Whitney Houston – Site

The wonderful story of Cinderella

Cast: Brandy Norwood, Bernadette Peters, Veanne Cox, Natalie Desselle, Paolo Montalban, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Whitney Houston, Michael Haynes.

Director: Robert Iscove

Story adaptor: Robert L. Freedman

Choreographeur:  Rob Marshall

Producers:  Whitney Houston and Debra Martin

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Buy the movie:  USA CAN UK FRA DEU AUT

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In this Rodgers & Hammerstein musical version of the classical fairy tale, a royal heir is as bored with court life as fascinated with commoners lives, but his mother commands another grand ball in his name- he only concedes to attend if another lack of acceptable marital candidates wins him the right to switch to a selection process of his choice. However Cinderella, a black stepdaughter (de facto maid) gets to attend till midnight by the magic of her fairy godmother, and unlike her hideous stepsisters is the only one to captures his heart, so when she rushes off he orders every young woman in the kingdom should fit her left behind glass slipper…

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The hit song “Falling in Love With Love“, from the Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse, was sung by Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother. “The Sweetest Sounds” from Rodgers’ No Strings, was also added, sung by Cinderella and the Prince. “There’s Music in You,” written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the 1953 film Main Street to Broadway, was sung as the finale by the Fairy Godmother. The production won two awards in 1998: The Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program.

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When Whitney Houston signed on to the film, she was listed as producer and in the role of Cinderella. However, she later called Brandy and told her she wanted her to audition for the role of Cinderella saying “I’m already 33 years old, and I want you to play Cinderella”. Brandy only agreed to do the part if Houston played her fairy godmother, because she was her “idol.”

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Click here and view clips from the movie, moments in the studeo and from backstage. There’s also interviews with the actors and actresses.

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Trivia provided by The Internet Movie Database:

• First multi-racial cast performing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

• Whitney Houston was producing Rodger and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” and was to star in it until she decided that Brandy would make a better Cinderella. Brandy would not do it unless her idol Whitney took    the  Fairy Godmother role.

• Cinderella was produced for the Walt Disney Company for their revival of The Wonderful World of Disney series.

• The song “Falling in Love With Love”, from the Rodgers and Hart musical “The Boys from Syracuse”, was added and sung by Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother.

• “The Sweetest Sounds” from Richard Rodgers’ musical “No Strings” was added and sung by Cinderella and the Prince.

• “There’s Music in You”, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the film Main Street to Broadway (1953), was sung as the finale by the Fairy Godmother, Whitney Houston.

• The production won two awards: The Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program.

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, music video part 1

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 3

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Falling in Love with love cinderella rogers hammerstein bernadette peters music video part 4

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 6

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 8

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 9

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 10

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,cinderella music video part 11

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Goofs for Cinderella:

• Crew or equipment visible: During the song “A Lovely Night”, when Cinderella is dancing around with her step-sisters you can see the crew in the mirrors on the wall.
• Revealing mistakes: When Lionel is talking to the baker, the eight women carrying bread can be seen in the background waiting for their cue.
• Continuity: When Lionel is walking through the women carrying loaves of bread, he is walking past the last row of them in the wide shot, but in the next close-up, he is in front of   some of them.
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Cinderella and her godmother are in the pumpkin going to the ball at the end of “Impossible,” watch Whitney Houston’s mouth. There’s one point where she’s singing and her jaw is moving as if there is vibrato in the note, but if you listen to the note, it’s a straight tone.
• Continuity: When Lionel is announcing the Prince’s upcoming ball, the Stepmother’s headpiece is on the left. But while entering their home, it has moved to the right.

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In this video Whitney and Brandy are talking about each other while making the movie:

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Buy the movie:  USA CAN UK FRA DEU AUT