british-pathe 124 years ago
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Georges Méliès | Cinderella (1899)

Cinderella (French: Cendrillon) is a film from 1899 realized by Georges Méliès, the success of this film prompted Melies to make other films based on fairy tales.

In the kitchen, Cinderella begs her stepmother to take her to the ball, but she’s left at home. The girl starts to cry and suddenly from the fireplace comes out her fairy godmother who turns three mice into a coachman and two pages, a pumpkin in a carriage and Cinderella in a lady with sumptuous robes; the girl goes to the dance party, but the fairy reminds her that the spell will last only until midnight, then she disappears.


In the Royal Hall, the dances have begun, Cinderella introduces herself to the Prince who immediately invites her to dance. The girl realizes that time is running out, but the prince tries to hold her; a clock takes the form of an old man and reminds Cinderella that it’s time to go away, then it disappears and the fairy godmother appears: she turns the protagonist into a housemaid again.


Cinderella runs away, but she loses a shoe that is collected by the prince who’s pursuing his beloved.


At home, Cinderella falls asleep and dreams: the clock takes the form of the old man back, it summons together five girls who dance and then disappear, then appears a gigantic clock with the old man hanging in its.

British Pathé