by Sarika Rao
The Brothers’ Grimm wrote a memorable fairy tale called Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, a story with themes that exist outside their own, but is nevertheless still familiar to many. This story remained well known in the 20th century, and Walt Disney decided to adapt it for his first full-length animated feature film. The movie generally follows the Grimm story but was also adapted to reflect American culture at the time. In fact, the movie followed the “pattern of the romantic comedies” (Wright 99) that were popular at the time. Disney actually added the idea that “Snow White could be roused from her death sleep only by love’s first kiss” (Wright 104) a popular theme that would later appear in the Disney canon. He also turned the grumpy dwarves into the film’s comic relief by including “running gag and comic repetitions, both visual and verbal” by involving their unique characteristics and humor (Allan 37).
The adaptation did not, however, transform Snow White’s traditional gender role. She stays in her rightful place, inside the home, something women in the 1930’s could understand (Layng P17). Snow White, known for her exceeding beauty, is an object of severe envy and love. Her beauty serves two purposes: it creates and solves the movie’s conflict (Layng P14) but she ultimately remains an object with little freedom. One major difference in the adaptation occurred when Disney made older than the story. She becomes, through her domestic duties and care for the animals, a “mother figure” while still retaining her childlike manner (Allan 60). This ambiguity made her a safe heroine who still appealed to children and adults alike.
The movie became a huge success, both critically and commercially, and remains to this day one of the biggest money-makers in film history (Layng P2). It also transformed animated films into a new genre, giving entire families something to watch and enjoy which continues into the 21st century.
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