Animation Celebration Saturday - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Disney, 1937
Voices of Adriana Caselotti, Lucile LaVerne, Harry Stockwell, and Pinto Colvig
Directed by David Hand, Wilfred Jackson, and others
Music by Frank Churchill; Lyrics by Larry Morey

And here's the one that kicked off Disney's beloved Animated "Canon" films. There had been animated movies made before this in Europe, but it had never been attempted in the US. Other studios called it "Walt's Folly" and thought it would never catch on. They couldn't have been more wrong. The movie was a sensation, capturing the imaginations of audiences and critics alike. Does it still measure up to that adoration today? Let's head to the courtyard of the Evil Queen's (LaVerne) castle and finds out...

The Story: The Queen is deeply jealous of sweet and pretty Snow White, forcing her to work as a scullery maid. That doesn't stop her from encountering a handsome prince (Stockwell) while cleaning the courtyard. When her magic mirror tells her that Snow White is now the "fairest of them all," She sends her huntsman (Stuart Buchanan) to kill the girl, but he doesn't have the heart and sends her into the woods.

She ends up in the home of the Seven Dwarfs, a septet of diminutive miners. They don't know what to do with her at first, until she tells them she's willing to keep house and cook for them. The Queen, however, has figured out that she's still alive, and she'll do anything to eliminate the competition - including turning herself into a hag and bringing the girl a poisoned apple herself!

The Animation: We're looking at real history here, folks. Walt and his animators had been developing this since at least 1934, and the work shows. It's leaps and bounds above their previous shorts, with fairly realistic movement in the characters and lush watercolor backgrounds, especially during Snow White's flight through the forest and when the Dwarfs are chasing the Evil Queen in the finale.

The Song and Dance: This is another Disney animated film where the supporting cast pretty much steals the show. The Dwarfs are so funny and have such distinct personalities that it's hard for many people to think of the story without them. The Evil Queen is so cold and scary, she even spooked Walt Disney, who swore he'd never do a villain that frightening again. (That didn't last long.) The musical score by Leigh Harline is lush and beautiful, starting a long tradition of stunning orchestra scores for Disney animated features.

Favorite Number: The movie starts in stirring fashion with not one, but two ravishing ballads, Snow White's lovely "I'm Wishing" over a well, and the Prince's gorgeous "One Song" under her balcony. The Dwarfs are introduced in the mine with their famous marching song, "Heigh Ho." Snow White and the Dwarfs have fun with their big chorus number "The Silly Song"; one could spend a viewing alone checking out the details in that one, from the creative wooden instruments to Snow White's fairly smooth movements. Her "Someday My Prince Will Come" was the major hit, and remains one of the most popular ballads from any Disney animated film.

What I Don't Like: Once again, the problem is with the leads. Snow White is sticky-sweet and horribly cutesy. Her prince is even less interesting, showing up in the beginning and the end and not doing much else. The Queen, as scary as she is, doesn't really have much to her, either.

Also, as sweet as the movie can be at times, it can also be very dark, particularly where the Queen is involved. The spooky atmosphere makes this a little too dark for very young princesses and anyone who expecting all sweetness and light.

The Big Finale: Not my favorite Disney movie, but it is the first animated film, and it does have great music, a decent villain, and the very funny Dwarfs. Might still be a lot of fun for romantic older kids and adults who love animation history or fairy tales.

Home Media: Easily found on all formats and for purchase on streaming.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (buy only)