Cinderella (1914 film)

Plot

Cinderella is a gentle girl forced to live with a cruel stepmother and two unpleasant stepsisters. They treat her like a servant and make her do all the housework. One day, a beggar woman comes to the door. The stepmother and stepsisters turn her away, but Cinderella shares her own food and drink with the stranger. The beggar then reveals herself to be a beautiful fairy, and she begins to secretly aid Cinderella because of her kindness. Later, when Cinderella is sent to collect firewood, the fairy godmother calls a group of fairies who quietly gather a bundle of wood for her. While in the woods, Cinderella meets Prince Charming, and they are both immediately attracted to each other during their brief meeting.

Soon, the prince holds a ball so he can pick a bride. The stepsisters visit a witch-like fortune teller in the woods, who tells them that a member of their family will be chosen by the prince. The sisters are thrilled, believing one of them will win his heart. That night, the stepsisters have bad dreams about the fortune teller, while Cinderella dreams happily of dancing fairies. When the stepsisters leave for the ball, they force Cinderella to stay home. Her fairy godmother appears and asks for a pumpkin, some mice, and some rats. She turns the pumpkin into a coach, the mice into horses, and the rats into grooms and footmen. She then changes Cinderella's ragged clothes into a beautiful gown and gives her glass slippers. The fairy warns Cinderella that she must return home before midnight, or the dress will become rags again and the coach and servants will revert to their original forms.

At the ball, the mysterious lady captivates everyone, especially the prince. He and Cinderella slip away to the garden, but their romantic moment is cut short by the midnight chime. Cinderella flees, losing one slipper, and arrives home in her old rags. She tosses in her bed, having a strange dream where evil-looking dwarves ring the midnight bell and the numbers on a clock face dance wildly. She is woken by her stepfamily, who shove her out of bed and order her back to her daily chores.