The enchanting and inspiring centuries-old folktale Cinderella is one of cinema’s most adapted and adored stories, constantly being remade on screen. When audiences first think of Cinderella, chances are they instantly picture the renowned 1950 Walt Disney version with the eponymous character’s shabby garments transforming into a dazzling ball gown by her fairy godmother.
Though Disney did in fact breathe new life into the childhood classic story (along with numerous other Disney remakes), numerous other remakes and interpretations of the Cinderlla tale have since graced the silver screen. For decades, Hollywood has featured the beloved heroine in captivating pictures, masterfully doing so with animated features, charismatic musicals, and heartfelt dramas.
In the 1950s, Cinderella continued to gain popularity and was adapted in the 1955 musical The Glass Slipper and the made-for-TV live broadcast extravaganza Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, starring the acclaimed Julie Andrews. 40 years later, history was made with the 1997 TV movie of the same name, which featured Brandy as Cinderella, becoming the first time a person of color donned the famous glass slippers. In recent years, the story received modern-day updates, most recently with the Amazon Prime 2021 musical led by Camilla Cabello. These are the best movie versions of Cinderella.
8 Cinderella (2021)
The Amazon Prime 2021 romantic musical Cinderella marks singer Camila Cabello’s acting debut, in which the star portrays the eponymous character alongside Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, and Billy Porter. Director Kay Cannon set out to modernize the beloved classic fairy tale, with Cinderella being an aspiring designer determined to open up her own dress shop who harbors no profound desire to be married. This Cinderella is instead career-driven, viewing the spectacular ball as a way to network her dresses and designs and not simply as a ploy to catch the prince’s eye.
The installment is a jukebox musical that features toe-tapping pop and rock hits, in addition to several original songs performed by both Cabello and Menzel. Despite garnering mixed reviews from critics, Cinderella was watched by 1.1 million U.S. households during its four-day weekend premiere, becoming Amazon’s most watched VOD title at the time.
7 The Glass Slipper
Charles Walters directed the 1955 classic Hollywood musical The Glass Slipper, a retelling of the famous folktale that follows the tomboyish “Cinder” Ella (Leslie Caron), making the young heroine an outcast in her European kingdom who is shunned by her fellow townspeople because of her antisocial behavior. Ella declares to her rotten stepmother and stepsisters that she will one day live in the palace, subsequently falling in love with the son of the palace chef who is actually the prince in disguise.
Caron was able to showcase her impeccable ballet skills in the comedic musical (having previously demonstrated her talent alongside Gene Kelly in An American in Paris), while giving the iconic character a vulnerable and refreshingly flawed personality. Maclean's Magazine complimented Caron's portrayal, writing, "...this Hollywood version of the Cinderella story has another charming performance by the pixieish Leslie Caron and some pleasant music and dancing."
6 A Cinderella Story
Adored Disney star Hilary Duff teamed up with One Tree Hill heartthrob Chad Michael Murray for the 2004 teen romantic comedy A Cinderella Story, a modernization of the rags-to-riches tale that centers on the oppressed Samantha Montgomery, who is forced by her self-absorbed stepmother and stepsisters to work tirelessly at the family diner while she secretly saves for college. Samantha has an internet pen pal whom she decides to finally meet in person at her school’s upcoming masquerade Halloween dance, and is shocked to find he’s the popular yet unhappy quarterback Austin Ames (Murray). Though garnering negative reviews, A Cinderella Story was a smash hit at the box office and inspired a slew of straight-to-video sequels while developing a passionate cult following in the years since its release.
5 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1957)
The brilliant and admired Julie Andrews delivered yet another noteworthy performance as the titular character in the 1957 made-for-television musical Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, with the picture being broadcast live to over 100 million viewers across the world. In this iteration, Andrews shows off her impeccable vocal range with gorgeous renditions of “In My Own Little Corner” and “Ten Minutes Ago” opposite John Cypher’s Prince Christopher, while effortlessly giving the downtrodden character a regal and down-to-earth quality that proved endearing to audiences. Musical composer Richard Rodgers was tasked alongside lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II to create an original musical made for television, with the former revealing in his autobiography, “What sold us immediately was the chance to work with Julie.” Andrews’ performance earned rave reviews and nabbed the actress an Emmy Award nomination.
4 Cinderella (2015)
The renowned Kenneth Branagh directed the 2015 romantic fantasy picture Cinderella, a live-action adaptation of the Walt Disney animated feature that has a spectacular cast like Lily James, Cate Blanchett, and Helena Bonham Carter, with James starring as the famous character. The modern-day retelling is a faithful rendition of the beloved Disney staple, and was lauded for its remarkable performances, visually-stunning cinematography and gorgeous costumes.
Cinderella’s famed blue ball gown was crafted by 18 tailors and took a whopping 500 hours to make each dress, with costume designer Sandy Powell saying, “The gown had to look lovely when she dances and runs away from the ball. I wanted her to look like she was floating, like a watercolor painting.” Cinderella was lauded by critics and went on to gross $542 million, becoming Branagh’s most lucrative picture to date as a director.
3 Ever After
Andy Tennant’s 1998 romantic drama Ever After forgoes the folktale’s usual premise and magical elements in favor of a historical fiction approach, taking place in a Renaissance-era France with a great Drew Barrymore starring as Danielle de Barbarac. The intriguing interpretation features the appearance of the Brothers Grimm (the storytellers known for popularizing Cinderella and countless other tales) and offers a more realistic depiction of the kind-hearted heroine.
Barrymore is joined on screen by the talented Anjelica Huston and Dougray Scott, going on to earn rave reviews for their performances and the sizzling chemistry between the actress and Scott. Ever After truly thrives on the heart-warming romance between Danielle and the charming Prince Henry, making it one of the most memorable and adored adaptations; it is heavily regarded as a modern, post-feminist interterpration of the tale.
2 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997)
The 1997 made-for-television musical fantasy film Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella features a spectacular racially diverse cast that is led by Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston, Paolo Montalban, and Bernadette Peters, re-envisioning the titular heroine as a strong and resilient character. The version was praised for its casting, gorgeous costumes and set designs, and powerful vocals, going on to attract 60 million viewers and becoming the most-watched television musical in decades.
The endearing chemistry between Brandy and her on-screen fairy godmother Whitney Houston was lauded, as was the comedic tone and joyful spirit of the TV version. Houston also acted as an executive producer for the picture, hand-selecting Brandy as Cinderella and making the installment the first time the story was adapted for a racially diverse cast and Brandy the first person of color to portray the beloved character on screen. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella remains a fan favorite among audiences and is considered a groundbreaking installment of the classic tale.
1 Cinderella (1950)
Walt Disney’s iconic 1950 animated fantasy musical Cinderella is undeniably the most prominent rendition of the Disney princess fairytale, dazzling moviegoers with breathtaking visuals and exciting numbers like “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo.” The adaptation is credited with saving Walt Disney Animation Studios from bankruptcy, after the company endured box office bombs with Fantasia and Bambi (pictures that would later become more successful with re-releases); Cinderella went on to become the greatest commercial and critical hit for Disney since its first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The musical went on to garner three Academy Award nominations and was followed-up with two direct-to-video sequels and the 2015 Kenneth Branagh live-action adaptation. In a retrospect analysis, the Chicago Reader expressed that the film “shows Disney at the tail end of his best period, when his backgrounds were luminous with depth and detail and his incidental characters still had range and bite.”