As the clock struck midnight on Cinderella's fairy tale, it seemed that The Walt Disney Company's story might also come to an abrupt end in 1947. Burdened by a staggering $4 million debt from the financial disappointments of Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi, exacerbated by World War II and other factors, Disney was on the brink of collapse. Yet, it was the beloved princess Cinderella and her iconic glass slippers that ultimately saved the company from an untimely end to its animation legacy.

Today, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Cinderella's wide release on March 4, we've had the privilege of speaking with several Disney insiders who continue to draw inspiration from this timeless tale of rags to riches. Remarkably, Cinderella's story parallels that of Walt Disney himself, offering hope not only to the company but also to a world in the midst of post-war reconstruction, yearning for something to believe in once more.

To understand the significance of Cinderella, we must revisit Disney's own fairy godmother moment in 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The film's unprecedented success, holding the title of the highest-grossing film until Gone with the Wind surpassed it in 1939, enabled Disney to establish its Burbank studio and chart a course for more animated feature films.

However, the financial landscape shifted with 1940's Pinocchio, which, despite its critical acclaim and two Academy Awards, resulted in a $1 million loss. The subsequent releases of Fantasia and Bambi also underperformed, further deepening Disney's financial woes. The primary reason for these setbacks was the outbreak of World War II, which closed off Disney's European markets, as explained by Eric Goldberg, co-director of Pocahontas and lead animator on Aladdin's Genie: "Disney's European markets dried up during the war and the films weren’t being shown there, so releases like Pinocchio and Bambi did not do well."

During the war, Disney shifted focus to producing training and propaganda films for the U.S. government, and throughout the 1940s, the studio released "Package Films" like Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, and Melody Time. These films, while profitable, lacked a cohesive narrative, as Goldberg noted, "These projects were very, very good, but there was not a particularly narrative story from start to finish to them."

Package Films were compilations of short cartoons forming a feature film. Disney produced six such films between Bambi in 1942 and Cinderella in 1950, including Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, which supported the U.S. Good Neighbor Policy against Nazism in South America. Although these films helped reduce Disney's debt from $4.2 million to $3 million by 1947, they hindered the production of full-length animated features.

Walt Disney's determination to return to feature animation is captured in his 1956 statement from Michael Barrier's "The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney": "I wanted to get back into the feature field... But it was a matter of investment and time... I said we’re going to either go forward, we’re going to get back in business, or I say let’s liquidate or let’s sell out."

Facing the possibility of selling his shares and leaving the company, Walt, alongside his brother Roy O. Disney, chose to risk it all on a new animated feature, their first since Bambi. This gamble could have spelled the end for Disney's animation studio if it failed.

At this critical juncture, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Cinderella were all in development, but Cinderella was selected as the first project due to its similarities to Snow White. Tori Cranner, Art Collections Manager at Walt Disney Animation Research Library, emphasized Walt's understanding of the post-war era's need for hope and joy: "Walt was very good at reflecting the times, and I think he recognized what America needed after the war was hope and joy... Cinderella was the right choice for that moment in time."

Cinderella and Disney’s Rags to Riches Tale

Walt Disney's connection to Cinderella dates back to 1922 when he produced a Cinderella short at Laugh-O-Gram Studios. This early work, inspired by Charles Perrault's 1697 tale, reflected themes of good versus evil, true love, and the realization of dreams, resonating deeply with Walt.

Despite the failure of Laugh-O-Gram, the Cinderella story remained significant to Walt, embodying the rags-to-riches narrative he identified with. In Disney's Cinderella: The Making of a Masterpiece, Walt described Cinderella as a practical dreamer: "On the other hand, Cinderella here was more practical. She believed in dreams all right, but she also believed in doing something about them."

Cinderella's journey from hardship to triumph mirrored Walt's own path from humble beginnings to success. His attempt to revive the Cinderella story in 1933 as a Silly Symphony short evolved into a feature film by 1938, though it took over a decade to bring to fruition due to wartime challenges.

Disney's success with Cinderella stemmed from its ability to enhance the classic tale's global appeal. Eric Goldberg praised Disney's approach: "Disney was so good at taking these fairytales that had been around for many, many years and putting his own spin on it... What Disney did, however, is he made these stories universally palatable and enjoyable for all audiences."

Innovations such as Cinderella's animal friends and the comedic, relatable Fairy Godmother added depth and charm to the story. The iconic transformation scene, animated by Disney Legends Marc Davis and George Rowley, remains a highlight, with Tori Cranner marveling at its artistry: "First of all, you have to remember that every single one of those sparkles was hand-drawn on every frame and then hand-painted, which just blows my mind."

The addition of the broken glass slipper further emphasized Cinderella's agency and strength, as noted by Goldberg: "When the stepmother causes the glass slipper to break, Cinderella has the solution to it by presenting the other one she had been holding on to... It’s such a powerful moment and a clever story thing to show how strong and in control she actually is."

Cinderella premiered in Boston on February 15, 1950, and achieved wide release on March 4 of that year. Its success was immediate, earning $7 million on a $2.2 million budget, becoming the sixth-highest grossing film of 1950, and receiving three Academy Award nominations. Eric Goldberg reflected on its impact: "When Cinderella came out, all the critics went, ‘Oh, this is great! Walt Disney's back on track again!’... Following Cinderella, Disney continued on to develop films like Peter Pan, Lady in the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Jungle Book, and so many more, and it was all thanks to Cinderella."

75 Years Later, Cinderella’s Magic Lives On

Seventy-five years on, Cinderella's influence endures, evident in the iconic castles at Disney parks and in the studio's modern classics. Becky Bresee, lead animator on Frozen 2 and Wish, highlighted the connection between Cinderella and Elsa's transformation in Frozen: "Cinderella’s legacy can especially be seen in the sparkles and all the effects surrounding Elsa’s dress."

The contributions of the Nine Old Men and Mary Blair further enriched Cinderella's visual and narrative impact. As Eric Goldberg eloquently concluded, "I think the big thing about Cinderella is hope... It gives people hope that things will work out when you have perseverance and when you are a strong person... is that hope can actually be realized and dreams can come true, no matter what time you are living in."