Cinderella (G)
★★★★
General release
I had the delight of watching this new version of the classic fairytale at the Berlin Film Festival after a week of rather dour fare. And the attraction wasn't the stars (including Cate Blanchett, Kenneth Branagh, Lily James and Helen Bonham-Carter) who glittered on the stage after the screening, but the film itself – a charming live action version of the fantasy romance, crafted with mastery by director Branagh, from a fresh screenplay by Chris Weitz (who also adapted The Golden Compass).
Weitz opens the story by taking us back to Ella's childhood where she's a much-loved and happy young girl brought up by a devoted mother (Hayley Atwell) and caring father (Ben Chaplin). But when her mother dies and her father remarries the elegant widow Lady Tremaine (Blanchett), things start to slowly change at home. And with dad travelling overseas most of the time, the darker side of Lady Tremaine's personality sees her favouring her own daughters Drisella (Sophie McShera) and Anastasia (Holliday Grainger), and asking Ella – who's always kind and helpful – to do more than her share of the housework. As time passes, Ella – renamed after an accident cleaning the fireplace - becomes a servant in her own house, her only friends a few mice. Her chance at redemption comes when handsome Prince Kit (Game of Thrones' star Richard Madden) comes across her in the forest.
Under the guidance of his father the King (Derek Jacobi), he invites everyone in the kingdom to a ball where he must choose a wife, hoping that Ella will turn up. And while you think you know the rest of the story, some innovative updates to the plot will keep you engaged and curious.
Branagh gets everything right - from (finally) a little subtlety in the performances of the stepsisters, to the breathtaking rush home before midnight, superbly mixing CGI, live-action and sound design, a sequence that brought thunderous applause from the whole audience. But two things really stand out: firstly the performance of Blanchett as Lady Tremaine – bringing depth, understanding and chilling passion to a character too often portrayed as mere shallow evil. And secondly, I defy you to forget the film's costume designs (from three-time Oscar winner Sandy Powell), which I'll nominate early for an Academy Award next year. The arrival of Cinderella at the ball dressed in a blue gown (which took 18 people to make) will surely go down as one of the great moments in recent cinema history. Branagh has James (Downton Abbey) play Cinderella straight and innocent and keeps all trace of irony and cleverness aside. This is an enchantment – with the occasional touch of nostalgia – just the way it should be.
