Cinderfella: Too Much Lewis

WARNING: PLOT SPOILERS! “Cinderfella” (1960), a gender reversal version of the classic fairytale, has the distinction of being the only Jerry Lewis film I’ve seen. As a child, I thought the movie was a lot of fun; as an adult, I notice the lows more than the highs. Dealing with the positives first: Judith Anderson. From her first scene to the last, she is a model of controlled acting and a welcome contrast to Lewis, whose constant mugging and spastic movements are all over the board.

Her slight redemption at the end is touching and one of my favorite moments of the movie.

The gorgeous Anna Maria Alberghetti. She is luminous and yet completely natural as the Princess. I found myself wanting to know more about her character and what would make her choose a complete goofball like Lewis. Even though he is obnoxious as hell, she makes you believe that she has fallen for him.

What can be said about Count Basie?

As the bandstand set rotates, it is hard not be impressed by its size AND the incredible music that Basie bestows upon the production. I give credit to Lewis on the selection of music for the film, as it truly elevates the entertainment value.

On the negative side, we are forced to endure watching Lewis’ overdone mugging to enjoy many of these musical gems.

Lewis attempts throughout to make us believe he is unintentionally hilarious AND a tragic melancholy victim. He fails at both.

Comic bits that start out as amusing quickly descend into a journey of boredom, continuing on way too long.

As the Producer, it seems like Lewis couldn’t make the tough decision of editing down his own performance into something that would have held the patron’s attention better.

Because he plays a blundering fool for the majority of the movie, his sudden change into a quiet and brooding romantic lead at the picture’s end is extremely jarring.

What makes it so sad is that there is so much to love here. Visually, it is a feast of color and composition. Lewis’ entrance to the ball, which is the perfect pairing of comedy and dance:

Anna Maria’s dance with Lewis; she is so good in this number that I am able to ignore Lewis, as he shamelessly attempts to steal the scene from her with his momentary body spasms that he felt added comic value.

The famous clock at midnight:

The race to get home before the transformation is completed:

I am not sure that the kids of today would be able to enjoy this movie as much as I did in my childhood, since their attention spans seem to be even shorter. As an adult, it falls into the “almost” category for me.

Interesting trivia about the film; this movie used the Chartwell Mansion in Bel-Air two years before it become famous as the Clampett residence in “The Beverly Hillbillies”:

Norman Rockwell created the art for the film’s publicity:

The art shows Ed Wynn as the Fairy Godfather (another gender reversal). On one hand, it feels like there is too little of Wynn, On the other, his style and Lewis’ feels like overload to me. Not a good pairing. The three-sheet poster which used Rockwell’s illustration: 

See more vintage movie and television photos at my main website.

Tribute to Betty & Wally

It is with great sadness that I write about the passing of both Betty Taylor & Wally Boag, much beloved Disneyland legends.

Betty, who played Slue Foot Sue at The Golden Horseshoe Revue, died Saturday at the age of 91 – one day after her costar, Wally Boag. Taylor heard about auditions for Walt Disney's show at Disneyland, auditioned in 1956, and got the part of Slue Foot Sue (originated by Judy Marsh). She stayed in the role until she retired approximately 30 years later when the show ended. Taylor described Slue Foot Sue as “not a hard character, but rather like a Mae West or a Kitty on the...television series ‘Gunsmoke.'” Taylor was inducted as a Disney legend alongside Boag on November 30, 1995. Here are their plaques at the Disney Studios in Burbank:





Wally Boag, hired personally by Walt Disney to perform as Pecos Bill, passed away Friday at the age of 90.



Boag's show at The Golden Horseshoe was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running stage production in show business, with more than 50,000 performances. Boag also was the voice of José at the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Born Wallace Vincent Boag on Sept. 13, 1920 in Portland, Oregon, he found his way to Anaheim in 1955 when his friend Donald Novis told him about auditions for Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue. Boag won the role of Pecos Bill and later appeared in the original 'Mickey Mouse Club' and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" TV shows. Novis was the show's first tenor (later replaced by Fulton Burley when he retired in 1962).



Here's a previously unpublished shot of Wally performing live on the stage of the Horseshoe some time during the 1950's:



A beautiful full-color publicity shot of the cast, including Wally & Betty:



These two rare views are from August 1955, and part of the Dick Gardner collection. Wally & Judy Marsh (Betty's predecessor):



Boag making his famous balloon animals:



The original Slue Foot Sue sign outside the Saloon, circa March 1956:



Betty & Wally live on stage:



Wally giving this little girl the memory of a lifetime:



An informal cast portrait:



An episode of “The Wonderful World of Color,” celebrating the 10,000th performance of the Golden Horseshoe Revue aired on September 23, 1962. Here's a photo of Betty Taylor with famous comedian Ed Wynn from that show:



Two rare shots from September 1963 of Betty & Wally on stage at The Horseshoe:





And 13 years later in March 1976:





This last photo shows Wally at one of his last public "performances," which was a loving tribute to him and The Golden Horseshoe held in 2008. Unfortunately, Betty was unable to make the trek to California for the show.



My Andy Warhol inspired portrait of Wally was part of the evening's silent auction:



Both Betty and Wally meant so much to the fans that went to The Golden Horseshoe to witness in person their talents and charms. Thanks so much to both of them for all that they selflessly gave over the years. Somewhere in Heaven I am sure that they are doing an encore to a standing ovation.

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland Golden Horseshoe photos at my main website.