Blog entry 6: Cinderella

Rags to Riches through Magic & Marriage: a Reality?

Disney's "Cinderella"

In Disney's animated "Cinderella" which was released in 1950, the film is outlined with a narrator that voices over Cinderella's story as written by Charles Perrault in 1697. The two prominent motifs are maternal cruelty, sibling rivalry and the power of radiant beauty (Tatar 139). In the film, Cinderella is forced into completing domestic chores at the disposal of her stepmother and stepsisters. Not until her meeting with her fairy godmother does all this change. With the help of magic, Cinderella is transformed into a beautiful princess and goes to the ball, enchants the prince and with their marriage she lives happily ever after. Thus, the rag to riches motif is in full swing. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/film/cinderella-disney-alarming-appearance-viewers-12659988

Pretty Woman

Later, in 1990, the movie Pretty Woman was released starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. The "Cinderella" of the movie is Vivian, a prostitute who works in Los Angeles. Her "prince" is Edward, a wealthy businessman who engages in deals that are not very admirable.

https://www.self.com/pretty-woman

https://hollywoodlife.com//pretty-woman/

When they meet unexpectedly when he gets lost, the two return to his hotel and over the course of a week, fall in love. At his lavish hotel, the other guests and employees look down on Vivian and glare at her. When he sends her to the store to buy fancy new clothes, even the saleswomen (the "evil stepsisters") refuse to help her. At the end of the movie, Vivian confronts these women with Edward (and his credit card) in tow, consummating her rags to riches journey. 

https://patch.com/connecticut/orange/bp--director-reveals-iconic-jewelry-box-scene-from-prdc0b61a08b

There also exists a distinct difference from Disney's film (aside from prostitution) and that is the prince's role. Edward also evolves throughout the movie, and at the end decides to choose the virtuous route in regards to his business deal after his experiences with Vivian. 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/245868460885631366/?lp=true

While there is no magic involved, the adaptation captures the journey of a woman from poor to prosperous after meeting a man with a high social status.

My Criticism

While the movie was enjoyable to watch, I couldn't help taking a step back to observe the problematic undertones. The movie expressed that the only way Vivian could have left the streets was by meeting a wealthy man who could save her by paying her to spend time with him. Without Edward bringing her to his 'castle' of sorts and placing her in a penthouse suite, she would be struggling to pay her rent and forced to work for the dangerous man at the bar. The movie does not provide any hope for an alternative in which Vivian is independent in her living situation, which is greatly upsetting from a feminist standpoint.

The rags to riches narrative is not realistic because these "riches" can only be measured in monetary terms or in terms of social standing. For a character like Vivian, she would never be happy to owe all of her successes to a wealthy man without anything to say for herself in return. Her character is a strong, outspoken, confident woman. In the real world, she would never allow for all of her security to be invested in a man.