Impossible things are happening every day as Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella comes to Disney Plus. By popular demand, Cinderella, the television film starring the now deceased Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother and Brandy as Cinderella, will re-release after almost 24 years! Originally premiering during ABC’s, The Wonderful World of Disney on Nov. 2, 1997, this film became a classic celebrating its diverse cast represented through some A-list casting.
We all know the classic Disney Cinderella, which has a very straight forward plot told mostly from Cinderella’s perspective. Rodger and Hammerstein’s musical adaptation of Cinderella has a more fun and vibrant feel to the story of Cinderella than Disney’s as it is a stage musical. Although it is a stage musical, Rodger and Hammerstein’s film adaptations have been translated very well into films multiple times. The first adaption is CBS’s television film starring Julie Andrews in 1957, which you can watch here as well as another version from 1965 that you can watch here. (Feel free to compare each film.)
What makes this version of Cinderella different from others? Well, the diverse representation in the casting and the music. The cast includes some familiar film and broadway actors/ess such as Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Paolo Montalban, Jason Alexander, Veanne Cox, and the late Natalie Desselle Reid. This film broke boundaries as it featured an African American Cinderella (Brandy) and an Asian American Price (Paolo Montalban), which was something that Broadway and film productions hadn’t done before. (Even the most recent Cinderella revival in 2013 had an almost white cast.) This movie was ahead of its time, having kids seeing a princess or a prince look similar to them, which is something that old Disney didn’t give much of.
One of my favorite things about this film, aside from the diverse casting, is the music. While the lyrics and music are the originals written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, this adaptation included aspects of Pop, R&B, and Electropop to the songs, which modernizes the pieces while still having its classical Rodger and Hammerstein’s sound. Some of the songs you can hear this in include In My Own Little Corner, Falling In Love With Love (a new song added), Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful, A Lovely Night, There Is Music In You.
Who are Rodgers and Hammerstein?
Mr. Richard Rodgers and Mr. Oscar Hammerstein had one of the most impactful partnerships of the 20th century. They created a new face for theater, incorporating drama, music, and dance, which not many shows had. With hit shows such as The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and Cinderella, Rodger and Hammerstein were able to elevate the New York Theatre District during Broadway’s golden age. Theatres were renamed in their memory, keeping their legacy living.
Personally, I am a fan of this movie and the impact it had on POC. From the music to the cast and set, this movie is truly a work of art. The film will be available on Friday, February 12th. It is a funny, feel-good movie that I hope you will enjoy watching. See you at the prince’s ball!
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