Cinderfella
Cinderfella is a 1960 American musical fantasy comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Jerry Lewis in the titular role of Fella, a downtrodden young man in a gender-swapped retelling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella.[1][2] In the story, Fella lives with his cruel stepmother Emily (played by Judith Anderson) and her two greedy stepbrothers after the death of his father, performing menial chores while they exploit his labor and inheritance.[3] A magical fairy godfather (Ed Wynn) intervenes, granting Fella a glamorous transformation—including glass slippers and a horse-drawn carriage—to attend a grand ball hosted by the king in search of a suitable match for his daughter, Princess Charming (Anna Maria Alberghetti).[1][2] The film blends slapstick humor, musical numbers, and Lewis's signature physical comedy, culminating in Fella revealing his true identity and claiming his happy ending.[3] Produced by Jerry Lewis and Ernest D. Glucksman for Paramount Pictures, Cinderfella features a screenplay by Tashlin that incorporates original songs with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Jack Brooks, including "Let Me Be a People" and "The Princess Waltz."[2] Released on December 22, 1960, it received mixed reviews for its inventive premise and Lewis's performance but was noted for its visual effects and elaborate sets, grossing approximately $4.7 million at the box office.[1] The movie stands as one of Lewis's notable vehicles from the early 1960s, showcasing his transition from partnership with Dean Martin to solo stardom in family-oriented comedies.[2]Plot
Fella is a good-natured but awkward young man living in a luxurious mansion with his loving father. After his father's sudden death, his father's second wife, the cruel and manipulative Emily, and her two lazy, greedy sons Rupert and Maximilian take over the estate. They force Fella to serve as their butler and handyman, relegating him to a small room in the attic while they enjoy the opulence. Unbeknownst to the stepfamily, Fella's father hid the bulk of the family fortune somewhere on the grounds before his death, and Fella receives vague hints about its location through dreams in which his father's ghost appears.[2][1] The King of the Grand Duchy of Monrovia arrives seeking a suitable husband for his daughter, Princess Charming, and Emily schemes to host a lavish ball at the mansion so that one of her sons can court the princess. Fella is explicitly forbidden from attending the event. As Fella laments his situation, a comical fairy godfather named Shad suddenly appears and, with magic, transforms Fella's shabby clothes into an elegant tuxedo, provides him with a pair of glass slippers, and conjures a grand horse-drawn carriage from household items. Shad warns Fella that the spell will break at midnight.[2][1] At the ball, the transformed Fella arrives and immediately catches Princess Charming's eye. They share a romantic duet and dance, falling in love. As midnight strikes, Fella flees the mansion, losing one of his glass slippers on the way out. The princess, smitten, vows to marry only the man whose foot fits the slipper and sets out to find him. Emily presents the slipper to her sons, but it does not fit either of them. When Fella tries it on, it fits perfectly, exposing his identity as the mystery prince.[2][1] In the revelation, the family digs up the hidden fortune from beneath a tree in the garden, as indicated by Fella's dreams. Overcome with remorse for their mistreatment, Emily and her sons return the mansion and fortune to Fella. The princess confesses that she, too, feels like an outsider in her royal life, and the two declare their love. Fella and Princess Charming marry, and the film ends with the family reconciled and Fella finding his place.[2][1]Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jerry Lewis | Fella |
| Ed Wynn | Fairy Godfather |
| Judith Anderson | Emily |
| Anna Maria Alberghetti | Princess Charming |
| Henry Silva | Maximilian |
| Robert Hutton | Rupert |
| Joseph Calleia | King |
| Count Basie | Himself[4][2] |
Production
Development
Frank Tashlin penned the original screenplay for Cinderfella as a gender-reversed parody of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, crafting the story specifically for Jerry Lewis in the titular role of Fella, a downtrodden young man aided by a fairy godfather.[5] This concept flipped traditional elements, with Lewis's character enduring mistreatment from a wicked stepmother and stepsons while pursuing romance with a princess, allowing Tashlin to blend slapstick comedy with musical sequences tailored to Lewis's physical and vocal talents.[6] Jerry Lewis took on producing duties, alongside Ernest D. Glucksman, through his newly established Jerry Lewis Productions, marking an early step in his transition to independent filmmaking after parting ways with Dean Martin in 1956.[2] Paramount Pictures greenlit the project with a substantial budget of $3 million, reflecting the studio's confidence in Lewis's star power and the film's potential as a holiday release.[1] Casting emphasized complementary performers to balance Lewis's antics: Ed Wynn was selected for the whimsical fairy godfather role to provide veteran comic relief, Judith Anderson brought dramatic intensity as the villainous stepmother Emily, and Anna Maria Alberghetti was chosen as Princess Charming to highlight the film's musical aspects through her operatic background.[5] These choices, aligned with Tashlin's vision from his prior collaborations with Lewis, aimed to create a dynamic ensemble that amplified the parody's satirical edge.[6]Filming
Principal photography for Cinderfella took place from October 19 to December 15, 1959, primarily at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, with additional exterior shots filmed on location.[7] The film's key exterior location was the Chartwell Mansion at 750 Bel Air Road in Bel-Air, California, which served as the opulent family home of the stepmother and her sons.[8] Cinematography was handled by Haskell Boggs, who captured the production in Technicolor, contributing to its vibrant and whimsical aesthetic through bright, saturated visuals that evoked a storybook atmosphere.[9][10] During the filming of the climactic finale, Jerry Lewis, who starred as Fella and also served as producer, suffered his first heart attack in early 1960 after performing an intense stair-running sequence in one take—rushing up 63 steps in just seven seconds—which required immediate hospitalization and necessitated adjustments during post-production to complete the film.[8] Editing was overseen by Arthur P. Schmidt, who assembled the footage into a final runtime of 91 minutes.[9][11] Special effects for the film's magical transformations, such as Fella's wardrobe change facilitated by the fairy godfather, were crafted by John P. Fulton using practical techniques typical of the era, including optical compositing and in-camera tricks to achieve the enchanted illusions without reliance on emerging electronic methods.[12]Music
Songs
The musical score for Cinderfella was composed by Walter Scharf, who also conducted the orchestra, while the original songs featured music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Jack Brooks.[2][13] The film adopts a semi-musical format, incorporating a limited number of songs to underscore key emotional and narrative moments, though not all planned musical sequences were retained in the final edit; several production numbers staged by choreographer Nick Castle were shortened or excised to maintain pacing.[2][14] The songs primarily advance the plot by highlighting Fella's isolation, longing for connection, and romantic awakening, while integrating Jerry Lewis's signature physical comedy—particularly in non-vocal sequences where he mimes or dances rather than sings. Tashlin's direction emphasizes visual humor in these moments, blending slapstick with the musical elements.[15][16] Key examples include Fella's mime routine to an invisible drum kit during a kitchen jazz improvisation, which punctuates his daily drudgery without lyrics.[13] The featured songs and their contexts are as follows:- Let Me Be a People (Plain Old Me): Performed as a duet by Jerry Lewis (as Fella) and Ed Wynn (as the Fairy Godfather). This opening number occurs shortly after the godfather's arrival, where Fella laments his lowly status and dreams of belonging, setting up the fairy tale transformation.[15][14][17]
- The Other Fella (A Soliloquy): Sung solo by Jerry Lewis (as Fella). Delivered as an introspective monologue in Fella's bedroom, it reflects his self-doubt and envy of others' lives amid his stepfamily's abuse, deepening the character's vulnerability.[15][14][17]
- Somebody: Performed solo by Jerry Lewis (as Fella). This tender ballad plays during a moment of quiet yearning as Fella contemplates love while preparing for the ball, bridging his comedic persona with romantic pathos.[16][14][18]
- The Princess Waltz (Once Upon a Time): An instrumental piece led by the orchestra under Scharf's conduction, with Lewis providing a spoken overlay. It accompanies Fella's grand entrance at the royal ball, evoking fairy-tale enchantment as he descends the staircase in one continuous take.[15][2][18]
- Cute: Performed by Count Basie and his orchestra. This uptempo jazz number energizes the ball sequence, where Lewis mimes percussion and dances exuberantly with the princess (Anna Maria Alberghetti), showcasing his athletic physicality without vocals and drawing the crowd's attention to Fella's charm.[2][19][16]