"Cinderfella" was Jerry Lewis attempt to re-tell the Cinderella story. It does have its moments, but overall it fails. It follows the traditional story more or less with mixed results.
Lewis plays Fella (Couldn't they have come up with a better name?) who's father instructed as part of his will that his wife care for his son Fella. Of course the wife becomes the Wicked Stepmother (Judith Anderson) who has two equally wicked sons, Maximilian (Henry Silva) and Rupert (Robert Hutton). The three treat the hapless Fella unfairly saddling him with all of the chores around the palatial estate in which they live. They believe that Fella knows the whereabouts of a large fortune left to him by his father. They continuously try to discover the location of the fortune.
A Princess (Anna Maria Alberghetti) from a foreign country is coming to visit. Wicked stepmother sees an opportunity for one of her sons to marry the girl and acquire her fortune for themselves. She sets Rupert out to court her. Meanwhile a kindly old gentleman who introduces himself to Fella as his Fairy Godfather (Ed Wynn) promises him that all will be well and he will indeed meet the beautiful princess whom he covets.
A ball is held in the Princess' honor. Fella has been transformed (off screen - Why?) into a cool dude who sweeps the Princess off of her feet. But at the stroke of midnight.................................................................
Lewis tries to play the pathos card throughout the film and you do feel sorry for him at times. He has plenty of time for his usual tomfoolery and a couple of forgettable songs. Lewis shows why Dean Martin did most of the singing during their partnership. His entrance at the ball foreshadows a similar scene in "The Nutty Professor" a couple of years down the road.
Judith Anderson makes a perfect Wicked Stepmother. She played many sinister characters over the course of her distinguished career. Henry Silva looks like a gangster and Robert Hutton is the fun loving playboy. The legendary Ed Wynn is a perfect Fairy Godfather although I still can't figure out why they gave him a red nose. Alberghetti is beautiful here but I still can't figure out why she didn't do better in movies.
The sequence where the boys take Fella out to play polo and golf among other things falls flat because you don't actually see Fella play any of the sports. This could have provided many much needed humorous situations at this point.
The ending is kind of corny.
Lewis plays Fella (Couldn't they have come up with a better name?) who's father instructed as part of his will that his wife care for his son Fella. Of course the wife becomes the Wicked Stepmother (Judith Anderson) who has two equally wicked sons, Maximilian (Henry Silva) and Rupert (Robert Hutton). The three treat the hapless Fella unfairly saddling him with all of the chores around the palatial estate in which they live. They believe that Fella knows the whereabouts of a large fortune left to him by his father. They continuously try to discover the location of the fortune.
A Princess (Anna Maria Alberghetti) from a foreign country is coming to visit. Wicked stepmother sees an opportunity for one of her sons to marry the girl and acquire her fortune for themselves. She sets Rupert out to court her. Meanwhile a kindly old gentleman who introduces himself to Fella as his Fairy Godfather (Ed Wynn) promises him that all will be well and he will indeed meet the beautiful princess whom he covets.
A ball is held in the Princess' honor. Fella has been transformed (off screen - Why?) into a cool dude who sweeps the Princess off of her feet. But at the stroke of midnight.................................................................
Lewis tries to play the pathos card throughout the film and you do feel sorry for him at times. He has plenty of time for his usual tomfoolery and a couple of forgettable songs. Lewis shows why Dean Martin did most of the singing during their partnership. His entrance at the ball foreshadows a similar scene in "The Nutty Professor" a couple of years down the road.
Judith Anderson makes a perfect Wicked Stepmother. She played many sinister characters over the course of her distinguished career. Henry Silva looks like a gangster and Robert Hutton is the fun loving playboy. The legendary Ed Wynn is a perfect Fairy Godfather although I still can't figure out why they gave him a red nose. Alberghetti is beautiful here but I still can't figure out why she didn't do better in movies.
The sequence where the boys take Fella out to play polo and golf among other things falls flat because you don't actually see Fella play any of the sports. This could have provided many much needed humorous situations at this point.
The ending is kind of corny.