Original hand inked and hand painted production animation cel of Lady Tremaine (Stepmother) set on a lithographic background from "Cinderella," 1950, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 42 in ink lower right; Size - Lady Tremaine: 6 x 4", Image 8 x 11 3/4"; Unframed.
To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!
To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!
"Well, why not? After all, I'm yet a member of the family. And it says, "by royal command, every eligible maiden is to attend." - Cinderella
"Yes, then it does so. Well, I see no reason why you can't go... if you get all your work done." - Stepmother
"Oh, I will! I promise" - Cinderella
"And if you can find something suitable to wear." - Stepmother
I'm sure I can! Oh, thank you, Stepmother. (she leaves) - Cinderella
Mother! do you realize what you said?!" - Drizella
"Of course. I said "if." - Stepmother
"Oh... "If." (Stepmother, Drizella, and Anastasia softly laugh)
The 1950 Walt Disney feature film "Cinderella" was based on the French version of the tale by Charles Perrault, entitled "Cinderella" and written in 1698. The film was the second in the series of great Princess films developed by Disney, the first being Snow White in 1937. The character of Cinderella is usually front and center in the pantheon of Disney Princess merchandise, perhaps because she is the only Princess not to be of a noble blood line who ended up marrying a Prince and becoming royalty.
Eleanor Audley (TV and film actress as well as familiar radio and animation voice talent) was filmed while she was dressed and speaking as the Stepmother; and as she performed scenes outlined in the film. Those film reels were used by animator Frank Thomas to convey even more realism to the character. Although the framed images were not directly copied by the animator, they were used as reference for lifelike movements. Eleanor Audley also voiced the Stepmother and her articulation conveyed the fire and raw power of the character. She could be sharp and curt in telling Cinderella what chores to do while lying in bed and slowly stirring her cup of tea, or her voice could be calm are cruel while watching as her daughters viciously destroyed Cinderella's dress.
Frank Thomas did a phenomenal job of controlling the Stepmother's actions to make sure that they were were not wild and out of control; but rather calculated, cold, and precise. The story of Cinderella presented a situation where a villain lived and interacted with her victim day after day under the same roof. The actions of the Stepmother seemed even more cruel because not only were both she and Cinderella animated in a very realistic fashion, but because of the close proximity the cruelness of the villain could be seen as even more intense by the reactions on Cinderella's face. If all this were not enough, the Stepmother's arsenal of evil was compounded by her two ill mannered daughters Anastasia and Drizella; as well as Lucifer the cat, who delighted in trying to kill Cinderella's mouse friends.
"Often,
patrons would be horrified or dismayed by the behavior of a villain,
but more people actually hated the Stepmother more than any other
villain we ever created." - Ollie Johnson and Frank Thomas from "The
Disney Villain," 1993
This cel is from the scene when Cinderella hands the invitation to the King's Ball to Lady Tremaine, while she is practicing music with her daughters Drizella and Anastasia. The invitation states that every eligible maiden can attend the Ball, and her Stepmother agrees IF she can get all of her work done. Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters, fearing that Cinderella will upstage them at the Ball, end up deliberately keeping her busy, with no time to spare in order to prepare a dress suitable for the Ball. This is great original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of the wicked Stepmother as she is holding the invitation to the Ball and she says "Of course. I said "if." A great piece of vintage Walt Disney
animation artwork from the full length masterpiece "Cinderella!" The dialog for the scene is below:
"Well,
why not? After all, I'm yet a member of the family. And it says, "by
royal command, every eligible maiden is to attend." - Cinderella
"Yes, then it does so. Well, I see no reason why you can't go... if you get all your work done." - Stepmother
"Oh, I will! I promise" - Cinderella
"And if you can find something suitable to wear." - Stepmother
I'm sure I can! Oh, thank you, Stepmother. (she leaves) - Cinderella
Mother! do you realize what you said?!" - Drizella
"Of course. I said "if." - Stepmother
"Oh... "If." (Stepmother, Drizella, and Anastasia softly laugh)
