History Heartwarming / Cinderella

* The main title theme.

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!!Meta
* In February 2016, Disney Animation director/screenwriter Jennifer Lee (who became Chief Creative Officer of the studio a few years later) shared [[https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/dream-big-jennifer-lee/ an essay]] citing ''Cinderella'' as the first Disney movie she ever saw. Lee credits Cinderella's optimism and will for helping her maintain courage in the face of oppression. When discussing her breakout into directing with ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', she expresses pride in helping define heroines who could inspire their viewers as positively as Cinderella did her.
* Cinderella's voice actress, Ilene Woods, battled Alzheimer's disease in the later years of her life. She reportedly spent that time sitting in a retirement home, unable to understand the events of her surroundings, while listening to "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes", which made her feel happy for reasons she probably couldn't remember. The nurses played it for her as often as possible because it cheered her up.
* Ilene Woods took her three-year-old daughter Stephanie to see the film in 1950. When Cinderella on the screen began singing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," Stephanie jumped up and yelled, "That's my mommy! That's my mommy!"

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[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cinderellamoonlight.png]]

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while firmly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them and this his orders from the King were ''"every'' maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone other than her animal friends has stood up for Cinderella. His courtesy is even more noticeable as, given the fact that he's the King's NumberTwo and Cinderella is a servant, she's way below him when in terms of social status, yet he still treats her with kindness and politeness. It's likely that he sympathizes with Cinderella, since he too has been constantly pushed around by an overbearing authority figure.

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while sternly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them, his orders from the King were, "EVERY maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone other than her animal friends has stood up for Cinderella. His kindness is even more noticeable as, given the fact that he's the King's NumberTwo and Cinderella is a servant, she's way below him when it comes to social status, yet he still treats her with kindness and politeness. It's likely that he sympathizes with Cinderella, since he too has been constantly pushed around by an overbearing authority figure.

** Look at the Grand Duke's face light up when Cinderella produces the pair of the slipper that was broken. That is his job saved, and probably his life as well, ''and'' irrefutable proof of the maiden's identity is found and he knows it. He kisses the slipper and then puts it on Cinderella's foot, a huge smile on his face the entire time.

** Look at the Grand Duke's face light up when Cinderella produces the pair of the slipper that was broken. That his job, and probably his life as well, is saved, ''and'' irrefutable proof of the maiden's identity is found and he knows it. He kisses the slipper and then puts it on Cinderella's foot, a huge smile on his face the entire time.

** The Grand Duke closing the curtain on Lady Tremaine at the ball when she tries to see who the mysterious girl dancing with the prince is.

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while sternly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them, his orders from the King were, "EVERY maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone other than her animal friends has stood up for Cinderella. His kindness is even more noticeable as, given the fact that he's the King's NumberTwo and Cinderella is a servant, she's way below him when it comes to social status, yet he still treats her with kindness and politeness. It's likely that sympathizes with Cinderella, since he too has been constantly pushed around by an overbearing authority figure.

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while sternly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them, his orders from the King were, "EVERY maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone has stood up for Cinderella. His kindness is even more noticeable as, given the fact that he's the King's NumberTwo and Cinderella is a servant, she's way below him when it comes to social status, yet he still treats her with kindness and politeness.

** Look at his face light up when Cinderella produces the pair of the slipper that was broken. That his job, and probably his life as well, is saved, ''and'' irrefutable proof of the maiden's identity is found and he knows it.
*** Fridge Heartwarming: He probably sympathizes with Cinderella, since he too has been constantly pushed around by an overbearing authority figure.
** He also closed the curtain on Lady Tremaine at the ball when she tries to see who the mysterious girl dancing with the prince is. Consider the fact that up until now, the Grand Duke has been the ButtMonkey of everyone he has a scene with. The two times he gets to be a badass are scenes where he stands up to Lady Tremaine.

!!Meta
* In February 2016, Disney Animation director/screenwriter Jennifer Lee (who became Chief Creative Officer of the studio a few years later) shared [[https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/dream-big-jennifer-lee/ an essay]] citing ''Cinderella'' as the first Disney movie she ever saw. Lee credits Cinderella's optimism and will for helping her maintain courage in the face of oppression. When discussing her breakout into directing with ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', she expresses pride in helping define heroines who could inspire their viewers as positively as Cinderella did her.
* Cinderella's voice actress, Ilene Woods, battled Alzheimer's disease in the later years of her life. She reportedly spent that time sitting in a retirement home, unable to understand the events of her surroundings, while listening to "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes", which made her feel happy for reasons she probably couldn't remember. The nurses played it for her as often as possible because it cheered her up.
* Ilene Woods took her three-year-old daughter Stephanie to see the film in 1950. When Cinderella on the screen began singing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," Stephanie jumped up and yelled, "That's my mommy! That's my mommy!"

* The king's IWantGrandkids motivation. D'awwwww. The dream he has after the ball of playing with his grandkids, who have Cinderella's hair, really sells it as very cute.
** Somewhat crossing over as TearJerker, but the king's ambition to have grandchildren are driven solely because of how [[EmptyNest deeply he misses his son and the close relationship they had]]. Unlike [[AbusiveParent Lady Tremaine]] who is an opportunistic social climber who only care for her daughters for as long as they are useful to her, for the king there is nothing truly more fulfilling and endearing than being a [[GoodParents loving parent]].

* It's a subtle, but textually explicit, detail that Bruno is ''not'' a family dog; he's Cinderella's personal dog, a gift from her father, visible in the "storybook" at the beginning. Hence, why Lady Tremaine barred him from the house...and part of why Cinderella was willing to risk punishment hiding him in the house at night against explicit orders, solely so that he wouldn't have to sleep in the cold.

* When Cinderella realizes it's midnight and tries to leave, she tells the Prince she's rushing because she hasn't met the Prince yet. She actually had no idea she was dancing with said prince and fell in love with him, and that's one of the reasons why Prince Charming fell for her. She spent all that time with him because of ''him'', not that he was the prince.
** What makes this especially genuine is, compared to her step family, whose only desire to attend the ball was so Anastasia or Drizella would get to shack up with Prince Charming because of his status, Cinderella wanted to go because she wanted to have fun. She was never interested in trying to make a total stranger attracted to her.

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper, even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while sternly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them, his orders from the king were, "EVERY maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone has stood up for Cinderella. His kindness is even more noticeable as, given the fact that he's the king's NumberTwo and Cinderella is a servant, she's way below him when it comes to social status, yet he still treats her with kindness and politeness.

** Look at his face light up when Cinderella produces the pair of the slipper that was broken. That was his job probably his life as well, is saved, ''and'' irrefutable proof of the maiden's identity is found and he knows it.

* In another deleted scene, Prince Charming is reintroduced to Cinderella after she fits the slipper. While surprised that she's a servant girl, he accepts her immediately as his princess.

** This comes to a head in the final rescue mission; while it's the mice who are the MVPs with support from the bluebirds, Bruno in his old age ''finally'' gets to repay the years of cruelty heaped on his person.

-->'''Cinderella:''' But perhaps, if it would help...
'''Grand Duke: No, nothing can help now. Nothing.'''

** And her animal friends rejoice at this, knowing their combined friendship and solidarity with Cinderella has saved all of them.

'''Grand Duke:'''

** And her animal friends rejoice at this, knowing their combined friendship and solidarity with Cinderella has saved all of them.

-->'''Tremaine:''' Just an imaginative child! \\
'''Grand Duke:''' (''sternly'') Madam, my orders were '''''every''''' maiden! (''to Cinderella, kindly'') Come, my child.

** Their decision to make her a dress for the ball when they realised that Lady Tremaine wasn't going to give Cinderella the time to make one of her own.
*** Jacques despondently mentions that this is exactly the sort of thing Lady Tremaine would do. He says "they fix her" so she won't have a dress. The lady mouse then pipes up and says that if they make the dress, then Cinderella can go to the ball and at least try.

** After the work is done, they surprise her with the dress, though Gus mistakenly wishes her happy birthday The scene when Cinderella discovers the completed dress makes it evident how much such an act of kindness means to her.

** Their decision to make her a dress for the ball when they realised that Lady Tremaine wasn't going to give Cinderella the time to make one of her own. The scene when Cinderella discovers the completed dress makes it evident how much such an act of kindness means to her.

* When Cinderella makes it downstairs just in time, it's very sweet to see the Duke kindly greeting her and giving her a chance at the slipper, even though Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters insist she's "just Cinderella" and couldn't possibly be the right girl. He even orders Lady Tremaine to step aside while sternly telling her that he doesn't care who Cinderella is to them, his orders from the king were, "EVERY maiden". After a movie of Cinderella being ignored and treated horribly, it's very nice to see. Not only that, this is the first time that anyone has stood up for Cinderella.

* This is more pronounced in the live-action remake, but really, Cinderella's entire character counts. The abuse she's suffered would've turned most people bitter and angry, and it would've been hard to blame her if she'd become just as hateful as her stepfamily. But she doesn't. She manages to remain kind, optimistic, and friendly, despite all her hardships. Cinderella isn't the weak, useless damsel she gets made out to be; Cinderella is an emotionally intelligent, resilient, loving person who refuses to let the people around her twist her into something she's not.

* In February 2016, Disney Animation director/screenwriter Jennifer Lee (who became Chief Creative Officer of the studio a few years later) shared [[https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/dream-big-jennifer-lee/ an essay]] citing ''Cinderella'' as the first Disney movie she ever saw. Lee credits Cinderella's optimism and will for helping her maintain courage in the face of oppression. When discussing her breakout into directing with ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'', she expresses pride in helping define heroines who could inspire their viewers as positively as Cinderella did her.