Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – Review

When Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released back in 1937 it wasn’t just another movie, it was a groundbreaking moment in cinematic history. Disney’s first-ever full-length animated feature film marked the beginning of an empire that would go on to shape the childhoods of generations.

The film tells the story of Snow White (Adriana Caselotti), a princess with skin as white as snow, lips as red as roses and hair as black as ebony. Fleeing from her wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne), Snow White finds refuge in the cottage of seven dwarfs who quickly fall under her spell of sweet naivety and kindness. With their help, she escapes the queen’s deadly plots but the iconic poisoned apple threatens her happy ending—until a prince’s (Harry Stockwell) kiss breaks the curse and they ride off into the sunset. And while a happy ending was pretty much guaranteed I bet a tear or two will be shed before we reach the end title card.

I hope the Prince found her forwarding address.

The narrative is straightforward, yet it carries a timeless appeal and it is Snow White herself, with her innocent beauty and kind heart, that carries us along on this magical journey. She is the quintessential Disney princess and her interactions with the seven dwarfs are endearing, with each dwarf having a distinct personality that adds to the film’s charm. From Grumpy’s constant scowling to Dopey’s lovable antics, these characters have left an indelible mark on popular culture.

Note: The Evil Queen, with her iconic transformation into the Wicked Witch, stands as one of Disney’s most memorable villains. Her malevolence is palpable, yet it’s executed with a sense of elegance that makes her both terrifying and fascinating.

There have always been claims of Disneyfication of classic tales and while many changes have been made from Grimm’s fairy tale to that of the Walt Disney version it’s not as if those original tales were written in stone. In the original version of “Snow White” by the Brothers Grimm, the Evil Queen is Snow White’s biological mother and it was the Brothers themselves who later revised the tale and turned her into a stepmother, apparently to make the folk tale more suitable for children. That’s not to say Disney didn’t make a lot of changes and I’ve listed a few interesting alterations below, and some you can fully understand why some of these changes were made.

“Are you afraid of censors, my dear child?”

Things Found in the Grimm Version:

• Wicked Queen does not want Snow White’s heart. She wants Snow White’s lungs and liver, and when the Huntsman brings her a boar’s insides to her, she boils them and eats them, thinking that they are Snow White’s.
• It takes three attempts to kill Snow White and each time the Wicked Queen uses the same disguise.
• Snow White is awakened when a servant drops the coffin and a piece of the poison apple dislodges from Snow White’s throat and she is brought back to life.
• The Wicked Queen is invited to Snow White’s wedding but when she gets there, she is forced to wear a pair of red-hot iron shoes. She is forced to dance in these shoes until she drops dead.

That sounds horrible, I’d rather fall off a cliff.

The animation, even by today’s standards, is breathtaking. Every frame is rich with detail, from the lush, hand-painted backgrounds to the fluid movements of the characters. The colours are vibrant, bringing to life the enchanted forests, the cozy cottage, and the evil queen’s dark castle. For a film made in the 1930s, the level of detail and fluidity in the characters’ movements is nothing short of revolutionary. The rich colours and beautifully hand-drawn scenes bring the fairy tale to life with a vibrancy that has scarcely been matched since.  This is a film I can watch on repeat simply because of the visuals.

A storybook literally comes to life.

The colours are vibrant, bringing to life the enchanted forests, the cozy cottage, and the evil queen’s dark castle. Each character, from the lovable dwarfs to the terrifying Evil Queen, is brought to life with such care that they have become iconic in their own right. The development of multi-plane cameras revolutionized how an animated film could look, allowing the camera to take deep into this fantasy world. The film’s art director was Albert Hurter and he was instrumental in devising the film’s overall Germanic look, incorporating European illustrations and painting techniques into the animation.

This setting doesn’t look at all Grimm.

At the heart of the story is Snow White, a princess whose beauty and kindness are unmatched and while her character might seem simple by modern standards, she embodies the ideal of innocence and goodness that was central to many fairy tales of the time. The dwarfs, each with their own distinct personality, add humour and warmth to the story. They’re not just side characters; they’re integral to the narrative, and their bond with Snow White feels genuine and heartfelt. The film’s villain, the Evil Queen, is iconic in her own right and her transformation into the old hag is one of the most chilling moments in animation history, and her obsession with being “the fairest of them all” drives the plot forward with an intensity that still resonates. Her fate serves as a moral lesson that we can all learn from, like don’t get hung up on your looks.

“Also, maybe ignore things said by magic mirrors.”

It should be noted that while Snow White herself is quite charming she is a rather passive heroine and embodies the traditional, and now outdated, ideals of femininity—demure, obedient, and helpless—waiting for a prince to save her. Her lack of agency is particularly striking when compared to modern animated heroines. This portrayal of Snow White as a one-dimensional character can make it difficult for contemporary audiences to connect with her on a deeper level. Of course, the idea of updating this film with modern sensibilities is probably something better left to madmen and studio executives.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Stray Observations:

• Snow White is the youngest Disney Princess at the age of fourteen, which when looked at through modern eyes does make her riding off into the sunset with the prince a little creepy.
• Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora can all communicate with animals and I must ask “Could these characters be considered as early examples of mutants?”
• The Queens Castle is based on the Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Germany. The same castle was also used in Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
• The Magic Mirror has to explain that the Queen has taken possession of a pig’s heart, rather than a human heart. Lucky for Snow White that the Queen doesn’t know what a human heart looks like.
• If the Queen was worried that someday Snow White’s beauty would surpass her own why not simply use one of her magic potions to give Snow White severe acne? That’s certainly a less severe option than murder.
• The Queen’s spell book describes the Poison Apple as “One taste of the Poison Apple and the victim’s eyes will close forever in the Sleeping Death” but she considers the cure of “True Love’s First Kiss” too unlikely to worry about. This will later bite her in the ass.

This is why contingency plans are so important.

Industry skeptics called it “Disney’s Folly” but instead it became one of the biggest box office hits before World War II – take that skeptics – and if adjusted for inflation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is still the highest-grossing animated film of all time, but the reason for this is not simply because it was “The first animated feature” and something audiences had never seen before. While that is a factor it was the story that made it stand out as its emotional depth and the film’s effortlessly balancing act of lighthearted moments with darker, more intense scenes. The juxtaposition of the whimsical world of the dwarfs with the dark, foreboding atmosphere of the Queen’s lair creates a rich tapestry of emotions that was unparalleled at the time. Speaking of atmosphere and dark elements, Snow White’s run through the dark forest remains one of the most surreal and terrifying moments in cinema.

Note: When this film was first released, theatre seats had to be cleaned or replaced due to the number of times children wet themselves in fear.

Then there is the film’s music, composed by Frank Churchill and Leigh Harline, which is another highlight with songs like “Heigh-Ho,” “Someday My Prince Will Come,” and “Whistle While You Work” not just catchy tunes but have become anthems of the Disney legacy. And while some may feel that they are repetitive and overly simplistic, teetering on the edge of being overly saccharine, I find they perfectly complement the visuals, enhancing the emotional impact of the story. They not only serve the narrative but also enhance the emotional depth of the story, making the film as much a musical as it is a visual feast.

The dwarfs really know how to throw a party.

But perhaps the most remarkable thing about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is its timelessness. While certain aspects of the film reflect the sensibilities of its era, its themes of love, jealousy and the triumph of good over evil are universal, with the film speaking to the child in all of us, reminding us of the magic that can be found in the simplest of stories. And despite being over 80 years old it has lost none of its magic and is a film that transcends time, continuing to captivate and inspire new generations of viewers. As the film that started it all for Disney, it holds a special place in the annals of cinematic history—a timeless gem that will forever be cherished.