Over the course of a year, we'll be spending our Wednesdays with Walt, having a discussion about each of Disney's animated films...
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Featuring the voice talents of Adriana Caselotti, Lucille LaVerne, Harry Stockwell, Roy Atwell, Pinto Colvig, Otis Harlan, Scotty Mattraw, Billy Gilbert, and Moroni Olsen
Directed by David Hand (supervising director)
Summary (in 150 words or less):
The vain Queen wishes to be the fairest in the land, but one day her Magic Mirror tells her that her stepdaughter, Snow White, is the most beautiful. Angered, the Queen orders Snow White to be killed, but the Hunter that she orders to murder the young girl allows her to escape. Snow White meets up with some little people and befriends them. Once the Queen discovers Snow White is still alive, she disguises herself as an old hag and sets out to kill her.
Let the Discussion Begin...
First, let's mention the mere fact that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first of its kind. True, Walt Disney had made a name for himself with Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, but Snow White was an out-of-the-box milestone when it had its world premiere on December 21, 1937. A full length animated feature, Snow White briefly held the record of the highest grossing sound film of all time upon its release and, to this day, adjusted for inflation, it's one of the top ten grossing movies of all time.
The American Film Institute ranked Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the best animated film of all time and while I certainly recognize it for its cinematic achievements, it's not an honor I would bestow on it. Still, Snow White is entirely successful, holding up extremely well over seventy-five years after its release. Additionally, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was ranked #49 on the AFI's Top 100 Films of All Time list in 1998 and then rose 15 spots to #34 in the revised 2007 edition.
The film was nominated for Best Musical Score at the 10th Academy Awards. The Academy did bestow the film with an Honorary Academy Award stating "[Snow White] is a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field." The honorary award consisted of one regular-sized Oscar statuette and seven miniature ones.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was selected in 1989 to be preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.
The Characters
(The Best...The Worst...The Villains...)
Walt Disney knew that although his creation of Mickey Mouse was perfectly pleasant, when stacked up against the likes of Goofy and Pluto, audiences found him a bit dull. The same can be said of the characters of Snow White and the Prince. The prince, in particularly, is one-note, bland, and the worst animated character in the film. Fortunately for us, he only pays a visit during the film's opening and closing moments. Snow White fares a bit better -- I'd never call her boring -- but Walt knew that he needed something extra to pull the audience in.
Even in a still photo, the Prince makes me yawn.
And that's where the Seven Dwarfs come in. Each with their own distinct personality, the dwarfs provide the comic relief for the audience while never feeling superfluous or unnecessary. The animators and screenwriters seamlessly weave in the little guys' comedic bits with heavier, more story-centric aspects of the plot.
When I watched the film in 2010 (as part of the first incarnation of this series), I had a soft spot for Dopey who seemed like Walt's homage to the silent movie stars of yore like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Dopey doesn't say a word, but is able to convey more than enough through his body language.
Voiced by Pinto Colvig -- the original voice of Goofy -- Grumpy managed to take the top spot for favorite character upon my re-watch in 2013 thanks to his fortunate scripting of clever one-liners and constant curmudgeonliness.
And then we get Disney's first attempt at creating a villain in the Evil Queen...and she's a doozy. Although not greatly developed beyond her vanity, her obsession with beauty is surprisingly effective in its nastiness. Her change into the old hag in order to kill Snow White is kind of ironic in a way -- in order to become the fairest one of all, she must become the ugliest character in the film. Her scenes in the movie are truly the most effective, exuding a definite horror vibe (somewhat reminiscent of old Dracula flicks in its gothicness) with tension levels ratcheted up whenever she's on screen plotting Snow White's demise. And let's be blunt here -- this woman wants to cut out some girl's heart just so she can be deemed the prettiest in the land. That's devilishly frightening and a plotline that likely wouldn't even be touched in an animated film today.
But a bloody heart will just ruin that pretty box...
The Music
As will be the case in many Disney animated films (especially in the first two-thirds of movies we'll be delving into), the music plays a pivotal role in the overall plot. Composed by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey, the film's eight songs seem completely appropriate for the time period of the film's release. While some may seem dated today, many of them are still successful in what they attempt to convey. I'm sure many hold a soft spot for "Someday My Prince Will Come," but the most enjoyable number to me is "Whistle While You Work." Granted, the song doesn't exactly advance the plot, but it's part of an incredibly clever scene as Snow White gathers her forest friends to help her clean the Dwarfs' dirty cottage.
Least successful is another song sung by Snow White -- "With a Smile and a Song." After frantically running through the forest escaping the Huntsman sent by the Evil Queen to kill her, Snow White sits on the ground and sings to the forest animals that gather around her. The song is much too sweet and gentle to fit naturally into the plot after such a horrific moment for her.
My Favorite Scene
The most effective scene in the film occurs with Snow White running through the woods after being told by the Huntsman that she should flee or else the Evil Queen will kill her. Tree branches become ominous clawed hands attempting to snatch her, the eyes of animals appear evil, logs take on the shape of crocodiles, and the musical score increases the panicked feeling. A very close second is the transformation scene in which the Queen turns herself into a hag. Complete with quick cuts and psychedelic colors, it's a visual treat for the eyes (and even more impressive considering it was crafted so long ago.
Random Thoughts
- The animation really is top notch. With the exception of the hand-drawn nature of Snow White and the Prince (which even Disney himself admitted was a bit of a disappointment), the animators paid such close attention to detail, it's astounding. At the beginning of the film, when Snow White pulls a bucket from the well and water droplets fall off the rope, I was actually somewhat agog. Considering the fact that this was the first of its kind, this type of meticulousness impresses.
- I had no memories whatsoever of the song "Bluddle Uddle Um Dum (The Dwarfs' Washing Song)" and it's surprisingly enjoyable and funny. Why does no one remember this song?
- Dopey isn't 100% silent as I had thought. He lets out a yelp when he first sees Snow White in his bed.
Final Analysis
(Does It Belong in the Revered Disney Pantheon and How Does It Stack Up to Past Films?)
Undoubtedly, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs deserves its "classic" status and a place in the Disney Pantheon. The animation is spectacular particularly considering that it's all 100% painstakingly hand-drawn.
It's not a perfect film. As I mentioned, the Prince and Snow White herself are a bit bland and the second act in which Snow White meets the Dwarfs is awfully cute, but overstays its welcome just a tiny bit. Despite this, credit must be given to Walt Disney and his team because despite a likable, though slightly boring main character and some extraneous subplots involving little men, we still get a great film when all is said and done.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs holds up incredibly well in all aspects -- animation, character development, music. If you haven't seen this one in a while, you owe it to yourself to give it another look. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
The RyMickey Rating: B+
Join us next Wednesday for Pinocchio, the second film in the Disney Discussion
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