Three Wishes for Cinderella

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The world's most beautiful film processing of a story about a cinderella that our parents watched and our children will be watching. It is rightfully included in the "Golden Fund of Czech Cinematography".
Maximum rating 10/10 - included in a personal film collection.
//CZ
Celosvětově nejkrásnější filmové zpracování pohádkového příběhu o popelce, na které se dívali naši rodiče a budou dívat i naše děti. Právem zařazeno do "Zlatého fondu české kinematografie".
Maximální hodnocení 10/10 - zařazeno do osobní filmové sbírky.

There is only one way to watch this movie: with the original Czech audio, and the subtitles in your native language. All the dubs in the world can't beat Popelka's original voice.

Remarkable Czech adaptation of Disney’s Cinderella!

“Three Wishes for Cinderella” is a Czech live-action of the Cinderella story. A friend recommended I watch this film and provide my thoughts on it. So, here we are! I have only watched Disney’s animated Cinderella, so I have little to compare to. However, I think this is better than the original animated Cinderella and feels fresh. I think everyone is familiar with Cinderella’s story, but I will do a quick synopsis of this film. Popelka, our Cinderella, is a housemaid for her wealthy but evil stepmother. Popelka’s only friends are her father’s white horse, a pet owl, and a flock of white doves. She has a heart of gold and is kindhearted, even taking the blame for another servant’s mistake. The king and queen are bringing their marriage-age Prince for a visit, causing a scramble at the estate for the servants to prepare decorations and food. Stepmother desires to show off her other daughter, Dora, to the prince and forbids Popelka from attending. As she escapes to the forest, she runs into the prince and his companions, who are hunting a deer. Popelka interjects and leaves a lasting impact on the prince. While there are alterations from the original Cinderella, I think it stays true to the overall narrative and feel of Cinderella.

I did not know that the Czech Republic made films, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the movie was very good! The wonderful filming locations and sets felt appropriate for recreating the fantasy magic of Disney. The era in which it’s set adds a delightful charm that forms the atmosphere. I appreciated the storytelling through vibrant cinematography, sharp editing, and directing. I often push back on live-action remakes, but this adaptation was well worth it! Decent acting, exquisite costumes, and a catchy soundtrack make it worthwhile. There was also some humor mixed into the fantasy and drama. The villains were fun to cheer against, and they were not completely shallow, either. I thought they properly developed the principal characters, especially Popelka. The actor who played her was an excellent casting choice. Her acting was solid, capturing the charming nuances of Cinderella, and fit the character she was playing. Popelka’s independence, determination, and strength are improvements to the original Cinderella. The main (nitpicking) issue I noticed was the pacing in the middle scenes, which slowed down more than necessary.

Would I recommend this? While not a must-watch, I would recommend it to all Disney fans and general film fans. It’s entertaining and suitable for all ages. I enjoy watching films from all over the world and in any language, and this was no different. I had no issues following the subtitles. There may be an English-dubbed version, but the quality may not be as good as the subtitles.

It doesn't quite have the magic it had 40 years ago but it is still a great movie for the family to watch with the kids. Especially so during the christmas season.