ACinderellaforForeverDisneydeliversamaidwithmoxie,undoingtheanimatederrorof1950Whatcomesbetween“onceuponatime”and“happilyeverafter”?Formostfairy-taleheroines,miseryandabuse.Theyoungwomanlosesherparentsandistormentedbyawickedstepmother—aphrasethatinthesefablesisvirtuallyaredundancy—untilshemeetsherPrinceCharming.TheCinderellastoryhadbeenaroundforagesbeforeCharlesPerraultaddedthefairygodmotherandglassslipperforhis1697Cendrillon.SoarchetypalwasthescenariothatKurtVonnegut,ina1947master’sthesisfortheUniversityofChicago,pointedoutsimilaritiesbetweenCinderellaandtheNewTestament:theprotagonistsreceivegiftsfromahighpower,thensufferadreadfulordealandfinallyascendtosalvation.Somehowthethesisgotrejected,butVonnegut’spointispiquant,no?Ella(LilyJames)inDisney’slatestCinderelladoesn’tundergoaCalvary,butherstepmotherLadyTremaine(CateBlanchett)makesthegirl’slifealivinghell,demotinghertocharwomanintheserviceofthelady’sgracelessdaughtersAnastasia(HollidayGrainger)andDrizella(SophieMcShera).WhentheKing(DerekJacobi)inviteseverymaidentoaballatwhichthePrince(RichardMadden)willchoosehisbride,Ellaisleftathome,findingtransportationinatransformationcourtesynotofGodtheFatherbutofherfairygodmother(HelenaBonhamCarter).Spoileralert:Ellaleavesaglassslipperfitforaprincessbride.ItsoundslikeanotherofVonnegut’sstoryarchetypes:boymeetsgirl.Orrather,Princemeetscommoner—andit’sloveatfirstsight.YoumaywonderwhyweneedanewCinderella,forthelegendhasbeenamoviestaplesincethebeginningofthemedium.ThatprimecinemagicianGeorgesMélièsconjuredupaCendrillonin1899,employingtrickphotographytoturnarabbitintoafootman,ratsintocoachmenandapumpkinintoacarriage.ThecentralrolewasplayedbyMaryPickford,themovies’firststaractress,in1914,and,inagender-bendingswitch,byJerryLewisinthe1960Cinderfella.DrewBarrymorebroughtafeministsparktoEverAfter:ACinderellaStoryin1998;AnneHathawayenduredogresandsnakesinthe2004EllaEnchanted.Afewmonthsago,inIntotheWoods,AnnaKendrick’sCinderellafoundtoherchagrinwhathappensafter“happilyeverafter.”Themostfamousversion,Disney’sin1950,wasthestudio’sfirstfullyanimatedfeaturesinceBambieightyearsearlier,anditrescuedtheMouseHousefromnearbankruptcy.Cherishedforthehitsongs“ADreamIsaWishYourHeartMakes”and“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,”itisalsotheleastfaithfultoitssource.Abouthalfofthe74-minutemovieisdevotedtotheshenanigansoftheheroine’sclosestcompanions,aquartetoftalkingmice,andtheirslapstickbattles,Tom-and-Jerry-style,withLadyTremaine’sobnoxiouscat,Lucifer.ThePrince,whodoesn’tappearuntillateintheaction,speaksonlyafewwords.ThebigdramaiswhetherthemiceJaqandGuswillbeabletolugakeyuptotheatticthatimprisonsCinderella.NeitherChristlikenortruetoPerrault,thisisoneDisneyfeaturethatlookscoarseandcharmlesstoday.Givenalltheserevisionistversions,includingitsown,Disneywiselydecidedtomakeaplainoldvisionistone.Thethirdrecentliveactionfilmspunofffromitsclassiccartoonfeatures—afterTimBurton’sAliceinWonderlandandtheAngelinaJolie—starringMaleficent,fromSleepingBeauty—thisCinderella,writtenbyChrisWeitzanddirectedbyKennethBranagh,playsitstraightandpretty.Makethatgorgeous:thesettingsbyDanteFerrettiandthegownsbySandyPowell(eachwiththreeOscarwins)turnthefilmintoafantasylandthatisitsownthemepark.Lessaremakeofthe1950moviethanacorrection,thisCinderelladoeswithouttheoldstandardsornewones.Thoughitoftenseemsreadytoburstintoso...