Inclubabu
Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.
Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Manthast
Absolutely amazing
Haven Kaycee
It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
Pamela Short
Colleen Moore's performance as Ella Cinders, the slavey who is mistreated by her demanding step-mother and step-sisters, is pure genius and she literally steals every scene of the film.Made in 1926, the story is a modernized Cinderella tale, with Ella dreaming of a better life in Hollywood. Lloyd Hughes plays the towns ice delivery man who is Ella's devoted beau, Vera Lewis as Ma Cinders, Doris Baker, Emily Gerdes as Lotta Pill and Prissy Pill the spoiled step-sisters.Ella makes it to Hollywood, with some cute comedy adventures along the way, she does become a star, eventually beau Waite Lifter comes to California to find his sweetheart, he does and it's a fairy tale ending.Terrific trick photography, an amazing cameo performance with Harry Langdon, and even director Alfred E. Green making an appearance. Add the many comedic charms of Colleen Moore, all together makes this silent comedy a real winner. I don't want to give a full synopsis, as I urge the reader to watch and enjoy this surviving Colleen Moore gem.
kidboots
"Ella Cinders" came out in 1926 and was a huge success for it's star, Colleen Moore. It was based on a comic strip that had appeared the year before and while it lasted until 1961, it just sort of ambled along. The movie was another matter - Colleen had one of her best roles and for once the character in the movie actually looked like the one in the comic strip. The movie retained most of the strip's other characters including Lotta and Prissy Pill, Ella's horrible half sisters and set the story in the intriguing (to film goers at the time) world of Hollywood.Poor little slavey Ella Cinders (Colleen Moore) is worked to death by her horrendous family, Lotta Pill ("always anxious to look her best and her best is none too good"), Prissie Pill and her dragon of a mother (Vera Lewis). "Waiting" in the wings is the ice man and Ella's champion, Waite Lifter (Lloyd Hughes). He is always there with a shoulder to cry on and Ella sure needs one of those. Meanwhile the "Pollyanna Club" is abuzz with excitement - Roseville is going to pick a girl to represent them in Hollywood for a "Find a Star" competition and Lotta is sure she will be the chosen one. Ella is also determined to enter the competition to seek a way out of the town that has caused her so much unhappiness. There follows some hilarious sequences Ella's "Eye Exercises", impersonating Jackie Coogan for some children and the "fly on the nose" at the photographers.Surprisingly to her family (but not to Waite) Ella wins (her "fly on the nose" picture impressed the judges who were looking for new, funny talent). Disillusion sets in as soon as she disembarks the train. Expecting a big fan fare to greet her, there is a crowd at the station, but they are there to welcome the Indians who have traveled with her. She then proclaims "I'm Ella Cinders - the beauty contest winner", a man replies "I'll keep your secret" and when she finally arrives at GEM Studios it is to find that they are on location in Egypt (the organ music plays strains from "Lawrence of Arabia" which is a bit disconcerting). She is determined not to get discouraged and there is a hilarious scene in which she is trying to "crash" the movies and Harry Langdon makes a brief guest appearance to help her to evade capture. The story has a happy ending. Ella becomes a star, Waite is discovered to be rich, posing as an iceman (for whatever reason I haven't a clue)!!! He goes to Hollywood to seek Ella out and finds her scrubbing the floor at the station - she is filming her latest movie but Waite thinks she hasn't succeeded and scoops her up on to the now moving train to carry her off to wedded happiness. This is such a lovely movie, with emphasis on characterisation and not slapstick. While definitely not as good as "The Extra Girl" or "Show People" it is a gentle look at the movie industry as Colleen plays a girl who forsakes Hollywood for the simple life.Highly Recommended.
overseer-3
I watched this silent comedy with Colleen Moore and gorgeous Lloyd Hughes with my 6 year old daughter and we were rapt with attention all the way through. This film boasts a touching sweet romance, and many fine and unique comedy moments, such as Ella getting her picture taken for a beauty contest and having a fly land on her nose, and Lloyd's character using the missing shoe for measurements to buy her a pair of dress shoes when she goes off to Hollywood. Unlike one commentator here however I didn't care for that organ score. I heard some copyrighted song musical phrases in there that were misplaced too, like a strain from Dr. Zhivago! Weird. If you love Colleen Moore or want to learn more about her this is a film not to be missed. She was an excellent comedienne, even better than Mabel Normand.
David Atfield
If you thought all silent comedies were slapstick see this gentle character based comedy. Colleen Moore plays a much abused small town girl with a simply awful family. She wins a beauty contest - the prize a trip to Hollywood and a studio contract!Colleen Moore is brilliant as Ella - funny, warm, beautiful, vivacious. The scene when she finds she has won the contest will move you to tears, and you'll roar with laughter when she practices eye movements for the camera. This is one of the great performances of the silent era. She can make the smallest thing funny, so it is interesting to see her work with Harry Langdon who could do the same. In one hilarious scene he plays himself.What is remarkable about Moore is that she can be very funny but still maintain the realism of her characterisation - there is a sadness here that makes the comedy so much more potent. Wait till you see her smoke a cigar, and spin-out! I have never seen a moment like this played better.Also very charming is Lloyd Hughes as her boyfriend. And the film's director Alfred E Green plays the director in the film!This film, in a good print from Video Yesteryear which has a fine organ score from Rosa Rio, is a true classic - not to be missed.