From the moment the storybook opens we find out that romance is the predominant visual theme of the film. What a lovely way to take us into this world through gorgeous book illustrations and the soulful narration by Betty Lou Gerson ( who would later voice Cruella De Vil). Cinderella's background paintings remind me of grand stage sets for a Viennese Operetta by Johann Strauss. Everything is exaggerated in order to enhance a dreamlike, sentimental mood. The movie was made on a shoestring budget, yet the its visual presentation is opulent and luscious. You combine that with rich storytelling, and you get a classic for the ages.