For today’s blog post, I will be sharing a list of ten of my favorite films based on the fairytale Cinderella!
10: Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
~Okay, so this may seem like a bit of a cheat, as this is a direct-to-video sequel. However, I could not resist including it, as this was truly the best of Disney’s direct-to-video sequels! It had an interesting premise about Lady Tremaine attempting to rewrite history, and truly showed character development for our favorite Ugly Stepsister. I was truly surprised by how entertaining this film was when I first watched it!
9: The Glass Slipper (1955)
~This is a delightful film that starred Leslie Caron as Ella. This is one of the musical retellings of the story that I have loved since I was little, as I have always loved Leslie Caron (especially in Gigi, but this is my second favorite film of hers)! It is sweet and colorful, and I recommend it to anyone who loves old musicals.
8: Cinderella (1997)
~This is the ’90s take on the Rogers and Hammerstein musical. I have always found it to be a very sweet adaptation. Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston made this a truly memorable version of Cinderella for all of us who were children in the 1990s!
7: Cinderella (1950)
~Okay, so this may be controversial, putting the classic Disney animated film this low, but I do still love it. After all, it is in my top ten. However, I just felt that all of the films that I have listed above this one have a larger place in my heart, and I definitely find them much more rewatchable!
6: A Cinderella Story (2004)
~I could not make this list without including one of the looser adaptations of the story, especially since this one is such a favorite 2000s nostalgic rewatch for me! I honestly have lost count of the times I watched this film. I have always loved both Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, especially in the 2000s, so this one really hits a happy little place in my heart!
5: Into the Woods (2014)
~I know that this one is not purely a Cinderella film, but that is one of the primary fairytales contained within the narrative, so I had to count it! I really love that they did not shy away from taking inspiration from the Grimm Brothers version, instead of the more palatable Charles Perrault telling. I know the stage musical is amazing, and that many dislike this film when they compare the two. However, I cannot lie, I have always had a soft spot for this musical film adaptation! Anna Kendrick is sweet as Cinderella, and I really love the Gold Dress and Golden Slippers look. I also find so much enchantment with the Ball lasting three days instead of one night, as it adds some drama!
4: The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
~This is a 1970s British musical adaptation of the story, which I just recently watched for the first time. Clearly, I loved it for it to be so high on this list. I loved the cinematography, costumes, and sets from the very moment I put the film on. It is very much an 18th-century Rococo aesthetic to the costumes, and I love that choice so much, as it looks like the costumes would fit in if you were watching a film about Marie Antoinette! What makes this film special is that we get to know the Prince (here named Edward) a lot better than we do in many adaptations. Both Richard Chamberlain and Gemma Craven (who play the Prince and Cinderella, respectively) are very sweet, with good chemistry! This is definitely going to be a film I return to when I want to exist within the 18th-century world of Cinderella for a good while, as the film is nearly two and a half hours long.
3: Cinderella (2015)
~This is the film often cited as the best Disney live-action remake, and for good reason! While I have long said I prefer Maleficent, that film is more of a villain origin story and villain perspective take on the tale than a true remake. This is the best traditional remake of the bunch, by a landslide! Lily James is pitch-perfect as Ella, and Richard Madden is great as the Prince. Really, the whole cast is wonderful! This film succeeds where others do not because it did not just lazily try to remake the animated film shot-for-shot. It added depth, removed songs, and created a film that truly stands on its own as a wonderful version of the story! Having Ella and the Prince meet early gives the relationship less of a love at first sight energy. I also adore that we get to see Ella interact with both of her parents before they die, adding so much emotional depth!
2: The Ugly Stepsister (2025)
~Okay, so I had to do it, I had to have a horror version on this list! It is number two because I really love this film. It is one of the best horror films based on a fairytale I have ever seen! The titular Ugly Stepsister, Elvira, is a character that you can truly empathize with (or at least feel pity for). The film is interesting, as it is a rare occurrence that we get a truly unlikable Cinderella character, and here we do in Agnes. It really turns the narrative on its head, given that it makes you want to root for Elvira, not Agnes! However, be warned, this film is definitely body horror, and not for the faint of heart. I actually did a full spoiler-filled review of this film when I first watched it. If you are interested, I will have it linked below!
1: Ever After (1998)
~I am sure some people may have guessed that this one would win out! It is a favorite amongst many of us lovers of fairytale films. I will say that it is sort of surprising that my favorite is the one that is most grounded, without any full-on magic or fantasy elements, as I am a lover of magic and fantasy films. That being said, this is just a stunning film that shows a truly beautiful love story, one that is said to have inspired every version of Cinderella told after. I adore that it is set at the French Court, I love that Danielle and Prince Henry have a real romance that develops over time, and I really love that Leonardo da Vinci takes on the role of Fairy Godmother! The cast is phenomenal, with Drew Barrymore giving a truly emotionally resonant performance. This is one I return to time and time again, so it had to be number one!
~I hope you have enjoyed this countdown of Cinderella films. What is your favorite version of the fairytale? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is an illustration of Cinderella by Edmund Dulac. I found the artwork on https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/books-manuscripts-and-music-from-medieval-to-modern/edmund-dulac-original-illustration-for-cinderella.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
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