Cinderella (Faerie Tale Theatre episode)

Infobox Television episode


Title=Cinderella
Series=Faerie Tale Theatre
Season=4
Episode=5
Airdate=August 12 1985
Writer=Rod Ash
Mark Curtis
Director=Mark Cullingham
Prev=Grim Party
Next=Puss in Boots

"Cinderella" is the 20th episode of the television anthology "Faerie Tale Theatre". The story is based on the famous Charles Perrault fairy tale Cinderella and stars Jennifer Beals as the title character.

Plot

In a quiet little household, a young woman named Cinderella and her immediate stepfamily mourn the death of Cinderella's father. In the aftermath, Cinderella finds herself given all the hard work in the household while her stepmother and stepsisters Arlene and Bertha are only given the task of relaxing and bossing her around. Cinderella obeys out of kindness and loyalty to her father, but her stepfamily continues to treat her like a servant.

One day a royal messenger arrives to tell them that there will be an Autumn Ball at the palace. Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters excitedly order Cinderella around to help them prepare for the ball, while Cinderella herself is laughed at when she voices interest in attending as well.

On the night of the ball, after her stepfamily has gone, Cinderella cries by the fireplace but is interrupted when her fairy godmother suddenly appears and explains that she is there to help Cinderella attend the ball. She uses her magic wand to turn a pumpkin into a carriage, two white mice into horses, a rat into a coachman and Cinderella's rags into a beautiful gown. As a bonus, the fairy godmother gives her a pair of glass slippers, and warns Cinderella to be back by midnight, for at that moment the magic would end.

At the ball, Prince Henry is being harassed by young women who want to catch his eye, Arlene and Bertha among them. As he is trying to escape from them, Cinderella makes her entrance. Prince Henry is enchanted by her and asks her to dance, and from there on the pair have a wonderful time. At a quarter to twelve Cinderella runs off, leaving Prince Henry speechless and dismayed. After the ball is over, a gloomy Henry talks to his father the King about the mysterious girl who has won his heart, and the King suggests that Henry hold another ball to lure Cinderella there again.

On the night of the second ball, Cinderella's fairy godmother appears again and as before, uses her magic to help Cinderella get ready. When Cinderella arrives at the ball Henry is overjoyed to see her again. The pair spend more time together and Cinderella is so lost in the moment that only at the very last moment does she realise that the clock chiming in the background is signalling midnight. Cinderella runs away just in time, though in her haste she accidentally leaves behind her glass slipper.

The King then comes up with an idea of trying the slipper on every maiden in the kingdom, and the one that it fits would marry the Prince. After countless tries, the Prince finally reaches Cinderella's house. The slipper did not fit neither Arlene nor Bertha. Cinderella then tries on the slipper, despite her stepmother's refusal, and it fit perfectly. The Fairy Godmother appeared again and turned Cinderella's rags back into a ballgown, and the stepmother, Arlene, and Bertha into rabbits. Then, Cinderella and the Prince got married and lived happily ever after.

Cast

ee also

List of Faerie Tale Theatre episodes