Cinderella Turns 75: Disney's Iconic Princess and Her Glass Slippers

Just as Cinderella’s dream was set to vanish at midnight, so too was The Walt Disney Company's in 1947, grappling with a staggering $4 million debt after the financial disappointments of Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi, exacerbated by World War II and other factors. However, thanks to this beloved princess and her iconic glass slippers, Disney was saved from a premature end to its animation story.

As Cinderella celebrates its 75th anniversary of its wide release today, March 4, we connected with several Disney team members who continue to be inspired by this timeless rags-to-riches narrative. This story not only echoes Walt Disney's own journey but also instilled hope in the company and a post-war world yearning for inspiration.

To understand the context, let's revisit Disney's fairy godmother moment in 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Its monumental success — the highest-grossing film until Gone with the Wind surpassed it two years later — enabled Disney to establish its Burbank studio, the company's enduring headquarters, and paved the way for more animated feature films.

Disney's next venture, 1940's Pinocchio, came with a hefty $2.6 million budget — a million more than Snow White — yet it resulted in a $1 million loss despite critical acclaim and Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. This trend continued with Fantasia and Bambi, which also underperformed, adding to the financial strain. The onset of World War II, sparked by Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939, played a significant role in these challenges.

“Disney's European markets were inaccessible during the war, and films like Pinocchio and Bambi didn’t perform well,” Eric Goldberg, co-director of Pocahontas and lead animator on Aladdin’s Genie, explained. “The studio was then enlisted by the U.S. government to produce training and propaganda films. Throughout the 1940s, Disney produced Package Films like Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, and Melody Time. These were excellent, but lacked a cohesive narrative from start to finish.”

For those less familiar, Package Films were compilations of short cartoons forming a feature film. Between 1942's Bambi and 1950's Cinderella, Disney produced six of these, including Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, which were part of the U.S. Good Neighbor Policy aimed at countering Nazi influence in South America. While these projects broke even and Fun and Fancy Free reduced the studio's debt from $4.2 million to $3 million by 1947, they hindered the creation of true animated feature-length stories.

“I wanted to return to feature films,” Walt Disney stated in 1956, as quoted in The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier. “It required substantial investment and time. Producing a quality animated feature demands significant resources. My brother Roy and I had a heated discussion... It was a major upset for me... We had to choose between forging ahead, returning to business, or liquidating and selling out.”

With Walt contemplating selling his shares and leaving Disney, he and Roy instead opted for a high-stakes gamble on their first major animated feature since Bambi in 1942. Failure could have spelled the end for Disney's animation studio.

“At that time, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Cinderella were in various stages of development, but Cinderella was chosen first due to its similarities to the successful Snow White,” Tori Cranner, Art Collections Manager at Walt Disney Animation Research Library, noted. “Walt recognized that post-war America craved hope and joy. Unlike the more somber Pinocchio, Cinderella offered a message of triumph and beauty emerging from hardship.”

Cinderella and Disney’s Rags to Riches Tale

Walt's fascination with Cinderella predates the late 1940s; he produced a Cinderella short in 1922 at Laugh-O-Gram Studios, just before founding Disney with Roy. This short, along with the eventual feature film, drew from Charles Perrault’s 1697 version of the tale, possibly originating between 7 BC and AD 23 by the Greek geographer Strabo. It encapsulated the classic struggle of good versus evil, true love, and the realization of dreams, deeply resonating with Walt.

“Snow White was a kind, simple girl who believed in wishes and waiting for Prince Charming,” Walt Disney remarked, as featured in Disney’s Cinderella: The Making of a Masterpiece DVD special feature. “Cinderella, however, was more practical. She believed in dreams, but also in taking action. When Prince Charming didn’t appear, she took the initiative to go to the palace and find him.”

Cinderella's strength and resilience, despite her mistreatment by her Evil Stepmother and Stepsisters, mirrored Walt's own journey from humble beginnings through numerous failures to relentless pursuit of his dream.

This narrative persisted through Disney's early days, with Walt attempting to revive it as a Silly Symphony short in 1933. The project's scope grew, leading to a decision in 1938 to transform it into a feature film. Despite delays due to the war and other factors, the film evolved into the beloved classic we cherish today.

Disney's success with Cinderella stemmed from his ability to enhance these timeless tales with his unique flair, making them universally appealing and enduring.

“Disney excelled at reimagining these age-old fairytales,” Goldberg said. “He infused them with his taste, entertainment sense, heart, and passion, making the characters and stories more compelling than their origins. These tales, often grim cautionary lessons, were transformed into enjoyable narratives for all audiences, modernizing and preserving them.”

Cinderella’s animal friends — Jaq, Gus, and the delightful birds — provided comic relief and allowed Cinderella to express her true self, deepening audience connection. The Fairy Godmother, envisioned by animator Milt Kahl as a more relatable, bumbling grandmother, contrasted with the regal fairy in Pinocchio, enhancing audience empathy.

The transformation scene, where Cinderella’s belief in her dreams manifests into a life-changing night, stands as one of the most iconic in Disney history. The meticulous hand-drawn and painted sparkles, credited to Disney Legends Marc Davis and George Rowley, capture the magic of this moment.

Thanks so much for all your questions about Cinderella! Before we sign off, enjoy this pencil test footage of original animation drawings of the transformation scene, animated by Marc Davis and George Rowley. Thanks for joining us! #AskDisneyAnimation pic.twitter.com/2LquCBHX6F

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) February 15, 2020

“Every sparkle was individually hand-drawn and painted, which is astonishing,” Cranner said with enthusiasm. “There’s a perfect moment during the transformation where the magic pauses for a fraction of a second before completing, adding to the scene's enchantment. It’s like holding your breath before the magic unfolds.”

The addition of the glass slipper breaking at the end further emphasized Cinderella's agency and strength, showcasing her as the master of her own destiny.

“Cinderella isn’t just a passive character,” Goldberg noted. “She has a distinct personality and strength. When the slipper breaks, she reveals the other one she’s kept, demonstrating her control and resilience.”

Cinderella premiered in Boston on February 15, 1950, and had its wide release on March 4, earning $7 million on a $2.2 million budget, making it Disney's most successful film since Snow White. It received three Academy Award nominations and was the sixth-highest grossing film of 1950.

“When Cinderella was released, critics hailed it as a return to form for Walt Disney,” Goldberg recalled. “It was a massive success, rekindling the studio's passion for narrative features. Post-Cinderella, Disney developed films like Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and The Jungle Book, all thanks to Cinderella’s triumph.”

75 Years Later, Cinderella’s Magic Lives On

Seventy-five years on, Cinderella's influence continues to grow within Disney and beyond. Her castle stands as a symbol at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, and her legacy inspires modern Disney films.

“When animating Elsa’s dress transformation in Frozen, we drew direct inspiration from Cinderella,” Frozen 2 and Wish lead animator Becky Bresee shared. “The sparkles and effects around Elsa’s dress pay homage to Cinderella, honoring the impact of earlier Disney classics.”

The contributions of the Nine Old Men and Mary Blair to Cinderella's distinctive style and character depth are noteworthy. As we conclude this retrospective, Eric Goldberg's reflection encapsulates why Cinderella was the perfect film and princess at the right time to save Disney.

“Cinderella embodies hope,” Goldberg concluded. “It shows that perseverance and strength can lead to dreams coming true, no matter the era. That’s its enduring message.”