The glass slipper

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Movie
German title The glass slipper
Original title The Glass Slipper
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1955
length 95 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Charles Walters
script Helen German
production Edwin H. Knopf
for MGM
music Bronislau caper
camera Arthur E. Arling
cut Ferris Webster
occupation

The Glass Slipper is an American dance film by Charles Walters from 1955. It is based on motifs from the fairy tale Cinderella .

action

A small village with a ducal castle in a peaceful Europe: the village eagerly awaits the arrival of Prince Charles, who has been abroad for a long time. The widow Sonder with her daughters Birdena and Serafina also dresses up, while the rebellious, boyish and always ash-soiled Ella stays in the house. Ella is considered cranky in the village because she steadfastly claims that one day she will live in the Duke's castle. After the death of her father and mother - she was five years old at the time - she is accepted in her stepmother's house, but is not really part of the family. That's why she spends a lot of time alone in the woods by a small lake, where no one mocks her for her short hair or her dirty appearance.

Here one day Ella meets Mrs. Toquet, in the eyes of the villagers a somewhat strange old woman who steals things and brings them back a short time later. Mrs. Toquet presents Ella with her favorite words, such as "window glass" and "elbow", and offers herself as her first real friend. Both promise to meet regularly at the lake in the future.

Meanwhile, Prince Charles has learned from his father that a ball will be held in his honor the next day. With his confidante, he retreats into the forest to the very lake where Ella spends her days. Charles also spent his happiest hours here as a child. He tells his confidante that as a boy he was once escorted through the village and had to keep his entourage because a five-year-old girl with big sad eyes and black hair blocked the way, but was soon fetched back to her house. He didn't know the reason for her sadness, but for the first time he saw suffering in her eyes. He has longed for this woman all his life.

Ella comes to the lake and Charles recognizes the little girl in her. He and his companion claim to live as servants in the castle - Charles is the cook's son. Ella runs away after throwing Charles in the water. He, in turn, investigates the village and learns that she is a rebellious and very unpopular woman.

At home, Ella's stepmother and her daughters are ensnaring their cousin Loulou, who has made wealth through intrigue and blackmail at court. Loulou doesn't like Ella sitting barefoot near the table and so she returns to the lake where she forgot her shoes. Charles is already waiting for her there and gives her an invitation to the ball. They both practice various court dances, even if Ella does not think about appearing at the ball. At home she indulges in her daydreams. If she had already seen herself sitting lonely on the throne as a duchess, the thought of becoming the wife of a ducal cook now seems far more pleasant to her. After she has prepared a huge dough while dancing with the cook, she ends up dancing on a wedding cake.

She is woken up because she is supposed to dig up potatoes. In the garden she meets Mrs. Toquet again, who encourages her to go to the ball. However, at first Ella only helps her step-sisters and stepmother to get dressed and is left crying. Mrs. Toquet reappears and prepares her for the ball. The splendid dress she brings for Ella reminds her of the dress description for cousin Loulou. Her senses evil, but Mrs. Toquet calms her down: she shouldn't go to the ball at all, but rather go to her lover's kitchen. Nobody would see the dress because of it. Ella's short black hair adorns a simple diadem, the glass slippers have already passed through many hands. A carriage is already waiting outside to take them to the castle. However, as Mrs. Toquet impresses on her shortly before departure, this is only borrowed, which is why she has to leave the ball at midnight.

Ella goes to the castle and is immediately escorted to the ballroom by the lackeys when she arrives. While the men want to dance with her non-stop, she looks out for the supposed cook or the way to the kitchen and doesn't answer any questions. One quickly suspects that she is an Egyptian princess who does not speak the local language. Only the prince's confidante recognizes Ella and guides the prince to her, who reveals his true identity to her. At midnight on the dot, Ella rushes to the carriage and loses one of her glass shoes. On the rapid drive home, the carriage crashed and Ella passed out when she fell. When she wakes up in her bed, she does not know that the coach and the coachman have turned into a pumpkin and a mouse after the fall. In the meantime, the mystery of the mysterious Egyptian woman has borne strange flowers.

Finally, Ella also learns that the prince is going to marry an Egyptian princess named Tehara. In her daydreams she sees herself dying of love while Charles walks away with Tehara. Desperate, she takes refuge in the small lake, where Mrs. Toquet is only able to cheer her up a little. Suddenly Charles stands in front of her. He tells that the princess Tehara has lost her glass shoe and only the princess will fit the shoe. Ella replies that it is not Teharas, but her own shoe. Charles puts the royal cloak on her and leads her to the ducal palace to the cheers of the villagers present. However, Mrs. Toquet, who is really the fairy mother, has done her job and becomes invisible.

production

The Glass Slipper premiered in New York City on March 24, 1955 . The choreography of the dance scenes comes from Roland Petit .

In the film, “Prinz Charles” sings the title Take My Love, composed by Bronislau Kaper and written by Helen Deutsch . Actor Michael Wilding was dubbed by Val Rosing .

criticism

The lexicon of international films described the glass slipper as an “American Cinderella version: fantastic film musical with singing, pantomime and well-choreographed ballet scenes. A lot of glamor, but also charm, happiness and heart make the film entertainment well worth seeing. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Klaus Brüne (Ed.): Lexicon of International Films . Volume 3. Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1990, p. 1339.