The 1929 Popelka is weird, silent, and surprisingly fun

If you are looking for a version of Cinderella with singing birds and a pumpkin carriage that looks like a toy, skip this. But if you have about an hour and want to see what people in the late 1920s thought was magical, you should definitely give it a look.

It is perfect for people who like that grainy, flickering look of old film. If you get bored when people don't talk for five minutes, you will probably hate it.

Honestly, I went into this expecting it to be a bit of a chore. Most silent films from this era that aren't big Hollywood hits can feel like watching paint dry.

But Popelka is actually pretty charming in its own clunky way. Zdena Listová, who plays Cinderella, has these eyes that are just... huge.

She does a lot of work with just her face. Sometimes she looks genuinely exhausted from the housework, which makes a lot of sense.

The Stepmother is Actually Scary

The stepmother, played by Milka Balek-Brodská, is the real standout for me. She doesn't have to say a word to make you feel like she’s about to ruin someone's life.

Her makeup is a bit heavy, which was common then, but it makes her look like a hawk. Every time she stares at the camera, I felt a little bit nervous for the actress.

There is a scene where they are picking through lentils or seeds in the ash. It feels much more tedious and annoying here than in the cartoons.

You can almost feel the grit under their fingernails. It’s a small detail, but it made the whole "poor girl" thing feel way more real.

• The prince has a very serious mustache.
• The costumes look like they weigh about fifty pounds each.
• There is a lot of dramatic cape-swishing.

The pacing is a bit all over the place. Some scenes where they are just walking through the woods feel like they go on forever.

Then, the actual magic happens and it’s over in like three seconds. It’s almost like the director ran out of film or got bored of the special effects.

Speaking of effects, they are very simple. Dissolves and double exposures. They don't look real, obviously, but they have a dreamy quality that I liked.

It reminded me a bit of the style in A Nagymama, which also had that distinct European folk feeling. It's not trying to be a big flashy spectacle like The Masks of the Devil.

The Shoe Scene

When we get to the part with the slipper, the movie gets surprisingly funny. The sisters trying to cram their feet into that tiny shoe is basically physical comedy.

One of them makes a face that is so distorted it almost looks like a horror movie. I had to rewind it because it was so sudden.

The prince stands there looking mostly confused. To be fair, he doesn't have a lot to do in this version besides look handsome and hold a shoe.

The ending feels a bit rushed. One minute they are at the ball, the next minute they are getting married and the screen says "The End."

I would have liked to see the stepmother get a bit more of a comeuppance. She just kind of disappears from the plot once the shoe fits.

If you have seen things like A Lost Lady, you know that silent films can be hit or miss with their drama. This one leans more into the "sweet folk tale" side of things.

It’s not a masterpiece that will change your life. But it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon if you want to see a familiar story told in a way that feels very old and very quiet.

The music on the version I watched was a bit loud and didn't always match the mood. Sometimes it sounded like a circus was happening during a sad scene.

Just keep your expectations grounded. It's a 1929 film about a girl and a shoe. It’s simple.

I liked the forest scenes the most. The way the light hits the trees looks really beautiful in black and white.

It makes the whole world feel a bit more haunted than the Disney version. Less glitter, more shadows. 🏰

Anyway, it's worth a watch if you're into film history or just want to see a prince with a really intense facial hair situation.