I think that it's probably more than a coincidence that the name "Cinderella" was intended as mockery, just like the cross was a mockery. And yet every little girl now wants to be a Cinderella, and every Christian sees the cross as victory. Funny how the worst things can turn into the best.
Father Barron, again thank you for pointing us to this movie, such a rare find. I love the line Cinderella gives in the forest when she meets the prince: “it doesn’t matter what they call me.” When we meet Christ, he gives us a new name, and how others view us no longer matters. I also like the sense of vocation/call. The prince (Jesus) takes her out of dungeon-tower for a purpose; Cinderella becomes queen to help the king rule. The story isn’t simply about Cinderella living happily ever after; it is about her using her gifts of courage and kindness to help the king rule well so that everyone in the kingdom lives happily ever after. What a beautiful view of the Christian life and of Christian marriage. I love the image of the prince’s search as a parable of Christ’s search for the lost. It is just like the parable of the sheep owner who leaves the 99 sheep to find the one lost sheep. The prince leaves everything behind and can do nothing until he has searched every corner of his kingdom for his lost princess. And when he finds her, he carries her home inviting everyone to rejoice with him. Just as Christ declares the shepherd does. (Luke 15:1-7)
Wow, thank you for this commentary. I was planning to see this with my two young daughters and now I have a meaningful commentary to share with them before they see it. I get so much from your cultural commentary that counters this dangerous weapon Satan uses against us. God shines upon you for what you do.
Ah I'm so so happy this movie inspires the virtues of Christianity. I'm a teenager and seeing this movie was so refreshing and beautiful from all the other impure movies out there. I don't meant to sound all too serious or not fun, but truly a virtuous message and content of a movie makes it worthwhile and enjoyable
I'm never gonna watch Cinderella the same way again! This is so inspiring and a very beautiful way of putting this fairytale. I wonder if we can bring spirituality to every fairy tale? :)
Interesting. When I saw the movie, I saw a lot of positive human values that were related to the heavenly virtues of Christianity, mostly courage and kindness (as well as strength, perseverance, hope, positivity, beauty and love), but I didn't think of it as explicitly Christian in any other way, even though the original Charles Perrault version was made in a Christian context (he wrote at the end that the moral was to respect your godmother, and back in the 17th century when he wrote the story godmother's were expected to teach their godchildren Christianity - the story implied that the ball incident hadn't been their first encounter and that Cinderella's fairy godmother had been guiding her faith all along). The Grimm Brothers' version was also explicitly Christian, since Cinderella went out to pray the on her mother's grave the night of the ball and the dresses she received fell out of heaven. I think that she also caught the Prince's attention because she was being kind to someone else at the ball in that version, but I'm not sure. I do, however, agree with Fr. Barron's opinion - the Prince reminded me a lot of Aragorn from LOTR (how he was afraid of the responsibility of being king - he took it very seriously), and aspects of Aragorn were meant to reflect Christ the King. I also do think that there was a feminist (and masculinist) influence on this movie because they fleshed out the characters of both Prince Charming and Cinderella. In the original they were blank slates (personally, I found Disney's Cinderella to be a little mean, mostly because of the sarcastic edge in her voice, and I felt that the movie made the Prince into even more of an accessory than the shoes - at least the shoes had the decency of being made of glass and moving the plot along). I agreed with their choices for the personalities of these characters, and I think that both managed to show a lot of strength, especially Cinderella, despite not being sword-wielding badasses. If anything, it teaches that a woman (and a man) can be strong and brave without resorting to violence. Cinderella wins through kindness, courage, patience and hope, the Prince wins through love and determination. Both follow their hearts and use their heads, neither needs to use their fists. I also love how they insisted on the fact that Cinderella thought the Prince was an apprentice, because it removed any implication that she might possibly be in it for the money, and, although I'm not sure about "love," they are definitely attracted to each other both physically and intellectually, and their youthful romance was very cute and clearly two-sided.
I weep every time at the scene where she tells the stepmother that she forgives her. The whole movie is so beautiful, and it has sparked so many fruitful conversations with our girls.
Father that was really good. Your evaluation was free of any sanctimony, simple-mindedness or glibness - aspects I have found so often in modern religious analysis of secular subjects. It was honest, intelligent, reverent and clear. Very rare in most modern religious discourse. May you prosper.
J R R Tolkein wrote an amazing essay, "On Fairy Tales". This brilliantly expands the idea that the reason why we love fairy stories, like Cinderella, is because they reflect the original Story of Jesus and his Church. This argument was instrumental in helping a young atheist, called C.S. Lewis, to faith in Christ.
Thank you so much for having this review of the movie. I originally watched your review to make sure it was going to be ok for my kids. But you gave such a wonderful perspective to it, that it completely changed the whole meaning of the story for me. I was almost in tears during their dance because of what it really represented! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Father Barron, I I just saw this wonderful film today with my wife and my mother. I told my wife in the theater that I thought the Prince's castle resembled a fantasy mash up of St Peter's Basilica and the massive courtyard which is bordered with a Bernini- like columns recalls Peter's Square. Maybe that's the Romaphile in me. Anybody else feel that way?
I thought it looked like Versailles (as a nod to Charles Perrault, who wrote the original for King Louis XIV), although the ceilings looked like the Basilica (I think that was a nod to Beauty and the Beast - the Beast's ceiling in the Disney movie was painted like the Sistine Chapel and there were other references - Cinderella asked her father, a merchant for the branch, Cinderella loved to read, like Belle from both the book and movie). I do think that the castle may have been a reference to heaven, but not the Catholicism. Although the Prince and Cinderella are implied to be Catholic (they are Europeans in the 17th century), the movie was made by either irreligious, Jewish or protestant people (there may have been a slight Catholic or other religious influence, but the majority of Americans are protestants). The whole atmosphere seemed heavenly - Cinderella's house was so idyllic and her family was so positive that they almost seemed a little off - I think the butterflies and the sky may have been a symbol of heaven (butterflies symbolized heaven in "The Ultimate Gift" and Cinderella takes a cloud from the sky and turns it into a piece of cotton in the opening scene. Her dress is also sky blue. But all this could also symbolize her imagination and creativity, since imagination is her outlet to deal with the abuse she faces at home. It could also symbolize a connection to her mother and imply that her mother is in heaven - the fairy godmother turns her pink dress blue, and the pink dress was her mother's. In the Grimm Brothers' version she receives the dress while praying on her mother's grave, implying that her mother sent it down from heaven. Since in this version the fairy godmother is a guardian angel who apparently came down from heaven, the implication remains.
Just loved this. I brought my children to see the movie and brought this perspective in. Such a wonderful way to teach my girls the true meaning of being brought into the kingdom by the prince. Thank you.
Fr. Barron, you should take a look at the fairytale "The Light Princess" by George MacDonald. It's a wonderful allegory of Christ and his sacrifice for man.
freelyexpressed - not really, it's just one things to have a great imagination and another to believe it's a reflection of reality. It's like some who see Fox News as News, when in reality it's just entertainment :)
Bit Phreak The Brothers Grimm often drew inspiration from their religious beliefs. Telling one of their stories without completely tearing the original to shreds would leave behind some religious themes.
Plethrin Because most Atheists (as in, the ones that I have seen and met) do not like to see connections from entertainment to religion. Especially Christianity.
Hi Father. Good commentary. I see a hint of Original Man, Historical Man and Eschatological Man from the Theology of the Body. It is a really good reflection looking through the lense of ToB
Fr. Barron, if you see this, I was wondering if you could do a commentary on Hoozier's "Take Me to Church". I don't know if you take requests or not, but you'll understand my request once you hear the song.
Thanks for this wonderful insight it makes The Movie SO much more special for me. I would love to hear you give your input on other movies like Malificent, and how she bonded with Aurora like a mother and daughter and repented from hatred and revenge and made her land bright again for Aurora as the new queen of the land. And there is also Snow White and The Huntsman. I remember Snow white in the beginning said the Lord's Prayer. Also I discovered the Word Magic is really an acronym. It is... Miracles All Good In Christ.
Hahaha...... I disagree with Maleficent as a good christian allegory. Maleficent is the Hyperfeminist. She resorted to violence and deceit. She failed where cinderella has succeeded. And mind you, what happened to her and Aurora is a real case of Stockholm Syndrome. She had been in that situation because of her own doing. She did not apologize to the king for what she has done. She even fought him and killed him. She was a bad and selfish girl. She should have apologized to the king, reasoned with him, and accepted her fate. But she did not. the king's anger is the result of her own actions and lust for revenge. And in the end. She took princess Aurora away. That is a feminist agenda at work in there. Men are either evil oppressive tyrants destroying the pristineness of nature, or incompetent weaklings incapable of true love. Could you really say that the prince is really incapable of love for Aurora even if they have just met? The spell was rigged. It only allowed Maleficent to be the one to save Aurora. She is a bad and selfish brat even unto the very end. It is a feminist movie. And I can prove that because Linda Wolverton is the writer of the movie and she is a feminist.
Awesome!!! That's why I love this film so much. But I'd still add some details. Your interpretation attends to morality. If we look into spirituality Cinderella's transformation is very important. Look into the Spiritual Canticle of John of the Cross and the Interior Castle of Teresa. The dress, the cristal slippers and the butterflies... Watching the film itself is such a transformative experience. Well done!
Watching the movie called "Phenomenon" (1998). Since I have been following your commentaries on Utube, I can't seem to avoid looking for examples of parallels to Jesus and other biblical characters in the Gospels. If you have watched this movie, could you care to give your comments on this movie? I really enjoy and learn from your comments through the use of this tool.
Father Bob, do you think that the "Fairy Godmother" represents the Holy Spirit who is the force responsible for allowing us Christians to escape and go beyond the bondage of evil suppressing us and allowing us, by grace, to get to participate in God's banquet, no matter what comes our way?
The 2015 live-action adaptation of Disney’s Cinderella contains several strikingly Christian messages, in spite of the story of Cinderella not being explicitly Christian. These are a breath of fresh air in modern Hollywood’s decidedly secular and often immoral atmosphere. In addition to this, the movie also adds a certain amount of depth to many of the characters that is not present in the original 1950 film, creating a high-quality balance between the plot of the original story and additional character development. This retelling of the classic fairy tale is a very skillfully developed film - the costumes are gorgeous, the acting is excellent, and the plotline is extremely moving. As a child, Ella (as she was called before she recieved the cruel nickname of Cinderella) enjoyed a healthy family life in which she was cherished by both of her parents. Her father worked as a merchant, bringing back many gifts for her, and her mother instilled values of kindness within her. Sadly, Ella’s mother became very ill at some point during Ella’s late childhood. Before dying, however, she presents Ella with an inspiring final wish: for Ella to always “have courage and be kind.” Ella takes her mother’s words to heart, and remains courageous and kind through even the darkest times. Ella’s father later remarries, and Ella gains a stepmother and stepsisters, who, unbeknownst to her, are wicked and self-centered. Their true colors are not revealed until the death of Ella’s father. Soon afterwards, her stepmother dismisses all of the servants, and reduces Ella to the role of a mere servant by forcing her to do all of the chores. Ella’s stepmother and stepsisters give her the cruel nickname of Cinderella, saying “that’s what we’ll call her” and completely disregarding her dignity. Yet, in spite of recieving such cruel treatment, Ella never retaliated against her stepfamily or ran away - she instead stayed true to her mother’s dying wish for her to have courage & be kind. One seeming allegory to a particular Christian truth is Ella’s dialogue with the Prince as she is about to try on the glass slipper. She tells him that she has “no carriage, no parents, no dowry”, emphasizing her poverty. She then goes on to ask the Prince: “Will you take me for who I am, an honest country girl who loves you?” The Prince replies in the affirmative, and is willing to marry her if the slipper fits, no matter her status. The slipper fits, and Ella marries the Prince (who has, in fact, just become the King), being elevated from a lowly pauper to a queen. This is representative of Jesus taking us as we are, and raising us from poor sinners to saints in heaven. Another Christian value present in the film is that of forgiveness. Ella’s stepsisters, whether motivated by remorse or fear (the interpretation of their reaction may be affected by one’s attitude awareness), beg for her forgiveness. Her stepmother says nothing, but Ella pauses for a moment before leaving and tells her stepmother that she forgives her. It is imperative to forgive others, no matter how much pain they might have caused us, in order to go to heaven (holding a grudge is sinful). This adaptation of Cinderella, in spite of being a fairy tale, is perhaps motivated by and relevant to experience for Christians because of the many Christian messages found within it. One will certainly be pleasantly surprised to find so many allegories to biblical truths within this film. There are few modern films that I can recommend watching, but Cinderella most certainly makes the cut.
I have NEVER understood Cinderella as a retelling of the Christian Story! Wow! And I was thinking that most of Disney's stories are of a young, poor woman seeking for her prince. And yet, the nowadays idelogy makes us believe that this is no good, because we, women, must fight for ourselves, and we shouldn't be wainting for the Charmed Prince to arrive. Understanding this from the point of view you say in the video, it's terribly shocking. Because we (men and women) must be waiting for Him to arrive and rescue us. But what must be understood clearly (and probably it's what the new ideology means really) is that our waiting shouldn't be passive, but active in the Lord. What do you think, dear Fr. Robert?
I will give you another perspective of Cinderella, my dear Claudia. How about we say that Cinderella wasn't waiting specifically for the prince to arrive but was actively doing her part to make the most out of the situation that she is in and not making it any worse. She is having courage to bear the burden and suffering of her situation and making it less worse by doing good and not returning evil for evil. This is the 16th or 17th century. Democracy as we know it doesn't yet exist. Life was hard. The legal and penal system is yet to be devised. How would you not make worse out of a situation that is already worse? by having courage and being kind. That's what she did. In perspective, what Cinderella is hoping to do is win the heart and mind of her evil step family and thus make her situation better. It did became better, but in a whole new different way. She met the prince. Which she did not know was the prince. Which she also won by courage and kindness. If she was a whining crying despairing lady that she is when the prince met her, he probably would not have any interest in her and just be on his way. In that perspective, we could say that she earned the attention and affection of the prince though her courage and her kindness towards him despite the meanness and cruelty she has endured on her own step family. The fairy godmother and the prince, she earned them. Her courage and her kindness earned her their affection and respect. In the end, she was humble enough to trust in their goodness and accept their help, and thus live happily ever after. Had she been an obnoxious entitled whiny little brat like her sisters, her situation would have worsened and she would never be where she is right now. And this is where the feminists have failed where Cinderella has not. Humility, trust in the goodness and gratitude in accepting the kindness of others. No one can have it all Claudia. No one can have it all. You and I need other people in order to live well in this world. We do not have everything we need in ourselves in order to be happy and live meaningful lives. We need other people as much as they need us. Children need parents as much as parents need children. Man needs woman as woman needs man. We need friends as much as friends need us. And I can prove to you that it's true. www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7108831/The-loneliness-having-NO-ONE-needs-you.html On the other hand, feminists want to live on a mantra that women have it all and men are obsolete. Everything is all about women and everything is entitled to women. And men are obsolete because women are strong, independent, liberated, and doesn't need a man. Well, the article above proves that otherwise. No one can have it all, dear Claudia, not you, not me, not anybody. We need others and others need us in order to live well. Moral of the story; No matter how worse the situation is, have courage and be kind. :)
When MEDIA is changing GOD's message in suffering humanity & COURAGE fighting against lucifer &devils...people are misled thus easily wasping the weakest link. Thank you Father for inspiration.
I agree with this commentary, but I would also like to point out that the Velveteen Rabbit can also be viewed as a Christ figure. and the Posiedon Adventure had many scenes of Christology in it. Especially when the actor was hanging from the pipes trying to find a way to save his followers.
I'm surprised that father Barron made no mention of the similarities between the godmother and Mary. Cindarella's transformation was made possible by her fairy godmother, similarly our salvation was made possible by the fiat of the mother of God, Mary the literal godmother! On this feast of Louis de Montfort, let's make a special effort to take Mary into our homes to consecrate ourselves to her immaculate heart!
Fr. Barron, you might wanna take a look at the new X-Men: Apocalypse Trailer. The movie seems to want to make us believe that Yahweh was in fact a villainous mutant in a spacesuit. It's ridiculous! Can't wait for you to review the movie. God bless!
I had to stop after only 1min in. I'll have to watch the movie for myself before hearing the rest of this, but so far I disagree that many of the early folktales are Christian based. I would say they are pagan based in origin but possibly Christian influenced as they were translated and first published.
My only gripe with this is that Cinderella falls into this miserable situation of hers through no fault of her own; her mother dies, her father dies, and she's alone with the stepmother and the stepsisters without having caused it herself. She has no responsibility for what has happened to her, whereas Eve and Adam ate from the forbidden fruit.
Loneliness can make us all long for connection sometimes to the point of self-deception. From his point of view, his daughter is growing up and needs a mother figure. Here is a widow who obviously cares for her children. Both of them have lost their great loves, but comfort and reassurance can be found together.
I don't agree that Cinderella's forgiveness of her stepmother at the end of the movie is an indication of her redemption from the fall from grace. She's that saintly all through the movie. For example, when she first meets the prince and the subject of her step family comes up, she says of them, "they are as kind to me as they are able." The prince in no way teaches her to see things that way and has in no way raised her up from her slavery at this point in the story. She understands, through her own wisdom, that her tormentors torment her as a result of their own weakness; they are simply not capable of being kind to her, bound as they are by their own self-interest. She has already forgiven them by the time any hope for redemption makes an appearance. Maybe it could be said that humanity also has this wisdom and compassion, buried under all the ashes of our sinfulness. Maybe it could be said that her rescue by the prince enables Cinderella to freely forgive her enemies to their faces where doing so would have brought only more brutal punishment before. And maybe it could be said that Christ enables us to forgive our own demons (as we cast them out) in a way that we never could without the forgiveness of our sins. They reject our mercy violently, but we can and should safely extend it anyway, once we are free of them.
A woman the does not need masculine characteristics to be a hero. Why does feminists thinks that putting masculinity on women would make them stronger characters?
+Eric Lee I think that's his point. The fact that the theme of good vs evil being as old as the hills. Thus to say Cinderella is Christian is to say any lore with similar themes has to be Christian. E.g. Hercules' journey to free Persephone in Hades...also Christian right? Not at all.
Don't you have more pressing matters to attend to than sitting in movie theaters watching worldly movies. I would think God could find other things for you to spend His time on.
kaysandee What obsession? And who is to say reviewing movies is not a Christian matter even in part? Moral and theological analysis are something one cannot do as a Christian?
One of my favorite Catholic priests. Thanks Father.
I think that it's probably more than a coincidence that the name "Cinderella" was intended as mockery, just like the cross was a mockery. And yet every little girl now wants to be a Cinderella, and every Christian sees the cross as victory. Funny how the worst things can turn into the best.
ActuarialNinja good one!
Yeess!!
Father Barron, again thank you for pointing us to this movie, such a rare find.
I love the line Cinderella gives in the forest when she meets the prince: “it doesn’t matter what they call me.” When we meet Christ, he gives us a new name, and how others view us no longer matters.
I also like the sense of vocation/call. The prince (Jesus) takes her out of dungeon-tower for a purpose; Cinderella becomes queen to help the king rule. The story isn’t simply about Cinderella living happily ever after; it is about her using her gifts of courage and kindness to help the king rule well so that everyone in the kingdom lives happily ever after. What a beautiful view of the Christian life and of Christian marriage.
I love the image of the prince’s search as a parable of Christ’s search for the lost. It is just like the parable of the sheep owner who leaves the 99 sheep to find the one lost sheep. The prince leaves everything behind and can do nothing until he has searched every corner of his kingdom for his lost princess. And when he finds her, he carries her home inviting everyone to rejoice with him. Just as Christ declares the shepherd does. (Luke 15:1-7)
Wow, thank you for this commentary. I was planning to see this with my two young daughters and now I have a meaningful commentary to share with them before they see it. I get so much from your cultural commentary that counters this dangerous weapon Satan uses against us. God shines upon you for what you do.
Fr. Robert Barron on "Cinderella" = MIND BLOWN!!!
Ah I'm so so happy this movie inspires the virtues of Christianity. I'm a teenager and seeing this movie was so refreshing and beautiful from all the other impure movies out there. I don't meant to sound all too serious or not fun, but truly a virtuous message and content of a movie makes it worthwhile and enjoyable
I'm never gonna watch Cinderella the same way again! This is so inspiring and a very beautiful way of putting this fairytale. I wonder if we can bring spirituality to every fairy tale? :)
Interesting.
When I saw the movie, I saw a lot of positive human values that were related to the heavenly virtues of Christianity, mostly courage and kindness (as well as strength, perseverance, hope, positivity, beauty and love), but I didn't think of it as explicitly Christian in any other way, even though the original Charles Perrault version was made in a Christian context (he wrote at the end that the moral was to respect your godmother, and back in the 17th century when he wrote the story godmother's were expected to teach their godchildren Christianity - the story implied that the ball incident hadn't been their first encounter and that Cinderella's fairy godmother had been guiding her faith all along). The Grimm Brothers' version was also explicitly Christian, since Cinderella went out to pray the on her mother's grave the night of the ball and the dresses she received fell out of heaven. I think that she also caught the Prince's attention because she was being kind to someone else at the ball in that version, but I'm not sure.
I do, however, agree with Fr. Barron's opinion - the Prince reminded me a lot of Aragorn from LOTR (how he was afraid of the responsibility of being king - he took it very seriously), and aspects of Aragorn were meant to reflect Christ the King.
I also do think that there was a feminist (and masculinist) influence on this movie because they fleshed out the characters of both Prince Charming and Cinderella. In the original they were blank slates (personally, I found Disney's Cinderella to be a little mean, mostly because of the sarcastic edge in her voice, and I felt that the movie made the Prince into even more of an accessory than the shoes - at least the shoes had the decency of being made of glass and moving the plot along). I agreed with their choices for the personalities of these characters, and I think that both managed to show a lot of strength, especially Cinderella, despite not being sword-wielding badasses. If anything, it teaches that a woman (and a man) can be strong and brave without resorting to violence. Cinderella wins through kindness, courage, patience and hope, the Prince wins through love and determination. Both follow their hearts and use their heads, neither needs to use their fists. I also love how they insisted on the fact that Cinderella thought the Prince was an apprentice, because it removed any implication that she might possibly be in it for the money, and, although I'm not sure about "love," they are definitely attracted to each other both physically and intellectually, and their youthful romance was very cute and clearly two-sided.
I weep every time at the scene where she tells the stepmother that she forgives her. The whole movie is so beautiful, and it has sparked so many fruitful conversations with our girls.
Wonderful commentary Friar! I couldn't agree more. I'm looking forward to your next video, God bless!
I'll watch it again. Thanks father!
"I forgive You..." this statement by Cinderella made me jump from my seat inside the Cinema...
Father that was really good. Your evaluation was free of any sanctimony, simple-mindedness or glibness - aspects I have found so often in modern religious analysis of secular subjects. It was honest, intelligent, reverent and clear. Very rare in most modern religious discourse. May you prosper.
J R R Tolkein wrote an amazing essay, "On Fairy Tales". This brilliantly expands the idea that the reason why we love fairy stories, like Cinderella, is because they reflect the original Story of Jesus and his Church. This argument was instrumental in helping a young atheist, called C.S. Lewis, to faith in Christ.
Thank you father. God bless you!
Thank you for this video, Father Barron. Is very enlightening.
That's pretty cool. I would've never thought of it that way. Thanks for the interpretation.
Thank You Father for your virtuous message. Blessings
just watched Cinderella, and this interpretation made it all the more beautiful! :) Go see it!
Thank you so much for having this review of the movie. I originally watched your review to make sure it was going to be ok for my kids. But you gave such a wonderful perspective to it, that it completely changed the whole meaning of the story for me.
I was almost in tears during their dance because of what it really represented!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Thank you, I've seen the movie after watching your commentary, following your advise and it was really worth it!
Thank you Father God Bless you.
Dude, this is awesome!!! I love the Church!
Father Barron, I I just saw this wonderful film today with my wife and my mother. I told my wife in the theater that I thought the Prince's castle resembled a fantasy mash up of St Peter's Basilica and the massive courtyard which is bordered with a Bernini- like columns recalls Peter's Square. Maybe that's the Romaphile in me. Anybody else feel that way?
I thought it looked like Versailles (as a nod to Charles Perrault, who wrote the original for King Louis XIV), although the ceilings looked like the Basilica (I think that was a nod to Beauty and the Beast - the Beast's ceiling in the Disney movie was painted like the Sistine Chapel and there were other references - Cinderella asked her father, a merchant for the branch, Cinderella loved to read, like Belle from both the book and movie).
I do think that the castle may have been a reference to heaven, but not the Catholicism. Although the Prince and Cinderella are implied to be Catholic (they are Europeans in the 17th century), the movie was made by either irreligious, Jewish or protestant people (there may have been a slight Catholic or other religious influence, but the majority of Americans are protestants). The whole atmosphere seemed heavenly - Cinderella's house was so idyllic and her family was so positive that they almost seemed a little off - I think the butterflies and the sky may have been a symbol of heaven (butterflies symbolized heaven in "The Ultimate Gift" and Cinderella takes a cloud from the sky and turns it into a piece of cotton in the opening scene. Her dress is also sky blue. But all this could also symbolize her imagination and creativity, since imagination is her outlet to deal with the abuse she faces at home. It could also symbolize a connection to her mother and imply that her mother is in heaven - the fairy godmother turns her pink dress blue, and the pink dress was her mother's. In the Grimm Brothers' version she receives the dress while praying on her mother's grave, implying that her mother sent it down from heaven. Since in this version the fairy godmother is a guardian angel who apparently came down from heaven, the implication remains.
Just loved this. I brought my children to see the movie and brought this perspective in. Such a wonderful way to teach my girls the true meaning of being brought into the kingdom by the prince. Thank you.
Lovely Father Robert!
Very interesting! I learned a lot about fairy tales in this eight minutes.
Thanks Shinichi!
Thanks Alex Ling
I love how animated Fr. Barron is while telling this story.
Thank you for the video... I would love to see a video that gives insight on why we should "pray for those who persecute you"
Amazing.. Just amazing. 💯
Fr. Barron, you should take a look at the fairytale "The Light Princess" by George MacDonald. It's a wonderful allegory of Christ and his sacrifice for man.
I think Fr. Barron has just ruined this movie for atheists.
freelyexpressed - not really, it's just one things to have a great imagination and another to believe it's a reflection of reality.
It's like some who see Fox News as News, when in reality it's just entertainment :)
Bit Phreak The Brothers Grimm often drew inspiration from their religious beliefs. Telling one of their stories without completely tearing the original to shreds would leave behind some religious themes.
freelyexpressed So what's wrong with that? Atheists don't "get" films anyway as they're not capable of the necessary supernatural flight of fancy.
freelyexpressed i don't see why a actual atheist would care
Plethrin Because most Atheists (as in, the ones that I have seen and met) do not like to see connections from entertainment to religion. Especially Christianity.
Hi Father. Good commentary. I see a hint of Original Man, Historical Man and Eschatological Man from the Theology of the Body. It is a really good reflection looking through the lense of ToB
I saw this movie with family. I agree 100% with Bishop's analysis here.
This is awesome!
Really nice paintings in this video.
A good review!
Please, what is the painting at 5:50? It is love.
Could you do Spirited Away, if you wanted to.
Fr. Barron, would you be interested in doing a video on Buddhism and how it differs from Christianity? Thank you!
Fr. Barron, if you see this, I was wondering if you could do a commentary on Hoozier's "Take Me to Church". I don't know if you take requests or not, but you'll understand my request once you hear the song.
Thanks for this wonderful insight it makes The Movie SO much more special for me. I would love to hear you give your input on other movies like Malificent, and how she bonded with Aurora like a mother and daughter and repented from hatred and revenge and made her land bright again for Aurora as the new queen of the land. And there is also Snow White and The Huntsman. I remember Snow white in the beginning said the Lord's Prayer. Also I discovered the Word Magic is really an acronym. It is... Miracles All Good In Christ.
Hahaha...... I disagree with Maleficent as a good christian allegory. Maleficent is the Hyperfeminist. She resorted to violence and deceit. She failed where cinderella has succeeded. And mind you, what happened to her and Aurora is a real case of Stockholm Syndrome. She had been in that situation because of her own doing. She did not apologize to the king for what she has done. She even fought him and killed him. She was a bad and selfish girl. She should have apologized to the king, reasoned with him, and accepted her fate. But she did not. the king's anger is the result of her own actions and lust for revenge. And in the end. She took princess Aurora away. That is a feminist agenda at work in there. Men are either evil oppressive tyrants destroying the pristineness of nature, or incompetent weaklings incapable of true love. Could you really say that the prince is really incapable of love for Aurora even if they have just met? The spell was rigged. It only allowed Maleficent to be the one to save Aurora. She is a bad and selfish brat even unto the very end. It is a feminist movie. And I can prove that because Linda Wolverton is the writer of the movie and she is a feminist.
Lovely movie. Not flawless, but lovely. Thank you, Father. :)
Awesome!!! That's why I love this film so much. But I'd still add some details. Your interpretation attends to morality. If we look into spirituality Cinderella's transformation is very important. Look into the Spiritual Canticle of John of the Cross and the Interior Castle of Teresa. The dress, the cristal slippers and the butterflies... Watching the film itself is such a transformative experience. Well done!
You should analysis the subtext of Song of the Sea
Yeh, that would be a cool one.
Did he review The Secret of Kells?
ChesterKhan No, but he should
Watching the movie called "Phenomenon" (1998). Since I have been following your commentaries on Utube, I can't seem to avoid looking for examples of parallels to Jesus and other biblical characters in the Gospels. If you have watched this movie, could you care to give your comments on this movie?
I really enjoy and learn from your comments through the use of this tool.
What book did you reference? Bram Petri? Please link.
I'm guessing he means the first one here:
BrantPitre.com/books.html
"Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told"
❤
I did notice the end when she forgave her stepmother. She never showed resentment or hatred towards them.
Father Bob, do you think that the "Fairy Godmother" represents the Holy Spirit who is the force responsible for allowing us Christians to escape and go beyond the bondage of evil suppressing us and allowing us, by grace, to get to participate in God's banquet, no matter what comes our way?
I enjoy your view father... What about the magic?!? Entertainment or destructive?
Oh, brother
Maybe I'm wrong, but I also think that the great 1939 film THE WIZARD OF OZ is a Christian allegory.
The 2015 live-action adaptation of Disney’s Cinderella contains several strikingly Christian messages, in spite of the story of Cinderella not being explicitly Christian. These are a breath of fresh air in modern Hollywood’s decidedly secular and often immoral atmosphere. In addition to this, the movie also adds a certain amount of depth to many of the characters that is not present in the original 1950 film, creating a high-quality balance between the plot of the original story and additional character development. This retelling of the classic fairy tale is a very skillfully developed film - the costumes are gorgeous, the acting is excellent, and the plotline is extremely moving. As a child, Ella (as she was called before she recieved the cruel nickname of Cinderella) enjoyed a healthy family life in which she was cherished by both of her parents. Her father worked as a merchant, bringing back many gifts for her, and her mother instilled values of kindness within her. Sadly, Ella’s mother became very ill at some point during Ella’s late childhood. Before dying, however, she presents Ella with an inspiring final wish: for Ella to always “have courage and be kind.” Ella takes her mother’s words to heart, and remains courageous and kind through even the darkest times. Ella’s father later remarries, and Ella gains a stepmother and stepsisters, who, unbeknownst to her, are wicked and self-centered. Their true colors are not revealed until the death of Ella’s father. Soon afterwards, her stepmother dismisses all of the servants, and reduces Ella to the role of a mere servant by forcing her to do all of the chores. Ella’s stepmother and stepsisters give her the cruel nickname of Cinderella, saying “that’s what we’ll call her” and completely disregarding her dignity. Yet, in spite of recieving such cruel treatment, Ella never retaliated against her stepfamily or ran away - she instead stayed true to her mother’s dying wish for her to have courage & be kind. One seeming allegory to a particular Christian truth is Ella’s dialogue with the Prince as she is about to try on the glass slipper. She tells him that she has “no carriage, no parents, no dowry”, emphasizing her poverty. She then goes on to ask the Prince: “Will you take me for who I am, an honest country girl who loves you?” The Prince replies in the affirmative, and is willing to marry her if the slipper fits, no matter her status. The slipper fits, and Ella marries the Prince (who has, in fact, just become the King), being elevated from a lowly pauper to a queen. This is representative of Jesus taking us as we are, and raising us from poor sinners to saints in heaven. Another Christian value present in the film is that of forgiveness. Ella’s stepsisters, whether motivated by remorse or fear (the interpretation of their reaction may be affected by one’s attitude awareness), beg for her forgiveness. Her stepmother says nothing, but Ella pauses for a moment before leaving and tells her stepmother that she forgives her. It is imperative to forgive others, no matter how much pain they might have caused us, in order to go to heaven (holding a grudge is sinful). This adaptation of Cinderella, in spite of being a fairy tale, is perhaps motivated by and relevant to experience for Christians because of the many Christian messages found within it. One will certainly be pleasantly surprised to find so many allegories to biblical truths within this film. There are few modern films that I can recommend watching, but Cinderella most certainly makes the cut.
So the church is now desparately and finally acknowledging fairytales other than the bible?....
I have NEVER understood Cinderella as a retelling of the Christian Story! Wow! And I was thinking that most of Disney's stories are of a young, poor woman seeking for her prince. And yet, the nowadays idelogy makes us believe that this is no good, because we, women, must fight for ourselves, and we shouldn't be wainting for the Charmed Prince to arrive. Understanding this from the point of view you say in the video, it's terribly shocking. Because we (men and women) must be waiting for Him to arrive and rescue us. But what must be understood clearly (and probably it's what the new ideology means really) is that our waiting shouldn't be passive, but active in the Lord. What do you think, dear Fr. Robert?
I will give you another perspective of Cinderella, my dear Claudia. How about we say that Cinderella wasn't waiting specifically for the prince to arrive but was actively doing her part to make the most out of the situation that she is in and not making it any worse. She is having courage to bear the burden and suffering of her situation and making it less worse by doing good and not returning evil for evil. This is the 16th or 17th century. Democracy as we know it doesn't yet exist. Life was hard. The legal and penal system is yet to be devised. How would you not make worse out of a situation that is already worse? by having courage and being kind. That's what she did. In perspective, what Cinderella is hoping to do is win the heart and mind of her evil step family and thus make her situation better. It did became better, but in a whole new different way. She met the prince. Which she did not know was the prince. Which she also won by courage and kindness. If she was a whining crying despairing lady that she is when the prince met her, he probably would not have any interest in her and just be on his way. In that perspective, we could say that she earned the attention and affection of the prince though her courage and her kindness towards him despite the meanness and cruelty she has endured on her own step family.
The fairy godmother and the prince, she earned them. Her courage and her kindness earned her their affection and respect.
In the end, she was humble enough to trust in their goodness and accept their help, and thus live happily ever after. Had she been an obnoxious entitled whiny little brat like her sisters, her situation would have worsened and she would never be where she is right now. And this is where the feminists have failed where Cinderella has not. Humility, trust in the goodness and gratitude in accepting the kindness of others. No one can have it all Claudia. No one can have it all. You and I need other people in order to live well in this world. We do not have everything we need in ourselves in order to be happy and live meaningful lives. We need other people as much as they need us. Children need parents as much as parents need children. Man needs woman as woman needs man. We need friends as much as friends need us. And I can prove to you that it's true.
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7108831/The-loneliness-having-NO-ONE-needs-you.html
On the other hand, feminists want to live on a mantra that women have it all and men are obsolete. Everything is all about women and everything is entitled to women. And men are obsolete because women are strong, independent, liberated, and doesn't need a man. Well, the article above proves that otherwise. No one can have it all, dear Claudia, not you, not me, not anybody. We need others and others need us in order to live well.
Moral of the story; No matter how worse the situation is, have courage and be kind. :)
When MEDIA is changing GOD's message in suffering humanity & COURAGE fighting against lucifer &devils...people are misled thus easily wasping the weakest link. Thank you Father for inspiration.
I agree with this commentary, but I would also like to point out that the Velveteen Rabbit can also be viewed as a Christ figure. and the Posiedon Adventure had many scenes of Christology in it. Especially when the actor was hanging from the pipes trying to find a way to save his followers.
I'm surprised that father Barron made no mention of the similarities between the godmother and Mary. Cindarella's transformation was made possible by her fairy godmother, similarly our salvation was made possible by the fiat of the mother of God, Mary the literal godmother! On this feast of Louis de Montfort, let's make a special effort to take Mary into our homes to consecrate ourselves to her immaculate heart!
Fr. Barron, you might wanna take a look at the new X-Men: Apocalypse Trailer. The movie seems to want to make us believe that Yahweh was in fact a villainous mutant in a spacesuit. It's ridiculous! Can't wait for you to review the movie. God bless!
Só não mim mitar que saiba meu cabelo e preto
Do Moana, Bishop!!
I had to stop after only 1min in. I'll have to watch the movie for myself before hearing the rest of this, but so far I disagree that many of the early folktales are Christian based. I would say they are pagan based in origin but possibly Christian influenced as they were translated and first published.
My only gripe with this is that Cinderella falls into this miserable situation of hers through no fault of her own; her mother dies, her father dies, and she's alone with the stepmother and the stepsisters without having caused it herself. She has no responsibility for what has happened to her, whereas Eve and Adam ate from the forbidden fruit.
Woah... so the stag is meant to symbolize Christ... that throws Bambi into a whole new light as well...
So can I have some examples of hyper feminism?
How someone could marry first such a great woman and then marry such a wicked woman? Just saying.
Loneliness can make us all long for connection sometimes to the point of self-deception. From his point of view, his daughter is growing up and needs a mother figure. Here is a widow who obviously cares for her children. Both of them have lost their great loves, but comfort and reassurance can be found together.
I don't agree that Cinderella's forgiveness of her stepmother at the end of the movie is an indication of her redemption from the fall from grace. She's that saintly all through the movie. For example, when she first meets the prince and the subject of her step family comes up, she says of them, "they are as kind to me as they are able." The prince in no way teaches her to see things that way and has in no way raised her up from her slavery at this point in the story. She understands, through her own wisdom, that her tormentors torment her as a result of their own weakness; they are simply not capable of being kind to her, bound as they are by their own self-interest. She has already forgiven them by the time any hope for redemption makes an appearance.
Maybe it could be said that humanity also has this wisdom and compassion, buried under all the ashes of our sinfulness. Maybe it could be said that her rescue by the prince enables Cinderella to freely forgive her enemies to their faces where doing so would have brought only more brutal punishment before. And maybe it could be said that Christ enables us to forgive our own demons (as we cast them out) in a way that we never could without the forgiveness of our sins. They reject our mercy violently, but we can and should safely extend it anyway, once we are free of them.
A woman the does not need masculine characteristics to be a hero. Why does feminists thinks that putting masculinity on women would make them stronger characters?
Seems like stretching to make things fit in retrospect.
Brendan Beckett - shhhhh! You're ruining it! ;)
Not at all. A lot of Christian stories are like this and the Grimm Brothers meant it that way. Same goes for the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.
Eric Lee - Just like Star Wars...
The theme of good verses evil isn't new...
Star Wars isn't really Christian, its more of a coming of age story.
+Eric Lee I think that's his point. The fact that the theme of good vs evil being as old as the hills. Thus to say Cinderella is Christian is to say any lore with similar themes has to be Christian. E.g. Hercules' journey to free Persephone in Hades...also Christian right? Not at all.
Don't you have more pressing matters to attend to than sitting in movie theaters watching worldly movies. I would think God could find other things for you to spend His time on.
Maybe commenting on RUclips videos would draw your approval...
Well, you certainly find the time in _your_ day to do less-than-entirely-Christian things, don't you?
Thanks for clarifying that this movie obsession is less than Christian!
kaysandee What obsession?
And who is to say reviewing movies is not a Christian matter even in part? Moral and theological analysis are something one cannot do as a Christian?
You are grasping at straws.
Ridiculous