Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

markochris Where do i begin? Probably the most underrated musical ever !!! Cinderella with the elegance and class of "My Fair Lady" and "Gigi". Gorgeous scenery, costumes, music - this movie had it all and yes - totally perfect and appropriate for children (except boys of around twelve years old may get a little bored). Even the approach of looking at the familiar story from the perspective of the prince as opposed to Cinderella's point of view was somewhat original.The wonderful songs and choreography were by the Sherman Brothers and Mark Breaux respectively - the same who did similar tasks for "Mary Poppins" "Sound of Music" "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "The Happiest Milllionaire" - that should give you a clue.The cast could not have been better starting with Richard Chamberlain as the prince - with a surprisingly good musical comedy presence complete with a great singing voice, new-comer Gemma Craven as Cinderella and a list of the cream of British theater including Michael Hordern as a slightly befuddled king, Margaret Lockwood as the stepmother who's mere voice is enough to give you chills, Kenneth Moore as the totally sympathetic Prime Minister and Annette Crosbie as the slightly daffy fairy godmother.The only thing that got me was early in the film, there seemed to be a preoccupation with death. The first song ends with the word "die", Cinderella's first song is in a cemetery and there's a rather strangely hilarious song and dance featuring the prince (Chamberlain) and his friend played by Christopher Gable in the royal crypt. Hmm ! Maybe the film had to take these two through their loneliness (believe me - i got married in my forties so i know how empty ones life can be) for one to really appreciate the happiness they ultimately feel.Finally - the ending (I'm not going to tell you) is somewhat different than you might expect - I was rolling on the floor.By all means, if you can find this one - Cherish it. It really was the last of a dying breed.Thank you Sherman Brothers - I wish that you can give us more of this.

olszewsk This is a Hollywood musical. It is light and fluffy, a true fairy tale. I found the music to be more fun that the Rodgers and Hammerstein version. Richard Chamberlin is a standout as the prince. Deep drama (or rather, melodrama) is present, like a dash of salt in the stew. The King is a bit goofy, adding to the fun. A nice touch is the play of the fairy godmother, who assigns her dog to keep tabs on Cinderella. The plot device of having the royal family con Cinderella into giving up the prince for his own good is very reminiscent of the Bing Crosby vehicle of a few years earlier, "The Emperor Waltz," but does play guite well. It leaves some tension in the plot regarding the (inevitable) happy ending. Watch and enjoy!

phillindholm "The Slipper And The Rose" is a beautiful version of the classic Cinderella story. Made in England and released in 1976, it retells the familiar story with warmth, humor and wonderful songs by the Sherman brothers, who also did the music for countless Disney films, notably "Mary Poppins". Prince Edward (Richard Chamberlain), heir to the throne of Euphrania, is expected by his father the king (Michael Hordern in another wonderful performance) and his mother the queen (Lally Bowers) to choose a wife and settle down. To this end, they plan a court ball to which all the princesses they can locate will be invited. Meanwhile, young Cinderella (Gemma Craven) has just lost her beloved father. But things go from bad to worse for her, when her selfish stepmother (the great Margaret Lockwood, in her first film in over 20 years, and her last) and spoiled stepsisters (Rosalind Ayres and Sherrie Hewson) reduce her to the status of a servant in her own home. Thankfully, however, her fairy godmother (Annette Crosbie) is waiting in the wings to see that she goes to the ball and meet the prince. The rest is up to them... With an excellent cast and fine support from Kenneth More, as the Lord Chamberlain, Christopher Gable as the prince's friend John, and especially Dame Edith Evans as the dowager Queen, "The Slipper and the Rose" is magical film-making.A few twists in the story keep it fresh, while all the charm of the original is preserved. The lavish production, handsome location photography beautiful costumes and a witty, sophisticated script has appeal for all ages.And enough cannot be said for the Sherman's music, which is, in turn, delightful, hilarious and, when the occasion calls for it, heartbreaking. Craven's ballad ''Tell Him Anything-But Not That I Love Him''is a perfect example of the latter. This film just gets better as the years pass,and it's truly one of the best film versions of "Cinderella" ever made.

Andy Romano First off, I love just about any re-telling of the classic Fairy Tale of "Cinderella". From the beautiful Disney Film, all the way to Shelley Duvall's 'Faerie Tale Theatre' version with Jennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick. So back in 2000 I bought this DVD sight unseen. I figured, 'C'mon, it's Cinderella!'. Also, I had heard about this UK produced film for a long time, and knew it had established a cult following. Right up my alley people. WOW was I disappointed. Dis-a-pointed!! Twenty minutes in, and I was bored out of my mind. Not one single song had a strong melody, and the lyrics were forgettable. Nothing was engaging me. I kept telling myself 'It will get better - It will get better'. It just didn't. I have never seen a musical where the camera stayed so very still. There was none of that 'flow' that most great musicals have (See: "My Fair Lady", "Funny Girl", "Oklahoma", "Grease", "The Sound of Music", "Oliver", "Chicago", "West Side Story", etc.) You know, that uplifting spell that only a special musical can cast. Remember what it was like the first time you saw "My Fair Lady"? THAT's the feeling. I do love The Sherman Brothers' people. I do. So Imagine my shock at how bad the music was. These are the guys who did "Mary Poppins", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", and even "The Parent Trap"! So I just could not get over how dead and uninspired every single song was. The minute the song was over, I could not remember a note. Most good musicals leave you with at least ONE song you are humming by the end. Even so, I carried on, and forced myself to watch the entire movie, and found it utterly painful to get through. When I was done, I went on line to see what others thought, and I was shocked to read all the raves, and I wondered "Did I watch the same movie?" Upon further investigation I found out that the film was universally panned by critics and audiences alike, both in the states and the UK. Phew. Which then made me question all these other people on the internet who were calling this "The BEST MOVIE EVER!" What? The best movie ever? Huh? God no! I tried to then look at it as a 'guilty pleasure', but I found no pleasure in watching this movie. I've been known to like a guilty pleasure or two myself...I mean I own "Grease 2" on DVD. But at least I was humming 'Cool Rider' on the way out of the theater people! Time passed, and I re-discovered the Lesley Anne Warren version from 1965. That brought back wonderful childhood memories for me. While the show does not hold up well by today's standards, it was warm and fun, and every song is a winner. Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote such a lovely score that stands the test of time. Then came the 1997 version on ABC. To my complete shock and joy, I loved it. I mean, LOVED IT. The movie has wit, color, style and heart. I was completely moved and entertained from beginning to end. I laughed out loud at Whoopi Goldberg's hilarious Queen, and appropriately loathed Bernadette Peter's inspired evil Step Mother. Actually, I was surprised Bernadette was over-looked at Emmy time. Brandy brought a sweetness and a modern twist to the role, and Pablo Montalban was literally perfect as the Prince. Every aspect of the production was top notch, and stunning. This production was the first real endeavor from the wonderful artists that would eventually bring us "Chicago". So THAT'S why the choreography and camera work was so amazing! Bravo to the entire company for finally producing THE DEFINITIVE MUSICAL VERSION OF "CINDERELLA".So anyway, a few years passed, and it was time to give "The Slipper and The Rose" another go. I got all comfortable and cozy on a lazy Sunday and put in the DVD. WOW, it was even worse then I remembered. The choreography and staging was stunted and amateurish. I felt embarrassed for the filmmakers at ever attempt of wit and cleverness that flopped miserably. This film was directed by Bryan Forbes, who just came off of "The Stepford Wives" at the time, which had the same slowness to it, but that worked for that film. It's as if he is a one-note director who attempts different genres, but uses the same techniques. He clearly had no passion for this project. If he did, he was then definitely 'miscast' as the director, and not the man to be behind the camera for such an obviously large production. I will say this though, the gowns / costumes were beautiful to look at.The sets were empty and over-sized. The cinematography was motionless and the color palette was dull. The acting by all was two dimensional and wooden. The singing was, oh god, the singing was horrible. Every single joke just fell flat. Again, I felt so bad for the filmmakers! If I can sum this review up in one sentence, I would have to say: Dull, uninspired, forgettable and a waste of two hours and twenty three minutes - Twice!!! Do yourself a favor, watch the DVD of the 1997 Rodgers and Hammerstein version. It has magic in it, and is destined to become a classic.