“I guess I got my dates mixed.”
Supervision by Fred Avery; Story by Tedd Pierce; Animation by Virgil Ross; Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling. A Merrie Melody released on July 23, 1938.
That Avery and his parodies. Twisting them enough to make a pretzel blush. If “Red Hot Riding Hood” is his best one, then this is his most pure. By which I mean he leaves the story relatively intact, then squeezes a gag into most every shot. It’s great for everybody who has heard the story before, and you know we have.
A royal ball is being held and ladies from all around are headed there for dancing, then to Sweeney’s for a bite to eat. There’s only one staying home, and it isn’t by choice. Cinderella is told by her step-family to stay behind. And that may be for the best. Look at her. Listen to her. She’s only not a minor because the plot says she isn’t. And I don’t normally listen to him. Cindy has a nice gascandle to warm herself by, so it isn’t all bad. I can think of worse ways to spend a Friday night at nine.
Nine? Where is that fairy godmother? Things can’t wait, so Cindy phones the cops and they promise to search every spot in town she could be: bars, taverns, watering holes, moonshine porches, and liquor cabinets. They know what they’re dealing with and bring the old bat right over. I wouldn’t rely on this broad. It isn’t because of her color changing dress, and gloves that disappear when her hands are in closeup; and it isn’t because the best transportation she can magic up is a stagecoach; it’s because we have a history, her and I. I asked to bring “The Muppet Show” back and have me be the special guest star, and she only granted the first half!
‘Rella gets to the ball in one piece. I can’t say the same for her steps. They probably ignored the sign saying ‘Do not feed Cracker’. (He’s the crocodile in the moat.) Everyone agrees that she is attractive, so either she really is of age, or everyone is going to join me in hell. Then the prince shows up. His given name is ‘Charming’ but I like ‘Chow-mein’ better and he does too. But you could call him ‘Egghead’ and I wouldn’t correct you. It’s love at first sight for the two, and making like Disney, we even get a musical number. (“Boy meets Girl”)
Weirdly enough, I actually buy them as a couple. ‘Rella has spent her life treated like housefly crap, and the prince is a clumsy klutz who isn’t much to look at, doesn’t look like he belongs in this time period, and whose head isn’t even attached very well. (Now let me tell you what I don’t like about him.) Yet, they are both kindhearted individuals who can see the outer beauty in her, and the inner beauty in him. I guess I just have a soft spot for the somewhat pathetic guy getting any kind of action. And there’s nothing wrong with them planning the wedding already. It’s the right time to do so in a fairy tale.
Cindy wasn’t given any curfew, but the story dictates that she flees the premises at midnight, so she does. Chow-mein chases after her, running through another couple as he does. (I don’t think Avery meant for that to happen. Not without a reaction, anyway.) He could try and identify her by fitting her foot to her shoe, but everyone everywhere has pointed out why that wouldn’t work. He just searches manually all around the town. The house lit up with neon advertised as her living quarters might be a good place to look. But is it too obvious?
He searches every nook, cranny, crook and hiding spot in the place, whether or not she’d actually be within. Cuckoos from the clock (one of whom can disappear): “Now you know she wouldn’t be in here!” All he can find is a note from her saying that she couldn’t wait for him, and went to the movies. He cries. Can you blame him? The most amazing girl ever; witty, pretty, artsy, smartsy, kind, refined, tough enough, and supportive, just gone without a trace! He never got to tell her he loved her once more! He never got to say goodbye! Now he’ll spend the rest of his days alone and waste his remaining life holding onto the past! And now some jerk in audience is blocking my view!
I kid. It’s Cinderella! Always watching over her pitiable man anyway she can. The two are reunited and decide to step out of the iris-in and stay in our real world. They know that it doesn’t matter where you live if you have someone who completes you, and Chow-mein would probably dump her for the next girl he sees should he remain in pictures.
Favorite Part: Cindy is savvy to her story, even if her beau doesn’t follow the rules: she doesn’t lose her slipper, she makes sure to place it down in front of his face. Now he won’t trip over it.
Personal Rating: 4. Charming is the word of the day! Non-stop gags that still manage to fit around a sweet love story are beloved. It worked in “Shrek 2”, too!