Right up to the end, this is a wonderful bit of entertainment, primarily because of the star, the former Kathleen Morrison, Colleen Moore.
She's not only lovely to look at, not only completely adorable, she is one marvelous actress, apparently being re-discovered in recent years. (There is even a website: https://sites.google.com/site/colleenmooresite/)
The story is based on a comic strip of that name which is based, obviously, on the Cinderella story.
Ella opens the story being badly put-upon, naturally, but she has one ally and, while being the family servant during a party, learns there is a beauty contest coming up in their hometown of Roseville in which the winner is awarded a chance at film stardom in Hollywood.
(Fascinating coincidence: The story starts in "Roseville," no state identified {like Springfield in "The Simpsons"?} and a Duckduckgo search turns up this: "Colleen Moore, Marriage & Family Therapist, Roseville, CA"!)
Reading a "how-to" book on being an actor, Ella sees these words: "The greatest requisite to stardom is the eyes. Master the art of expressing every emotion with the eyes."
Following that scene is a masterpiece of special effects (slightly reminding me of Colleen's role in "Orchids and Ermine," or at least one scene therein) and evidence Ella learned the lesson.
Colleen Moore certainly did learn that book's lesson. Movie after movie starring the lovely lady gave us the evidence that her eyes did indeed express "every emotion."
Eyes and face, and, really, her entire being. Colleen Moore probably could have coasted along on her looks and personality, but she set out to be an actress, not just a star.
There are, interestingly, some slight parallels to "Ella Cinders" and Kathleen Morrison and how they accomplished what they did in Hollywood, except Kathleen grew up with a successful and loving family.
That family, though, consented to her winning her trip to Hollywood but all along figuring that in a few months she would tire of it and return home. She was 17, and obviously could not know her own mind.
Ha.
She stayed and was almost an immediate success, but still put in the effort to learn her craft.
Her life should be a movie.
On the other hand, "Ella Cinders" presents no surprises, except, perhaps, to viewers not familiar with Colleen Moore, not already knowing what an extraordinary performer she was.
As a long-time fan, I am happy to see the re-discovery of her. I first saw her in "Orchids and Ermine," presented almost yearly in the 1970s at The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax Boulevard in Los Angeles, then run by the Hamptons, John and Dorothy (people to whom I will always owe a huge debt of gratitude for their dedication to silent movies).
"Ella Cinders," a thoroughly enjoyable film, is available in a good version at YouTube, although some will discount the jazz-era recordings used as sound-track.
I highly recommend "Ella Cinders."
She's not only lovely to look at, not only completely adorable, she is one marvelous actress, apparently being re-discovered in recent years. (There is even a website: https://sites.google.com/site/colleenmooresite/)
The story is based on a comic strip of that name which is based, obviously, on the Cinderella story.
Ella opens the story being badly put-upon, naturally, but she has one ally and, while being the family servant during a party, learns there is a beauty contest coming up in their hometown of Roseville in which the winner is awarded a chance at film stardom in Hollywood.
(Fascinating coincidence: The story starts in "Roseville," no state identified {like Springfield in "The Simpsons"?} and a Duckduckgo search turns up this: "Colleen Moore, Marriage & Family Therapist, Roseville, CA"!)
Reading a "how-to" book on being an actor, Ella sees these words: "The greatest requisite to stardom is the eyes. Master the art of expressing every emotion with the eyes."
Following that scene is a masterpiece of special effects (slightly reminding me of Colleen's role in "Orchids and Ermine," or at least one scene therein) and evidence Ella learned the lesson.
Colleen Moore certainly did learn that book's lesson. Movie after movie starring the lovely lady gave us the evidence that her eyes did indeed express "every emotion."
Eyes and face, and, really, her entire being. Colleen Moore probably could have coasted along on her looks and personality, but she set out to be an actress, not just a star.
There are, interestingly, some slight parallels to "Ella Cinders" and Kathleen Morrison and how they accomplished what they did in Hollywood, except Kathleen grew up with a successful and loving family.
That family, though, consented to her winning her trip to Hollywood but all along figuring that in a few months she would tire of it and return home. She was 17, and obviously could not know her own mind.
Ha.
She stayed and was almost an immediate success, but still put in the effort to learn her craft.
Her life should be a movie.
On the other hand, "Ella Cinders" presents no surprises, except, perhaps, to viewers not familiar with Colleen Moore, not already knowing what an extraordinary performer she was.
As a long-time fan, I am happy to see the re-discovery of her. I first saw her in "Orchids and Ermine," presented almost yearly in the 1970s at The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax Boulevard in Los Angeles, then run by the Hamptons, John and Dorothy (people to whom I will always owe a huge debt of gratitude for their dedication to silent movies).
"Ella Cinders," a thoroughly enjoyable film, is available in a good version at YouTube, although some will discount the jazz-era recordings used as sound-track.
I highly recommend "Ella Cinders."