Year: 2015
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Screenplay: Chris Weitz
Starring: Lily James , Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Sophie
McShera, Holliday Grainger, Helena Bonham Carter
Synopsis is here:
To paraphrase from another, well-loved Disney adaptation,
this is a tale as old as time. This 2015 version of Cinderella is a live action
take on the Disney telling of the well-known story. Despite the director’s talk
of subversion, this film’s rebellion takes its form in actually being part of
the status quo. Disney’s original take was made in 1950 and this version seeks
to reiterate what was said before. The idea seems to be that Cinderella’s
traditional approach should be able to stand tall against the more progressive
themes of the likes of Frozen.
There’s been some interesting think pieces which have been
quick to pick up on the film’s lack of progression. I do believe there is an
importance to this, considering just how influential and successful the Frozen juggernaut
has become.
To have Tasha Robinson question the passive nature of the film is understandable. I do the same with the likes of Harry Potter or
Twilight. Yet the hostility and tone towards being nice and awaiting princes at
a film which is trying to be as earnest as possible about the idea of being
nice is more than a little strange when we are looking at a film which is being
targeted at those who are still in single digits. I’m not the biggest fan of
some of the subject matter that appears within the film. Yet if I have a kid, I
know I can argue my case with them. I remember my parents taking me to Sunday school,
but I also remember them informing me of other religions. The same thing
applies, I feel.
I’m more worried about how much of this fairy tale fluff finds its way into
more adult fare. When the likes of Bridget Jones and Sex in the City try and
maintain such ideals when we have built discerning tastes and should know
better than in a bland simple fantasy. One of the reasons I tend to stay away
from writing about films aimed squarely at kids is due to how jaded we as
adults can be towards such material as Cinderella. While I do feel that in our
modern age, it would have been more interesting to have seen a female writer/director
take the reign of the project in terms of agency, we are now expecting
subversion in films which are clearly set up to try and deflect the cynicism we
endure throughout our day to day life? I don't write to offer all the answers,
but I do wonder how many kids would read such writing and raise an eyebrow.
I think my issue is that no matter how traditional this film
plays things, it is still in essence a kids' piece. I do feel, however despite my
previous mansplaning in the above paragraphs, I must admit that Branagh’s
feature is a bland one. The film’s casting and art design show that the
production had finance to burn, and it all finds its way to the screen. Kudos
must go out to Customer designer Sandy Powell and production designer Dante
Ferretti (a Scorsese regular) for the building of the world. We also must thank
Cate Blanchett for giving the world some energy. Unfortunately Downton Abbey’s
Lily James’ breathy performance and Game of Throne’s Richard Madden’s toothy
charm evaporate pretty quickly. Meanwhile Branagh does little to stir the pot
emotionally or visually to make the film any more the sum of its parts.
The film’s robust box office earnings suggests that we still
live in a world where pot stirring isn’t the way to go. Despite feminist
criticisms and my own indifference, Cinderella offers a similar stance to Fifty
Shades of Grey . The subject can be questioned and yet the desires for the fantasy
still remains. As bland as I may find this film as a piece of entertainment –
and believe me it really doesn’t go anywhere - I do feel that Disney’s shrewdness
has paid off, and not just because there is a Frozen animated short played in
front of the main feature. Although having that short in front gives the target
audience a powerful characteristic: The right to choose.
