Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Cinderella (1950) Adoption Movie Review
In this classic 1950 Disney film, Cinderella is the orphaned
daughter of a widower. The widower had remarried the Lady Tremaine, but Lady
Tremaine vastly favors her two daughters over Cinderella.

The Adoption Connection
Cinderella has experienced the loss of both of her parents,
and is being cared for by someone else.
She’s also being abused by her
caretaker, who vastly prefers her biological children to Cinderella.
Cinderella takes a young mouse into her care, gives him a
new name, teaches him her rules, and dresses him.
Strong Points

Challenges
While there is an element of hope and a promise that things
will get better (and this is a beloved classic), there’s not really substance
to the hope. More on that in a second.
Weak Points

In Cinderella’s world, only magic makes things better. One
of Cinderella’s superstitions says, “If you tell a wish, it won’t come true.”
Another is that if you keep on (silently) believing, you’ll get your wish. It’d
be better for kids to feel free to share what’s on their minds. It’s empowering
to realize that your words can change your situation sometimes, and valuable to
learn when something you wish for isn’t readily possible.

The Prince’s father is quick to rage, and tries to
decapitate his closest servant for a minor offense – we see him take several
(missed) swings with a sword.
Recommendations
Kids learn from stories. The messages we absorb as kids often
become part of our narratives, whether we realize it or not. Although
Cinderella is a beloved, timeless classic it could convey some unhelpful
thoughts about how things change, and it does show an unfortunate stereotype of
cruel non-biological parents. Some newer Disney films might be healthier and
more enjoyable for kids who’ve been adopted or who have been in foster care. I feel kind of bad saying it, given how many people love this one, but it's probably a marginal choice at best, and might even be one to skip until your kids are old enough to evaluate the film's presuppositions.
Questions for
Discussion
Why were Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters so mean to
her?
What are some other ways her life could have gotten better?
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