the audience applauded

A lot of fun.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Probably the earliest Pickford vehicle available, Cinderella (1914) (a 7/10 bonus on Milestone's "Through the Back Door" DVD) proves to be almost a total disappointment. Directed by actor James Kirkwood in an extremely static, non-filmic style with the camera chained to the floor (it doesn't move even once during the movie's entire 52 minutes), and primitive special effects, the picture is redeemed only by a briefly imaginative sequence with an animated clock. For some unaccountable reason, Mary seems totally over-awed. Her costumes are unattractive and her performance is lifeless, totally lacking her usual get-up-and go. Mind you, real-life husband, Owen Moore as the prince, is even less charming.Although a lot of money has been spent on sets and extras, Kirkwood's plodding direction is a real killer.

The famous fairy tale, appropriately starring Mary Pickford (as Cinderella), with Owen Moore (as Prince Charming). Ms. Pickford's performance is terrific; in many of her early films, her acting ability is most clearly evident. Mr. Moore was one of Pickford's three successful actor husbands; he is charming as her Prince. This film seems adds a lot of story which is not in later re-makes; and, most of it would have been well worth repeating. However, this version skimps on background and characterization; perhaps, the filmmakers supposed everyone knew the basic story. If you don't know "Cinderella", it is possible to figure out who's who, and what's going on. Though, you won't believe how skillfully Pickford catches rodents. Great parts: Pickford and Moore romancing before the clock strikes midnight (or, is that noon?), and Pickford's "clock dream". The accompanying soundtrack, by Donald Sosin and Joanna Seaton, is exemplary. ****** Cinderella (12/28/14) James Kirkwood ~ Mary Pickford, Owen Moore, Inez Marcel, Isabel Vernon

Virtually unseen for almost a century, the 1914 film Cinderella was one of Mary Pickford's very first feature films and was a key film in her climb to her place in the hearts of moviegoers as "America's Sweetheart". The movie has resurfaced as a bonus feature on the DVD to Pickford's THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.Pickford stars as the heroine of this beloved fairy tale well-known to probably every human over the age of two. It's quite a surprise to see Mary, usually cast as a fearless spitfire, in the passive role of gentle, mistreated Cinderella but she gives a lovely performance and is quite moving and endearing. The movie also offers a rare chance to see Pickford's first husband, early screen star Owen Moore, cast as Prince Charming. Most of the rest of the cast have minor screen credits (it was apparently quite difficult to get regular supporting work in the early silent film era) but do their jobs well. Regarding the comment by another reviewer, I do believe the stepsisters are played by women however they are made up to look as haggish as possible with obvious putty noses and I suspect their over-sized feet for the "trying on the glass slipper scenes" made have been doubled by men.This movie is quite charming and romantic although there are a few good laughs, notably when Cinderella's Fairy Godmother instructs her to round up some mice and rats, Cindy clearly is wondering if this is going to be worth the effort. Another hearty laugh comes at the step-family's expense after Cinderella is revealed to be the mystery lady the Prince is seeking in which a wiseacre voices a suggestion that probably crossed many of the moviegoers minds.The print quality of this film is fairly good for a film less than a decade from it's Centennial and the original score by Donald Sosin is wonderful and completely appropriate. Cinderella is a fairy tale that enchants every generation and this fragile silent beautifully captures the other world quality of this timeless tale.

No need to seek this out. It is mundane in every way except one.You'll remember that a feature of the story is the clock. Our girl has to be home before midnight, her only rule. She disobeys because she is having such a nice time.We forgive her, because her life has been so rough, but rules is rules. She makes her escape just as the clock is striking. But in this movie, she has nightmares about the clock, and they are pretty interesting.First we have two mechanical bellringers moved into place to strike the bell. These, as it turns out are gnomes we have seen before when the evil stepsisters visited a fortune teller. Since then, Cinderella has had pleasant dreams of fairies and the bad sisters nightmares of these gnomes.Now Cinderella is visited by these two gnomes, in a sequence labelled "the consequences of disobedience." They strike the bell, then things go haywire and they hit each other. Then the hands go haywire, and the face itself starts spinning. Next the clocktower itself shakes and the gnomes fall off. Wait, thats not all. There's a fantastic sequence where the numbers on the clock face become untethered and start to roam about the face while the hands twist radically.Its very clever. I think both the clock and the gnomes are cinematic additions. And they do spice up the otherwise ordinary event.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.