| Director | Kenneth Branagh |
|---|---|
| Budget | $95 million |
| Box office | $543.5 million |
Ella, the kindhearted daughter of a wealthy merchant, lives happily with her parents. Ella's mother becomes ill; on her deathbed, she instructs Ella to always have courage and be kind. Years later, Ella's father marries the widowed Lady Tremaine, who has two daughters of her own, Drisella and Anastasia. After overhearing that Ella's father still misses his first wife, Lady Tremaine becomes bitterly jealous. When Ella's father leaves on a business trip, Lady Tremaine persuades Ella to give up her large bedroom to her stepsisters and move into the attic. Ella's father dies of illness during the journey, and Lady Tremaine dismisses all the household servants to save money, forcing their duties upon Ella instead. Seeing her face covered in cinders after sleeping by the fireplace, Ella's stepfamily mockingly dubs her "Cinderella".
Distraught by her stepfamily's mistreatment of her, Ella goes for a ride in the woods. There, she comes across a stag hunt, and meets Kit, the crown prince, who introduces himself as a palace apprentice. They take a liking to each other, but part without him learning her name. Back at the palace, Kit learns that his terminally ill father plans to throw a royal ball, so Kit may choose a princess to marry. Kit persuades the king to invite all the eligible maidens in the land, secretly hoping Ella will come.
Ella, also wanting to see Kit again, refashions her mother's old dress and attempts to join her stepfamily at the ball. However, they rip her dress and leave her behind. Ella runs into the garden in tears, and meets an old beggar woman, who reveals herself to be her fairy godmother. She magically transforms a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, lizards into footmen, and a goose into a coachman. She then bestows Ella an exquisite blue ball gown and glass slippers. After casting a final spell to prevent Ella's stepfamily from recognizing her, the Fairy Godmother warns her the magic will end at the last stroke of midnight.
When Ella arrives at the ball, Kit is delighted to see her, and gives her the first dance. The Grand Duke, who promised Kit to Princess Chelina of Zaragoza for political reasons, expresses annoyance and is overheard by Lady Tremaine. Although surprised to learn Kit is the prince, Ella bonds with him, and they fall deeper in love. However, before she can tell him her name, the clock chimes close to midnight, and she flees the palace, losing one of her glass slippers. The Grand Duke pursues her, but Ella manages to hide right before the magic dissipates.
The next morning, Lady Tremaine notices Ella acting unusually jolly when hearing about the events at the ball, and becomes suspicious. On his deathbed, the King gives Kit his blessing to marry Ella. As the new King, Kit issues a proclamation professing his love for "the mysterious princess who wore glass slippers to the ball" and requests she present herself. Ella hurries to retrieve the slipper to prove her identity, but Lady Tremaine finds it first. She attempts to blackmail Ella into making her the head of the royal household, but Ella refuses. Lady Tremaine breaks the slipper and locks Ella in the attic. She brings the remains to the Grand Duke, and reveals the truth to him. He agrees to make Lady Tremaine a countess and secure advantageous marriages for her daughters, if she will keep Ella hidden forever.
Suspecting the Grand Duke is plotting something, Kit orders the Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guard to find the mystery princess by trying the intact slipper on every woman in the kingdom. At Ella's house, the shoe fits neither stepsister, and the company prepares to depart, until they hear Ella singing in the attic. Kit, who has secretly accompanied the group, commands the Captain to investigate, forcing Lady Tremaine to release Ella. Ella successfully tries on the slipper and, as she leaves with Kit, forgives her stepmother. Soon afterward, Lady Tremaine, her daughters, and the Grand Duke leave the kingdom permanently, while Ella and Kit marry and become its most beloved monarchs, ruling with the same courage and kindness that Ella had promised her mother.