CENERENTOLA -- CINDERELLA

SYNOPSIS

ACT 1 - Cinderella's house.
Los Angeles in the Thirties. Compelled to serve her tyrannical step-mother and her two stepsisters who are anxious to make their debut in Hollywood , plus her father who is stupefied with alcohol, Cinderella dreams of being a movie-star. True to her generous nature, she is quick to assist an unknown man who staggers in for help after a road accident. Meanwhile her step-sisters have been trying on costumes and practising their steps with the dancing-master.

They have in fact managed to get themselves two bit parts in a movie and are about to go on set for their first take. All by herself, Cinderella goes through the precious lessons received from the dancing-master. She puts on her father's suit and amuses herself pretending to be Charlie Chaplin. The man whom she helped after his accident reappears, and turns out to be a famous movie director. It was. he who signed up her two step-sisters, and he is constantly on the lookout for new talents. Charmed by Cinderella's gracefulness, he offers her the lead role in his new film.

After showing her the latest models from the spring, summer, fall and winter collections -which she will be wearing for her debut -the director drives Cinderella to Hollywood in a luxurious limousine. But first he warns her: time passes inexorably, erasing youth and beauty. As soon as she hears the twelfth stroke of the mechanical clock, she must t4erefore leave Hollywood at once.

ACT 2 - Hollywood . Movie studios.
With his studio assistants, the director is busy shooting a variety of scenes. The first features a comic escape from prison, the second a costume ballet, the third a group of Indians engaged in sacrificing a young Tahitian to King Kong. The director now wishes to turn his attention to the lead role in his film. But the star has been incapacitated by Cinderella's two step-sisters and by her step-mother, who attempt by every possible means to get themselves noticed.

Preceded by a swarm of photographers, Cinderella now enters the set, like a true star. With great expertise, she puts into practice all the tips she has learnt and, after a brief pause, begins to act a scene with the leading actor. Within minutes they fall in love. But suddenly the mechanical clock strikes twelve. Remembering the director's warnings, Cinderella at first attempts to halt time, but then precipitously abandons the set. In her haste to get away, she loses one of her slippers.

ACT 3 - In search of Cinderella.
Everyone is looking for the beautiful actress who has mysteriously vanished. The leading actor scours the city's night life: a Spanish tavern, a Chinese opium den, a Russian cabaret. But their searches produce no result: no foot belonging to any of the women approached fits Cinderella's missing shoe. Having returned to her wretched daily life, the girl again endures the tyranny of her step-mother and step-sisters.

But the movie star unexpectedly knocks on their door and, unsuccessfully, tries the lost slipper on the feet of the two step-sisters and the step-mother. Then Cinderella shows the actor the other slipper still in her possession. Without hesitation he recognizes the mysterious woman he has been looking for. For the director this is the ideal time to get the young actress to sign her first contract. With her true love beside her , Cinderella enjoys a m moment of bliss that will be captured on film for all eternity.