Monday 14 March 2016

Trap for Cinderella - 2013 film review

Trap for Cinderella, Iain Softley's recent adaptation of a novel written by Sebastien Japrisot sixty years earlier is one of the best psychological thrillers I've seen in years. On release, it met with indifferent reviews (often from film critics who simply don't care for plot twists, it would seem), but if you like classy, convoluted plotting in a movie, and you're willing to suspend disbelief somewhat - a requirement not confined to mysteries, of course - then give this one a go. It's gripping, and very elegantly done.

A fire in a French mansion leaves one young woman dead, and another terribly disfigured. The survivor undergoes extensive reconstructive surgery, but suffers from amnesia. She's told that her name is Mickey, and that she is due shortly to inherit a fortune, on her 21st birthday. Soon she meets an old boyfriend, and discovers a diary written by her dead friend, Do. As she reads the diary, her memory starts to return...

This is a complex story centring upon the intimate friendship between Mickey and Do. They were childhood friends, but a crisis separated them for years. When they meet again, they become very close, but it soon becomes apparent that Do's devotion to Mickey has its unhealthy side. What happened in the past, and can Mickey trust those who claim to have her best interests at heart.

Mickey is played by the brilliant Tuppence Middleton, who is rapidly become one of the actors I most enjoy watching. Do is equally well played by Alexandra Roach, while the cast also includes Aneurin Barnard and Frances De La Tour. There are a couple of plot elements which one can quibble about - concerning Do's psychology, and the content of the crucial will - but overall, the story moves so briskly and so entertainingly that these didn't bother me much. Japrisot is a very entertaining writer, and I think he'd have been well satisfied with this adaptation. (The book was filmed in  France back n the 60s, incidentally, and Jean Anouilh was one of the scriptwriters.)


6 comments:

Elgin Bleecker said...

Martin – Thanks for the review. I have not seen this one. Some of Japrisot’s novels have been turned into good movies like Jeunet’s A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, and an early Costa-Gavras picture, THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS.

Martin Edwards said...

They are definitely on my list of films to track down, Elgin!

Clothes In Books said...

I've not heard of this, but am off to hunt it down - I think Ian Softley is a great director, I'm a fan of Japrisot and I love films like this (particularly on a cold Sunday afternoon...). We need this one in my house.

Fiona said...

Reading your description I can't help thinking of a Christie I read recently...it's taken me a couple of days to track it down: am I close with A Murder is Announced?

Martin Edwards said...

Moira, I feel optimistic that you like it. To me, it's very under-rated as a film. The book is also a good read.

Martin Edwards said...

Fiona, I am a big fan of A Murder is Announced, and there is one common element with A Trap for Cinderella, which may help to explain why I like both stories, though overall they are very different.