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| Cinderella - 1997 |
Welcome back to the blog! After a brief hiatus while I was on vacation, we are back. Thanks for sticking with us. For today's TV Tuesday offering, we have 1997's "Cinderella", a TV movie that puts a different spin on the classic story set to Rodgers and Hammerstein's excellent music.
The film's cast includes Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Victor Garber, Paolo Montalban, Veanne Cox, and Natalie Desselle.
Cinderella, a young woman who is basically a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters, is hopeful that one day she'll find love and happiness. An incognito prince is also hoping the same thing. They both know that the "dearest love in all the world is waiting somewhere for me."
With the help of faithful family retainer Lionel, King Maximilian and Queen Constantina, the Prince's parents, plan to throw a lavish ball in order to find their son a bride.
Take a listen to this clip to listen to Queen Constantina begin the ball announcement with a run down of her son's exhaustive list of names.
As they prepare for the ball, she counsels her daughters on the dangers of "Falling In Love With Love".
Cinderella's Fairy Godmother turns up and makes the "Impossible" possible. She makes a way for the young girl to attend the ball, though cautions her that the magic will only last until midnight.
Cinderella arrives at the ball. The Prince is instantly besotted and sweeps her onto the dance floor. "Ten Minutes Ago I Met You," the two sing together.
Everyone is captivated by the beautiful young woman, even the King. "She is stunning, isn't she," remarks Queen Constantine. King Maximilian murmurs, "A vision...why if I were a younger man..." The Queen gives him a look and asks, "Yes, dear?" To which, he regains his composure and says, "Well, I'd be younger, wouldn't I?"
However, Cinderella's stepmother isn't enthralled by the woman whom she seems to recognize.
And her daughters lament over the fact that the Prince seems to prefer this mysterious girl to themselves.
Well, you know what happens. The clock strikes midnight and Cinderella has to make a hasty exit from the ball, leaving behind one of her glass slippers.
Back at home, Cinderella's stepmother comes to realize that the mysterious woman at the ball was Cinderella.
Of course, the Prince decides to seek out the girl who captured his heart and left behind a glass slipper.
Naturally, he finds Cinderella. Her stepmother and stepsisters are horrified when they see Cinderella's foot fit perfectly into the glass slipper.
The Prince whisks Cinderella off to the palace where they are married. Cinderella's Fairy Godmother hovers over the proceedings while her stepmother and stepsisters have the palace gates shut in their faces.
Cast rundown:
Brandy..........................................Cinderella
Jason Alexander..............................Lionel
Whoopi Goldberg............................Queen Constantina
Whitney Houston............................Fairy Godmother
Bernadette Peters...........................The Stepmother
Victor Garber..................................King Maximilian
Paolo Montalban.............................Prince Christopher
Veanne Cox....................................Calliope
Natalie Desselle..............................Minerva
And that's it for Cinderella. With this movie, Brandy became the first African American to portray Cinderella. The movie broke all viewership records at the time of its release, and it still holds the record for the best-selling video for a made for TV movie. Whoopi Goldberg's jewels in the film were designed by Harry Winston for a cost of about $2 million.
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