Plot summary

In the European kingdom of Euphrania, the life of a young lass named Cinderella (Gemma Craven) is radically changed upon the death of her loving well-off father, who deeded his entire estate to his second wife, Cinderella's Stepmother (Margaret Lockwood). He did learn that his second wife only married him for his money and her own self-interest, but not before he could change the will before his death. Cinderella's evil Stepmother banishes Cinderella to live and work on her and her spoiled daughters' behalves in the mansion's dungeon kitchen, to the point of Cinderella being enslaved to their duty and beck and call. Meanwhile, the King (Sir Michael Hordern) and Queen (Lally Bowers) of Euphrania want their only son, Prince Edward (Richard Chamberlain), to marry a Princess of their choosing, unlike Edward, who wants to marry for love. The King's want for Edward is even more important when Euphrania is placed in a tenuous geopolitical situation which requires an alliance between Euphrania and its European neighbors, meaning Edward should marry a Princess of one of those countries. The King's advisers recommend holding a "bride finding ball" for Edward, who abhors the idea, but goes along with it. In addition to eligible Princesses, Euphranian nobility is also invited. As such, one of Cinderella's new tasks is to help her Stepmother and stepsisters prepare for the ball. In the process, Cinderella learns that the mysterious travelling woman who one day appeared at the kitchen doorstep is really a Fairy Godmother (Annette Crosbie), albeit sometimes a not very adept one with limited powers, who not only has come to help Cinderella with her household chores, but help her attend the ball as well in the guise of a Princess named "Incognita". With her limited powers, the Fairy Godmother is only able to keep Cinderella in her Princessly ways until midnight. At the ball, Edward does fall in love at first sight with "Incognita", but is unable to learn all he needs about her before she has to run off at midnight, leaving behind only Edward's longing for her and her delicate slipper. In searching for the young woman who fits the slipper, Edward may not place his eyes on a servant girl like Cinderella. Even if he can find Cinderella, a happily ever after may not be that easy with the King and Cinderella's Stepmother in the picture.—Huggo