VHS : Slipper and the Rose

Rating: - I love the Slipper and the Rose!
This is a truly enchanting musical version of the Cinderella story. I first watched this as a young girl and I've recently watched the DVD a number of times. I was amazed that even though over 10 years have passed I remembered most of the story, including song lyrics and dialogue...obviously it made a big impression on me the first time around! Watching the film as an adult is a real treat. There is a lavish quality to every aspect - from the beautiful costumes to the stunning landscape and gauzy cinematography. It makes me laugh and it makes me cry and, by the end, I'm cheering!

The Slipper and The Rose is the kind of film that appeals to adults as well as children. There are many funny jokes and clever songs that are great to sing along to. Of course, and most importantly in my opinion, the film is also incredibly romantic. I can't think of two better actors to play Cinderella and the Prince than Gemma Craven and Richard Chamberlain. Gemma is lovely and kind and Richard is dashing, thoughtful and oozes masculinity - quite a feat when he is wearing high heals and ribbons! In many ways, this is quite a grown-up version of Cinderella. The chracters are fully fleshed out rather than being the usual stereotypes, there are a couple of unexpected twists in the plot, and the film is also slower paced and has longer songs than the typical contemporary musical film. In short, it demands more attention and is more subtle than many of today's family entertainment films.

There are also loads of great secondary characters. The Prince's assistant John and his forbidden love Lady Caroline, the put upon Fairy Godfather (played marvellously by Annette Crosbie - best known in Britain as Victor Meldrew's wife in One Foot in the Grave), and a perfectly ghastly Stepmother and Stepsisters. The funniest characters are probably Montague (who is incredibly pompous and outlandish) and the elderly Dowager Queen (who has poor hearing and misunderstands everything because of it).

The film fleshes out the character of the Prince in a very enjoyable way. Normally, the Prince is a fairly generic handsome type who rides around on his horse and doesn't do much else. In this version though, we really get to know what he's thinking and feeling. He is determined to marry for love and no other reason, despite strong opposition from his parents and the royal household. Knowing about his troubles, as well as those of Cinderella, make you root for them both all the more.

If it isn't obvious by now, I really recommend this film to people who are looking for something romantic and old-fashioned. It is the perfect film to watch when you need a lift. I have so many favourite scenes - when the Prince and John sing `What a comforting thing to know' in the royal crypt, when Cinderella and the Prince meet at the ball and sing `Secret Kingdom', when the Prince rides up on his horse as Cinderella is dancing in the field and when the couple are reunited at the church.

The Slipper and the Rose is perfect entertainment with a wonderful happy ending!

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Rating: - For Romantics
This is a beautiful film: finely written, enthusiastically acted and with some really touching songs. I recently caught up with Gemma Craven (Buxton Opera House, Eng), she was on tour in a play which I think was called "Going Dutch". I wanted to express my thanks for the joy "Slipper and the Rose" has brought me over the years, especially that delicious duet, "There's a secret kingdom all my own..." which I've re-watched countless times. I think she was in a hurry. I had waited at the stagedoor, something I would rarely do. But many of the questions I would have asked her were in the programme for "Going Dutch". Namely: she had had a great time filming it and that R.Chamberlain was charming to her. This is a film you either love or hate. For incurable romantics it is divine and endlessly pleasurable. I love it.

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Rating: - Wonderful, Romantic, Escapism
I absolutely adore this film. I watched it over and over in my childhood and it is still just as great now. Gemma Craven is very sweet and I could not imagine a better cinderella. The film is very lavish and romantic, some I'm sure (like my hubby for example) would say sickly sweet but I love this kind of film. The songs are memorable and I love to sing along.

This is the kind of film you can curl up to on a rainy afternoon with a box of choccies and just escape.

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Rating: - just magical!
When I was growing up I never really saw this film all the way through, now that we got it free with the daily mail newspaper I thought I would give it a chance and I am so glad that I did. The costumes are stunning the score of the music ties in with everything happening throughout the film and helps portray the characters which keeps you engrossed and entertained. It is the best version of Cinderella ever told Gemma Craven does a superb job playing the character of a story which is so well known, but Richard Chamberlain portraying the prince is magical, you see it is more through the princes eyes and how he expresses his love for Cinderella. The characters are so spirited and each one has a wonderful voice and the acting can't be faulted, if you are a romantic then the most memorable part of the film may be when the prince (Chamberlain) finds Cinderella (Craven) again. This is now my favourite musical which is why I am ordering the soundtrack, the film is a love story but the twists and turns and the humour makes it magical for all ages, this film will never go out of date!
So curl up and take in all off the delights that this film has to offer.

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Rating: - A British Musical to Boast about - YES BRITISH
Although the score is written by the American brothers Sherman and Sherman, here is a musical we Brits can be proud of. It was the Queen's Silver Jubilee film in 1977 and was sadly pitted against such giants of cinematic greats as Star Wars in that same year.

So, take a slushy sentimental fairytale, give it a polished twist acted mostly by British character actors and you have the Slipper and The Rose. The Austrian settings are perfect. The lush and witty score is helped along (though not often needed) by such British screen Gods and Goddesses as Michael Hordern, Dame Edith Evans and Margaret Lockwood (though she does not sing!).

The overture sets the pace well. Julian Orchard has two clever little pieces to sing and 'act'. There are two particularly good musical numbers, these are the Slipper and Rose Waltz which not only builds through into a full orchestral piece but gains in tempo as it progresses. This is only just topped by the Love song sung by Gemma Craven and Christopher Chamberlain, though the reprise is cheesy. See if you can spot Brian Forbes doing his 'Alfred Hitchcock' bit.

Try this fab film for a change if you are fans of Rogers and Hammerstein or Rogers and Hart or are just Sherman and Sherman devotees e.g. Mary Popppins.