Irreconcilable Differences
In my opinion, not only is the 1950 film Cinderella one of Disney’s greatest animated films, but one of the greatest animated films of all time. It is so beautiful and wonderful that I actually hold contempt and great dislike for the sequels. Part of it stems from the fact that they were made by DisneyToon Studios and not Walt Disney Animation Studios, and so I consider the animation and stories by the former to be inferior. But I have more personal reasons about why I don’t like the sequels than just the differences in the animation.
The two Cinderella sequels were made more than 50 years after the original film was released. By now, all of its cast and crew is deceased, including Walt Disney, and only they could tell audiences what is canonical to the film or not. Due to the year differences between the films, it just makes me wonder how much their filmmakers could keep the characters similar to their original film counterparts. I have a feeling that the people who made the sequels might have made them the way they want them to be. Like it was done that Cinderella had a reconciliation with her stepfamily; in this case, with Anastasia, because it is what the filmmakers wanted to happen.
However, in the original film, neither Drizella nor Anastasia appear to have any redeeming qualities, which makes me believe that the chance of either of them turning good would be very unlikely. I honestly can’t see Drizella or Anastasia ever wanting to make amends with Cinderella after their mistreatment of the latter. This is particularly because they have no concept of the difference between right and wrong or good and bad. Not to mention their mother taught them that what they did to Cinderella was not bad or wrong, so I think that the chances of them changing after behaving badly for years is very slim. And let’s not forget that they have had this lifelong jealousy of Cinderella that I don’t think will ever stop. It’s obvious to me that they would continue to hate Cinderella with a burning passion after the latter married the prince, because she again succeeded at something that they failed to do. On a minor note, since the Tremaines hate Cinderella, they would be glad to have her out of their lives once she got married. But simultaneously, they would still be furious that she, of all women, won the heart of the prince when they couldn’t, and even with Cinderella gone, they no longer have someone to do the housework, boss around, or torment.
In terms of preserving continuity with the original title character, I don’t think the sequels strayed too far because Cinderella is still portrayed to be so good and pure of heart that I don’t think she would hate her stepfamily and be prone to forgiving them if given the chance. If you remember what I have said in the past, Cinderella never acts out with anger and sadness in the original movie because she does not want to stoop to the Tremaines’ level and act just like them. That is just what they WANT her to do! And Cinderella does not want them to think they can take away her dignity and pride, nor will she let herself be their victim.
I got to thinking that if they ever attended the castle for balls or parties, Drizella and Anastasia would still view Cinderella as the girl they loved to torment, not as a princess, even though she would now be legally above them in terms of social class. So if the three Tremaines were ever alone with Cinderella after the latter’s marriage, I think they would treat Cinderella no different than they used to treat her. But if they were in the presence of Cinderella AND the prince, then they all would become afraid and kiss up to her in her presence. But even if they feared her, they wouldn’t be genuinely nice to her, nor do I believe they would ask Cinderella for forgiveness. Hell, I can bet their mother never taught them about forgiveness, either.
I have to admit, given what they did to their stepsister in the original film, I would like to know what it would have been like had Anastasia and Drizella encountered Cinderella again after her wedding. But I don't think the concept with Anastasia redeeming herself is what would happen if WDAS made the film instead of DisneyToon. Like I said earlier, these two dipsticks have no real redeeming qualities, and they have hated Cinderella for almost their entire lives; a hatred I doubt would ever fade, especially and even after Cinderella married the prince. She succeeded once again where they failed completely.
No, in my mind, Drizella and Anastasia would continue to hate Cinderella for years beyond the events of the movie. They are their mother's daughters, and Drizella and Anastasia have no love in their hearts, so they are not worthy of asking for forgiveness and reconciling with their kind, loving stepsister.