Princess Cinderella (1941)

Princess Cinderella is a one of a kind movie that is a kind of must see for those who love fairy tales, comics based films and off beat children’s films. Made in Italy 1941 it was released in the US in 1954 or 1955. It is based on a comic that was started in 1917 by --- and tells the story of Cinderella after her marriage to the prince. Hanging out with the help she disappoints the king and queen. When the glass slippers are now found to be too small for her she is turned out to the wilderness where she has adventures.

Done in a pantomime style with stylized make-up and sets the film is a trippy film the likes of which we don’t see any more. It kind of reminds me of the Red Riding/Big Bad Wolf films that K Gordon Murray imported in the 1960’s except more surreal and possessing a wicked sense of humor. The jokes in the English dub are quite good and it adds to the madness of the proceedings. Interestingly the version of the film I saw would slip back into Italian for the songs. Its an odd touch but somehow works.

I honestly don’t know what I think of the film. I loved seeing a film that was off the beaten path and lost comic film. I loved the take on what happens after “they lived happily ever after” . I was a little less thrilled with some of the style of the telling but I still liked it.

Ultimately if you want to see a one of a kind film that is truly off the beaten path track this film down.