How does this version of Cinderella conform with and challenge the conventions of a fairy tale?
This modern version of the classic Cinderella story is about a cleaner, called Cindy, at a university that has the opportunity to work along side one of the greatest archaeologists, Professor Prince, on his next big discovery. Cindy hears about the job offer when two university students are talking about it. As soon as she hears about the job she knows that she has to do what she can to make sure that she gets it; even if it means breaking a few rules...
It follows the conventional fairy tale ideas, there is an ordinary girl who is belittled by two girls (usually stepsisters) and their mother, or in this case two university students, Fenola and Phoebe, and the head of the department, Mrs Brookes. It is also stereotypical of fairy tales, especially Cinderella, for these three girls all competing for the attention of the prince, where the ordinary girl normally 'wins'.
This film can also be applied to the narrative theories of films:
Todorov - the film follows the basic equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium structure. The film starts at an equilibrium where everything is as it normally is and Cindy is the cleaner at the university. There is then a disequilibrium when Cindy is competing against the two other girls for the job position and she gets fired from her job in the process. However, a new equilibrium is made when she gets the job as Professor Prince's assistant.
Propp - the hero would be Cindy the cleaner and the 'princess' or the prize would be Professor Prince. The helper is clearly the other cleaner as she helps Cindy to get to the ball to meet the professor. The blocker or villain is Mrs Brookes as she tries to stop Cindy from getting to her job interview. The false hero would be Fenola as she tries to claim Cindy's work as her own when the professor says that he liked it.
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