The Big Picture

• The story of Cinderella is reminded more often than any other story, with countless different versions to choose from.
• Cinderella is easily adaptable due to its simple plot, allowing for various versions in different settings. Even the magical elements can be removed without sacrificing the integrity of the story, making it more flexible than other fairytales.
• Viewers sympathize with Cinderella due to her kindness and unfortunate circumstances, making her a relatable and inspiring character with a universal appeal.

No stories are new. There are a finite number of basic plots, but more than that, retelling the same stories with small twists is commonplace. From legends to fairytales, the same general stories are often taken and rebuilt into slightly different versions. While many classic fairytales exist, none are more recognizable than Cinderella. For hundreds of years, different versions of the story have been told in various cultures and languages, yet the world hasn't tired of it. The basic story of a girl meeting and falling for a prince and disappearing without giving her name, only for him to find her later, has been remade countless times as musicals, modern retellings, more reality-based renditions, parodies, and everything in between. There's Disney's 1950 Cinderella, their 2015 remake by the same name, the iconic 1997 version starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, Ella Enchanted, A Cinderella Story, Another Cinderella Story, Amazon's Cinderella, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella musical (which has been recorded for TV multiple times), Ever After: A Cinderella Story, Sneakerella, and many more. It's undeniable that the rags-to-riches story is retold constantly in any way imaginable.

But what makes this story worth revisiting over and over? Many fairytales get similar treatment, but none to quite the same extent. Disney has been known to remake many films, including The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, but Cinderella's story goes far beyond that. Its many renditions set Cinderella apart from other remakes. Like most fairytales, Cinderella is full of magic. But its notoriety seems to have risen above the rest. This classic lends itself to adaption because of its simplicity, reliability, and timeless message. The straightforward story makes it easy to change into different settings, allowing the many versions to distinguish themselves. Plus, the sympathetic heroine and the message of hope written into the plot make Cinderella's story relatable. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the story of Cinderella is constantly remade.

The Plot of 'Cinderella' Is Easy to Adapt

Pulling a poor girl out of obscurity and allowing her to rise to fortune (and usually, a throne) is an easy enough concept to transplant into different situations. The clarity of the story makes it readily adaptable and recognizable even in the most foreign situations. In most versions, she becomes a princess, but even when the result is different, it's easy to portray the jump in social status. More modern retellings show the heroine jumping up the social ladder of high school, like in A Cinderella Story, or catapulting to fame, as seen in Another Cinderella Story. The point is that the change comes across, keeping the integrity of the story intact. Though there are plenty of elements that get lost, the basic concept translates easily.

Unlike other fairytales, it's easy to remove the magical elements. While there is the fairy godmother, she needs only provide the dress, which can be done in less-fantastical ways. The classic midnight deadline can be enforced through different methods than the loss of magic. The fairy godmother didn't even make an appearance in the Brothers Grimm's version; instead, Cinderella came across a wishing tree. The ability to remove the less realistic elements is rare among fairytales and lets Cinderella be told in a variety of ways. Other fairytales cannot afford the same luxury. How can the story of Sleeping Beauty not include a sleeping curse? What happens to Snow White if there is no poisoned apple? This sets Cinderella apart and opens up opportunities that other fairytales can't have.

Viewers Sympathize With Cinderella

Though it hasn't always been the case, traditionally, Cinderella is shown to be a virtuous and likable character. Her kind heart and gentle ways capture the audience immediately. Early versions of the character were less gracious. However, these days, that fact seems to be long forgotten. The character's kindness has become a defining trait, but beyond that, each adaption can make her personality fit the story. Whether by adding snark, like Selena Gomez's Mary in Another Cinderella Story, or by emphasizing the quiet courage portrayed by Lily James in Disney's live-action remake, the characterization of Cinderella can be adjusted to make her relatable to their target audience. But the constant is Cinderella's kindness to others. Disney has her looking out for mice and birds, while Ella Enchanted's title character takes a more outspoken approach as she advocates for social justice. Yet, in either case, she is protecting those in worse positions.

But Cinderella herself always exists in unfortunate circumstances. Most versions maintain the evil stepmother and stepsisters as they mistreat Cinderella. And that fact makes everyone feel bad for the character. Abused and neglected at home, it would be understandable for her to become bitter and angry, but no story uses that as an excuse. Instead, Cinderella's plight gets her sympathy as she continues to be kinder than those around her, causing the audience to root for her in each version. This is another plot point that easily translates into different situations. But no matter what, the treatment Cinderella receives makes her the object of sympathy and inspires the audience to want more for her, which she ultimately gets. This universal element makes it possible to retell the same story and still have the ending pay off.

Cinderella's Story Sends a Message of Hope

There is no rags-to-riches story more classic than Cinderella. This genre is a crowd-pleaser because it inspires hope. In the end, Cinderella finds love, gains wealth and power, and gets out of her bad situation, and virtually everyone is attracted to one of those things. The story claims there is always hope, even in desperate situations, encouraging viewers not to give up. Cinderella is patient and good things happen to her. She gets rewarded for kindness, and that's what people want to be true. Many fairytales have messages, but few are as palatable as Cinderella's. Little Red Riding Hood discourages talking to strangers, but it works as a warning more than anything else. While the message is truthful, it's not one people want to watch on repeat. Others have messages that are not ideal. People have pointed out that, if not done carefully, The Little Mermaid promotes changing who you are to impress others, and Beauty and the Beast has often been accused of portraying Stockholm syndrome. But Cinderella sends the message that, with patience good things happen to good people. The story has a simple, positive, and easy-to-take-in message, making it the obvious choice to bring back over and over.

While the story of Cinderella has many attributes, its easily adaptable nature, lovable heroine, and hopeful message make it the best choice to remake constantly. The ability to differentiate each version through the setting or characterization is important. But, more significant is that these adaptions can maintain the integrity of the basic plot. Though the basic story is reused, each version offers something different, so it's not like watching the same film over and over. With a lovable heroine who inspires sympathy in viewers and a happy ending that provides hope, it's impossible to go wrong with the classic story of Cinderella.

Disney's Cinderella is available to stream on Disney+.

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