MovieChat Forums > Cinderella (2015) Discussion > "Plot holes" addressed in this version

"Plot holes" addressed in this version

posted 9 years ago by bnbailey-1
8 replies | jump to latest

I liked how this version of Cinderella added just a few lines to explain away some of the "plot holes" in the fairy tale. Two things that stood out to me was when Cinderella was going to the ball and worried about her family recognizing her so the Fairy Godmother added a bit of magic to hide her identity...and when the narrator explains that the glass shoe was magical and would only fit Ella's foot. Obviously all of the magic fairy tale elements are not true to life, but I always wondered how the family didn't realize her identity or how no one else had Ella's shoe size in past versions...so I liked they addressed them in this one.

For me, I like many different Cinderella versions and the little differences they bring to the tale. This one, while staying close to the story, added those little explanations and special things like the Lavender's Blue song and the "have courage and be kind" motto that made it special. (Also rounding out in my top 3 versions are the Brandy version which was had a fun cast and utilized many Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, and Ever After which went for a realistic retelling)

[–] Navaros 8 years ago

But in regards to the slipper plot hole, even with the plot modifications in this version, they still left another plot hole: the Prince and his entourage do not know that the slipper will only fit Cinderella, so therefore their plan is retarded.

I.e. What if they met another woman whose foot fits the slipper before they met Ella? As far as the Prince knew, then he would be stuck marrying that random woman due to the utter retardness of his own plan. So a smart Prince would never implement a retarded plan like that in the first place.

Likewise, despite the plot modifications you mentioned, the plan also still makes the Prince and his entourage look retarded because they are present as obese women, old women, women of different races to Ella etc., all of whom very obviously look nothing whatsoever like Ella, try on the slipper. If the Prince and his entourage had brains, then they wouldn't even bother with those women.

So what I'm saying is that while yes, the plot modifications you mentioned are good, they don't go nearly far enough to make the plot coherent. This film needed additional plot modifications also that it simply doesn't have.

[–] ejs8882000 8 years ago

I agree with that statement. It would have been better if the Prince kept the slipper in a safe place until he found Ella. While in the meantime, the Prince and company just go throughout the kingdom searching for her.

[–] annedoe 8 years ago

the PRINCE knows, in this case, Ella's foot will fit the slipper since they played around before midnight with it. Duke also knows (thanks to Lady Tremaine) and is deliberately trying to find someone else to fit the slipper to pass them off as Ella.

[–] ick_99 8 years ago

The Prince also does this to test how loyal the Duke really is to him. Was he really going high and low to look for Ella? That's why the Prince (err King) travelled along with the entourage in disguise, he suspected all along that the Duke was not going to turn over every stone if, you will, to find Ella.

[–] adrianolle 8 years ago

The "have courage and be kind" comes from the Brothers Grimm's version. They only left out the religious connotations. Also the first branch that touches her father's shoulder is from that version.

[–] insanebasura 8 years ago

They didn't bother explaining why the glass slippers didn't turn back when everything else magic did. This bothered me more than it probably should have. She's shown in her ragged dress carrying a glass slipper. It's easy for your brain to go there, and potentially get stuck on it like mine did.

Also don't explain why the prince needed the slipper to identify her at all. He has seen her face. Which is literally how he recognized her at the ball. And then again at her house. The slipper is like half the thing of this story and it's pointless.

Also the stepmother doesn't have an arc. "And then they moved and were never seen again." What is that? You can't do that after you've hinted at potential humanity and redemption with the dialog before she locks the door.

Perhaps I've outgrown fairytales. Although I liked Maleficent.
They did add bits of comedy, some of which was appreciated. Dopey fairy god mother and goose in a hat getting his hat knocked off. Silly goose.

[–] andrewpi7 8 years ago

There were no hints at potential humanity and redemption for the stepmother. The whole scene before she locks the door shows the stepmother as evil and the step mother herself almost calls herself evil before she locks the door. The ending was just Cinderella forgiving the stepmother and moving on to her new life.

Seeing a face is not enough. People can look very different with clothes, dyes, haircuts/hairstyles, makeup and certain lighting... much less magic. And perhaps he wanted to avoid the risk of the rare chance of an identical twin or evil magic clone/disguise. The glass slipper could only fit Cinderella regardless of shoe size, but how would he know that is a plot hole yet minor IMO. Perhaps some wizard/sage in the castle told him? I also thought he brought the shoe as simply a way of returning what belonged to her while at the same time asking for her hand. If she said no then he's obviously is not going to keep her shoe.

Of all recent fairy tale movies, I'm surprised you mentioned you liked Maleficent and in a plot hole thread nonetheless. Additionally, Maleficent failed at the hinted redemption it implied, unlike Cinderella's stepmother where none was expected. Everyone has different tastes.

[–] Edgehead87 8 years ago

I know I'm late to your post, but the reason the glass slippers stay is because there is nothing for them to turn back to. They are the only *new* thing that the godmother gives her. Everything else was converted. She has Ella take off her old shoes and says how about something new. The magic only lasting one night and for a specific amount of hours means it's conditional. It's enough to conjure shoes but not enough for a whole carriage and foot man, etc....so those things she has to tweak from something else.