Cinderella (1987)

Clorinda and Tisbe amuse themselves while Cinderella serves as the family maid. When Alidoro appears at the door disguised as a beggar, the selfish stepsisters insist that Cinderella turn him away. At that moment, Prince Ramiro’s cavaliers interrupt them to announce the prince’s imminent arrival. He will invite them all to a party at which he intends to select the most beautiful girl in the land as his bride. Magnifico, awakened by the commotion, scolds the girls for waking him from a beautiful dream in which his two daughters appeared as queens and he as a royal donkey. This dream is taken as a good omen, and all hurry off to prepare for the party.

The prince, disguised as his valet, Dandini, arrives alone to see the women of the household without their knowing who he is. He and Cinderella, each believing the other to be a servant, fall in love at first sight.

Dandini, disguised as the prince, comes to carry the sisters off to the ball. In spite of Alidoro’s insistence that there must be a third sister, Don Magnifico denies that she is still alive and refuses to listen to the pleas of Cinderella who does not want to be left behind. After they leave, Alidoro assures Cinderella that he has arranged for her to attend after all.

At the ball, Dandini appoints Don Magnifico steward of the Royal Cellars and he goes off to take full advantage of his new title. Tisbe and Clorinda flirt outrageously with the supposed prince, who then reports to Ramiro his negative opinion of the sisters. This confuses Ramiro, as Alidoro has spoken well of one of Magnifico’s daughters. The sisters, whose characters are being tested, are contemptuous of the suggestion that the unsuccessful candidate for the prince’s hand should marry his servant. During this discussion, an unknown, veiled beauty arrives; she is, of course, Cinderella. When she unveils, her family and the prince, who falls in love with her all over again, fail to recognize her. They all go in to supper.

Dandini, still posing as the prince, is by now infatuated with the unknown beauty and begs her to marry him. She declines, saying she is in love with someone else—the prince’s valet. At this the delighted Ramiro steps forward and she gives him one of a pair of matching bracelets. After she leaves, Ramiro once again takes charge and sends his courtiers far and wide to find his missing love.

At home again, the sisters are indignant that neither has been chosen as the prince’s bride and take out their disappointment on Cinderella, who bears a strong resemblance to the beauty of the ball. As a thunderstorm rages, the prince’s carriage overturns, and he is forced to take cover in Magnifico’s house. Cinderella recognizes Ramiro; he, in turn, recognizes her bracelet, and they leave together to be wed.

Don Magnifico and the sisters attend the wedding, though still resentful of Cinderella’s good fortune. Secure in her happiness, she announces that the punishment for her family’s selfishness and unkindness will be her forgiveness, and all are reconciled.