''The Glass Slipper'' (1955) is an American

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

adaptation of ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'', made by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

, directed by

Charles Walters Charles Powell Walters (November 17, 1911 – August 13, 1982) was an American Hollywood director and choreographer most noted for his work in MGM musicals and comedies from the 1940s to the 1960s. Early years Charles Walters was born in Pasad ...

and produced by

Edwin H. Knopf Edwin H. Knopf (November 11, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American film producer, film director, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in New York City and went to work early in his life in the editorial department of his brother Alf ...

from a screenplay by

Helen Deutsch Helen Deutsch (21 March 1906 – 15 March 1992) was an American screenwriter, journalist, and songwriter. Biography Deutsch was born in New York City and graduated from Barnard College. She began her career by managing the Provincetown Players ...

. The music score is by Bronislau Kaper, the cinematography by Arthur E. Arling, the art direction by Daniel B. Cathcart and

Cedric Gibbons Austin Cedric Gibbons (March 23, 1890 – July 26, 1960) was an Irish-American art director for the film industry. He also made a significant contribution to motion picture theater architecture from the 1930s to 1950s. Gibbons designed the ...

and costume design by

Walter Plunkett Walter Plunkett (June 5, 1902 in Oakland, California – March 8, 1982) was a prolific costume designer who worked on more than 150 projects throughout his career in the Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood film industry. Born in Oakland, Ca ...

and

Helen Rose Helen Rose (February 2, 1904 – November 9, 1985) was an American costume designer and clothing designer who spent the bulk of her career with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Career Helen Rose was born on February 2, 1904 to William Bromberg and Ray Bobbs ...

. The film stars

Leslie Caron Leslie Claire Margaret Caron (; born 1 July 1931) is a French-American actress and dancer. She is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award, two BAFTA Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. She is one ...

as Cinderella, and

Michael Wilding Michael Charles Gauntlet Wilding (23 July 1912 – 8 July 1979) was an English stage, television, and film actor. He is best known for a series of films he made with Anna Neagle; he also made two films with Alfred Hitchcock, '' Under Capric ...

as the Prince, with

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in mos ...

Estelle Winwood Estelle Winwood (born Estelle Ruth Goodwin, 24 January 1883 – 20 June 1984) was an English actress who moved to the United States in mid-career and became celebrated for her wit and longevity. Early life and early career Born Estelle Ruth Go ...

Elsa Lanchester Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was a British-American actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.Obituary ''Variety'', 31 December 1986. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the Fir ...

, Barry Jones,

Lurene Tuttle Lurene Tuttle (August 29, 1907 – May 28, 1986) was an American actress and acting coach, who made the transition from vaudeville to radio, and later films and television. Her most enduring impact was as one of network radio's more versatile a ...

Liliane Montevecchi Liliane Montevecchi (October 13, 1932 – June 29, 2018) was a French-Italian actress, dancer, and singer. Career Montevecchi took her first dance classes at 8 with Pierre Duprez, primo ballerino of the Opera in Paris, France. She entered the Co ...

and

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

as Narrator. The film received its network television premiere divided into two episodes on the 1967 ABC-TV anthology series ''

Off To See The Wizard ''Off to See the Wizard'' is an American television anthology series, partially animated but mostly live action, produced by MGM Animation/Visual Arts and telecast on ABC-TV between 1967 and 1968 that was narrated by Hal Holbrook. History The se ...

''.

Plot

Ella is a lonely and misunderstood young woman living in a European

duchy A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a Middle Ages, medieval country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition. There once exis ...

and is a lowly servant to her stepmother, the Widow Sonder, and stepsisters, Birdena and Serafina. She is shunned by the townspeople because of her anti-social behavior and nicknamed "Cinderella". In the face of ridicule, Ella boasts that she will live in the palace one day (as a fortune-teller once told her late mother). Prince Charles, son of the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

who rules the principality, has been studying abroad for years; his return being celebrated by three days of festivities and a ball on the final day. He starts to recall old memories he had of growing up there, including a small girl with unbearably sad eyes whom he saw when he was just a boy. After getting into a spat with her stepfamily, Ella runs away to her favorite place, a small secluded pool on the Palace grounds. There she meets the eccentric town vagrant, Mrs. Toquet, who becomes her first friend. The next day she returns to the spot, hoping to meet Mrs. Toquet, but instead finds Charles and his friend Kovin. Ella asks them where they are from and they tell her that they come from the Palace and that Charles is the son of the Chief Cook. Charles then recognizes Ella's eyes as those belonging to the girl he saw years ago. Ella thinks that he is making fun of her and pushes him into the pool. The Sonder home is visited by their wealthy Cousin Loulou. Ella is supposed to be cleaned up to receive their guest, but her stepfamily is scandalized when they discover that she is barefoot. Ella remembers that she left her shoes at the pond and runs off to collect them, where she finds Charles waiting for her. Ella apologizes for pushing him into the water and he apologizes for hurting her feelings. Charles gives her an invitation to the Ball and a quick dancing lesson. After a waltz Charles steals a kiss and Ella runs away. After the Widow Sonder, Birdena, and Serafina leave for the ball, Mrs. Toquet arrives, bringing a pair of glass slippers and one of Cousin Loulou's fancy ballgowns, claiming she has "borrowed" it for Ella's use. She has also arranged for a coach to take Ella to the palace and warns her to leave by midnight so as not to inconvenience the coachman's other clients. At the Ball, Ella is besieged by young men wanting to dance with her, but she refuses to speak to anyone, trying to reach the Palace kitchens to find Charles. Charles learns of her presence and waltzes with her, revealing his true identity. The other guests note the unknown newcomer's exotic appearance and surmise (because of her short hair) that she is an Egyptian princess. As the clock strikes midnight, Ella runs off to escape her suspicious stepfamily, leaving one of her glass slippers behind, which is then picked up by Charles. While fleeing the palace, Ella's coach overturns and she is knocked unconscious; lying next to her on the ground are a pumpkin and several mice. Ella wakes up back home and is greeted by Mrs. Toquet, who informs Ella that everything she borrowed is back where it belongs. Prince Charles informs his father that he has met the woman he wants to marry. Kovin, picking up on what he's overheard at the ball, hurriedly "explains" that Ella is an Egyptian princess. By the next morning, everyone has heard that the Prince has chosen an Egyptian Princess to be his bride. When Ella hears this news, she is devastated and decides to run away, first stopping at her favorite place to see Mrs. Toquet, to whom she bids farewell. Ella throws herself on the ground sobbing, until she looks up and sees the Prince, holding her lost glass slipper, which he declares will fit the foot of the princess he intends to marry. A crowd of gatherers, including Ella's stepmother and stepsisters, bow to Ella as she and the Prince ride off to the palace together. Mrs. Toquet, revealed to be Ella's fairy godmother, vanishes, returning from where she came.

Cast

as Ella/

as Prince Charles *

as the Widow Sonder, Ella's stepmother * Amanda Blake as Birdena, Ella's stepsister * Lisa Daniels as Serafina, Ella's stepsister * Barry Jones as The Duke, Prince Charles' father *

as Mrs. Toquet, Ella's

fairy godmother In fairy tales, a fairy godmother () is a fairy with magical powers who acts as a mentor or parent to someone, in the role that an actual godparent was expected to play in many societies. In Perrault's ''Cinderella'', he concludes the tale with ...

as Kovin *

as Cousin Loulou *

as Princess Tehara

Production

Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon had written a 1944 play about Cinderella, ''The Glass Slipper''. MGM bought the film rights in 1953 as a vehicle for

. Caron had just had a big hit at the studio in ''Lili'' so MGM reunited her with that film's producer and director for ''Glass Slipper''.

Anatole de Grunwald Anatole "Tolly" de Grunwald (25 December 1910 – 13 January 1967) was a Russian British film producer and screenwriter. Biography De Grunwald was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the son of a diplomat (Constantin de Grunwald) in the se ...

was assigned to write the script. However eventually script duties went to Helen Deutsch, who wrote ''Lilli''. The Farjeons are not credited on the final film. Deutsch claimed her script was basically an original work:

MGM gave me one word, 'Cinderella'. That's how it started. I read practically everything written about this famous waif, rejection most conceptions of the character. Actually my Cinderella of the 18th century is not based definitely on anyone's ideas but my own. Waifs have intrigued the reading public for generations; they were popular characters in the early movies - the Gish era - then gave way to more worldly females. I first revived the waif successfully in ''Lili''.

''Lili'' had a hit song "Hi Lili Hi Lo", lyrics by Helen Deutsch; the same team wrote one for ''Glass Slipper'', "Take My Love". Deutsch also wrote the libretto for the ballet scenes. The male lead was given to Michael Wilding, who was then married to MGM contract star Elizabeth Taylor and was under contract to the studio himself.

Taina Elg __NOTOC__ Taina may refer to: People Women * Taina Asili (), Puerto Rican musician, filmmaker and activist * Taïna Barioz (born 1988), French alpine skier * Taina Bien-Aimé, Swiss social activist * Taina Bofferding (born 1982), Luxembourgish po ...

was to have made her dramatic debut in the film but in the end MGM decided to only use her as a dancer. Eventually it was decided that Elg would debut in ''The Prodigal'' and not appear in ''Glass Slipper'' at all. She was replaced by

. The Ballet de Paris appeared in some scenes.

was withdrawn from '' Deep in My Heart'' to appear in the film.

Music

The score was composed by Bronislau Kaper and conducted by

Miklós Rózsa Miklós Rózsa (; April 18, 1907 – July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian-American composer trained in Germany (1925–1931) and active in France (1931–1935), the United Kingdom (1935–1940), and the United States (1940–1995), with extensi ...

, with orchestrations by

Robert Franklyn The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, hono ...

. Additional recording sessions were conducted by

Johnny Green John Waldo Green (October 10, 1908 – May 15, 1989) was an American songwriter, composer, musical arranger, conductor and pianist. He was given the nickname "Beulah" by colleague Conrad Salinger. His most famous song was one of his earli ...

wrote lyrics for the song "Take My Love" to music by Kaper. Vocals for actor

were performed by Gilbert Russell. The complete score, including alternate versions of the three ballets by Kaper, was released in 2005 on compact disc on the

Film Score Monthly ''Film Score Monthly'' is an online magazine (and former print magazine) founded by editor-in-chief and executive producer Lukas Kendall in June 1990 in music, 1990 as ''The Soundtrack Correspondence List''. It is dedicated to the art of Film sco ...

label. The choreography was by

Roland Petit Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets. Life and work The son of shoe designer Ros ...

.British Film Institute Archive: Roland Petit
accessed 3 April 2013.

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,363,000 in the US and Canada and $1,589,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $387,000.

References

External links

*
''The Glass Slipper''
at

TCMDB Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of Atl ...

* *
Various releases of music from the film, on LP and cd
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glass Slipper, The 1955 films 1955 musical films American musical films Films based on Charles Perrault's Cinderella Films based on Cinderella Films directed by Charles Walters Films scored by Bronisław Kaper Films set in Europe 1950s English-language films 1950s American films