When we think of fairy tales, we think of improbable stories with happy endings: Jack and the beanstalk, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel. But the reason that the fairy tale has survived is that it reflects so well the real concerns of its audiences. No one knew this better than Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote so many of them, filled with pain and hope. We may have mutated them to fit a namby -pamby image of adults who think that children are not filled with fears and despise being talked down to. Andersen never wrote down to his audience, and Disney was never concerned about hitting those notes in his movies.
I agree with them. There's no way to tell this story without embracing the misery of an unloved child. This film does not fail that remit.
I agree with them. There's no way to tell this story without embracing the misery of an unloved child. This film does not fail that remit.