Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs might be getting a poor critical reception, but the original Disney Princess movie from 1937 remains a timeless gem. Walt Disney’s Snow White is one of the most groundbreaking films ever made. It was the first ever cel animated feature film, and the first animated feature film to be produced in the United States — and it got the country’s history of animation on the big screen off to a terrific start. Snow White has an energy and vibrancy that’s rarely seen in movies from the 1930s.
With its campy villain taking on a lovable protagonist with a heart of gold by way of a series of musical numbers, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs laid all the groundwork for the Disney Princess formula — and perfected it right out of the gate. Dopey was the precursor to every adorable scene-stealing side character from Flounder to Olaf. In its first act, Snow White sets up a conflict for the princess to overcome. In its second act, it shows the princess embracing the found family of her new friends. And in the third act, her newfound friends help her resolve her initial conflict.
Helmed by a sprawling team of sequence directors under Disney’s supervision, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has a very pleasing visual style, with a soft but vibrant color palette that’s easy on the eyes. It’s no wonder why Disney became the first name in animation. Snow White’s characters all exude oodles of personality through their expressive faces and loud body language, and the compositions are deeply cinematic; when the Evil Queen goes down to her dungeon, she casts a long, foreboding shadow by candlelight.
Snow White’s Soundtrack Has Catchy Songs & A Perfect Incidental Score
Snow White Tells Its Story Through Music
Frank Churchill and Larry Morey’s Snow White songs established the Mouse House’s penchant for earworms. “Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work” are just as catchy as “You’re Welcome” and “The Bare Necessities.” “Someday My Prince Will Come” might not carry the best message, but it’s an unforgettable tune. But those songs aren’t the most memorable contribution to this soundtrack; Paul J. Smith and Leigh Harline’s incidental music brings real magic to the movie.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is now streaming on Disney+.
As any great film score should, Smith and Harline tell the story through melodies. If you closed your eyes during the movie, their score would still give you a good idea of what’s happening onscreen. Their music has a gentle lilt when Snow White is enjoying the company of her cutesy animal friends, then switches to an intense, fast-paced roar as she flees from her would-be ᴀssᴀssin through the dark, gloomy woods.
Snow White Hasn’t Aged Perfectly, But It’s Still A Wonderful Film
A Couple Of Problematic Messages Aside, It’s A Delight
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs doesn’t have as many laughs as modern Disney movies, but it still has some great gags, like Happy yodeling during “The Silly Song,” two squirrels sweeping dust into an angry mouse’s home, and a tortoise using its teeth to climb up the stairs to the bedroom. That last gag is made even funnier when Snow White and the other animals get upstairs and settle down to sleep, and a perfectly timed cut shows that the poor tortoise is still desperately trying to make his way up the stairs, only to fall back to the bottom.
It’s perfectly paced, gorgeously animated, and anchored by lovable characters.
There are some parts of Snow White that haven’t aged well, like the damsel-in-distress trope, the stereotypical gender roles, the notorious non-consensual kiss, and the problematic message that beauty is the most important thing. But it still holds up better than most movies of its era. It’s perfectly paced, gorgeously animated, and anchored by lovable characters. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made animation history and marked a handful of cinematic milestones, but it’s also just a really enjoyable movie.
