Movie · 1950 · Family, Fantasy, Animation, Romance · 1h 14m · G · English
Curator score: 6.5/10 (634.9K ratings)
The greatest love story ever told.
Overview
Cinderella has faith her dreams of a better life will come true. With help from her loyal mice friends and a wave of her Fairy Godmother's wand, Cinderella's rags are magically turned into a glorious gown and off she goes to the Royal Ball. But when the clock strikes midnight, the spell is broken, leaving a single glass slipper... the only key to the ultimate fairy-tale ending!
Ratings
Curator score: 6.5/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.55/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Metacritic: 85
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Production
Walt Disney Productions
Cast
Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Claire Du Brey, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald, Helene Stanley, Luis van Rooten, Don Barclay, Lucille Bliss, Jeffrey Stone, Mike Douglas, William Phipps, Earl Keen, John Woodbury, Lucille Williams, June Foray, Thurl Ravenscroft, Clint McCauley, June Sullivan
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A foundational Disney fairy tale with enduring charm, lush hand-drawn animation, and a surprisingly large dose of slapstick animal comedy. Its emotional simplicity is part of the appeal: it’s gentle, romantic, and iconic, even if some viewers may find the pacing old-fashioned or the heroine underwritten by modern standards.
Best for
classic animation fans
families with younger kids
viewers who enjoy fairy-tale romance
Disney history buffs
fans of whimsical animal sidekicks
Skip if
you want a fast-paced modern story
you prefer complex characters and psychological depth
you dislike old-fashioned gender roles
you’re looking for action-heavy fantasy
you don’t enjoy musical fairy tales
Overview
Cinderella remains one of the defining studio fairy tales: elegant, accessible, and built around pure cinematic wish fulfillment. The animation is graceful, the villainy is vivid, and the transformation sequence still lands as a genuine event, even after decades of imitation.
Worth noting
What stands out most now is how much of the movie’s energy comes from the supporting cast, especially the mice and the cat-and-mouse chaos that runs through the film. That comic business gives the movie a lighter, busier texture than its reputation suggests, and it helps the story feel playful rather than merely sentimental.
Bottom line
The film’s emotional core is simple to the point of fairy-tale purity, which is either a strength or a limitation depending on taste. If you want a landmark of classic animation and a template for the modern princess movie, it’s essential; if you want nuance or reinvention, it may feel more like a beautifully preserved artifact than a revelation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (2★) · 3783 likes
The dog in this is named Bruno, how come we don't talk about that
Matt Singer (3.5★) · 3608 likes
Every time I watch this movie I’m surprised that it’s mostly the story of a bunch of mice getting chased by a cat and then making a dress.
Julia Cudney (4★) · 3368 likes
a-plot: Tom & Jerry
b-plot: Cinderella
Kait (2.5★) · 2046 likes
imagine some bitch marrying the prince just because y'all have the same size foot and she got to him first