When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq, and from her Fairy Godmother.
After being snubbed by the royal family, a malevolent fairy places a curse on a princess which only a prince can break, along with the help of three good fairies.
When a litter of Dalmatian puppies are abducted by the minions of Cruella de Vil, the parents must find them before she uses them for a diabolical fashion statement.
The beautiful and kindhearted princess Snow White charms every creature in the kingdom except one - her jealous stepmother, the Queen. When the Magic Mirror proclaims Snow White the fairest one of all, she must flee into the forest, where she befriends the lovable seven dwarfs - Doc, Sneezy, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, and Dopey. But when the Queen tricks Snow White with an enchanted apple, only the magic of true love's kiss can save her.Written by
Lesley (from the back of the Snow White DVD)
Happy was the only dwarf that Snow White does not refer to by name. See more »
Goofs
During "The Silly Song", Dopey puts a cymbal over his head and imitates a Chinese man (a gag audiences would find offensive today). Given his isolation and developmental disabilities, it is highly unlikely that Dopey would be aware of the existence of China or of Asian people. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Queen:
Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space, through wind and darkness I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face.
Magic Mirror:
What wouldst thou know, my Queen?
Queen:
Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?
Magic Mirror:
Famed is thy beauty, Majesty. But hold, a lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace. Alas, she is more fair than thee.
Queen:
Alas for her! Reveal her name.
Magic Mirror:
Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow.
Queen:
Snow White!
See more »
Crazy Credits
None of the actors in this film were credited. See more »
Alternate Versions
It has a complicated censorship history in the UK and was once censored.
In 1938, it was passed A uncut, meaning it was restricted to viewers aged 16 and over unless accompanied by an adult.
In 1953, RKO resubmitted the film in the hope of lowering the original decision to a U for a 1954 re-release. The BBFC refused to do so unless the following cuts were made:
Remove sounds of screaming and sight of clutching hands from the forest sequence.
Reduce sound effects in the Queen's transformation sequence.
Remove the sight of a skeleton in the poison apple sequence.
Remove the sound of the witch screaming as she falls from the rocks.
RKO declined to make the cuts so appealed the decision to the local authorities where the film was to be shown - councils have the power to overturn the BBFC's theatrical decisions (which very rarely happens). The results were mixed - some lowered it to a U and others stuck with the BBFC's A decision.
For the 1964 re-release, RKO relented and made the cuts, as it would be less confusing for the film to play with the same certificate nationwide.
Only in 1987 was it finally passed uncut at U, for the 50th anniversary cinema re-release. Examiners noted that each scare was either followed by a joke within the same scene or a reassuring scene immediately afterwards (e.g. "Thirsty? Have a drink!" when the witch spots the skeleton and kicks a bucket of water at him, or the animals comforting Snow White after her ordeal in the forest).
The uncut U decision has been upheld for video submissions in 1994, 1996 and 2009, as well as for cinema in 2016. The current 'insight' (official content description) states it contains "very mild scary scenes, threat". See more »
Grimm's Fairy Tale source lends beautiful darkness to Queen's scenes / Disney cuteness + classic songs in dwarf scenes make for excellent children's viewing. The only scenes i remember from my childhood, how
Snow White is the fairest one of all. The queen wants to be number one, so decides to come after her. Snow White, cut loose from the castle, stumbles upon a hut where seven dwarves are living - which is where the Queen comes for her, in disguise, with a poison apple...
This has classic written all over it. Disney's first major feature, the grand debut, cements the major features of those to come. It draws from very dark but fantastic material, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and alternates scenes of evocative darkness (the Queen's castle, the man sent to cut Snow White's heart out, and the forest that's alive, are some brilliant examples) with scenes of superlative cuteness and song and dance numbers.
Drawbacks:
There are some beautiful compositions, but the movement of the animation is not as fluid as it would become, even with Pinnochio, Disney's very next feature. Plus, the singing styles are very 1930's opera-style. I can see why i always used to just think of songs during musicals as things i had to wait through till the story got going again - its because almost every song in Snow White doesn't advance the story. Great musical numbers, like the ones in West Side Story, do. They don't feel like we're just waiting around. When most of the Snow White songs come on, the story gets put on hold.
Snow White is too naive, plain and perfect a character to hold our interest these days. Contemporary audiences just don't worship "perfect" people like this. Plus, the attempts at animation of real people is not good. Snow White and the Prince in particular just don't work - whereas the cartoony dwarves really come alive. Try watching her face when she talks.
Highlights:
All of the Queen's scenes are absolute gems, actually. And the dwarves are great. Seven great characters.
One of the best things Disney ever did was the Queen's angry walk down the staircase to the dungeon, and her subsequent making of a potion to transform herself into an old witch. The way the liquid she's mixing comes alive is fantastic, and the close-ups on the crow sitting on the skull are a nice touch.
The poison flooding towards the centre of the pot, engulfing the apple, and the jack o'lantern face on it afterwards.
Some of Disney's most classic songs come from Snow White: Whistle While You Work, Heigh Ho (its off to work we go), and one of the most beautiful Disney songs ever, Some Day My Prince Will Come.
There's also a very memorable piece of theme music that plays during the climactic storm scene.
10/10. An essential, marvellous work. A thing to see.
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Snow White is the fairest one of all. The queen wants to be number one, so decides to come after her. Snow White, cut loose from the castle, stumbles upon a hut where seven dwarves are living - which is where the Queen comes for her, in disguise, with a poison apple...
This has classic written all over it. Disney's first major feature, the grand debut, cements the major features of those to come. It draws from very dark but fantastic material, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and alternates scenes of evocative darkness (the Queen's castle, the man sent to cut Snow White's heart out, and the forest that's alive, are some brilliant examples) with scenes of superlative cuteness and song and dance numbers.
Drawbacks:
There are some beautiful compositions, but the movement of the animation is not as fluid as it would become, even with Pinnochio, Disney's very next feature. Plus, the singing styles are very 1930's opera-style. I can see why i always used to just think of songs during musicals as things i had to wait through till the story got going again - its because almost every song in Snow White doesn't advance the story. Great musical numbers, like the ones in West Side Story, do. They don't feel like we're just waiting around. When most of the Snow White songs come on, the story gets put on hold.
Snow White is too naive, plain and perfect a character to hold our interest these days. Contemporary audiences just don't worship "perfect" people like this. Plus, the attempts at animation of real people is not good. Snow White and the Prince in particular just don't work - whereas the cartoony dwarves really come alive. Try watching her face when she talks.
Highlights:
All of the Queen's scenes are absolute gems, actually. And the dwarves are great. Seven great characters.
One of the best things Disney ever did was the Queen's angry walk down the staircase to the dungeon, and her subsequent making of a potion to transform herself into an old witch. The way the liquid she's mixing comes alive is fantastic, and the close-ups on the crow sitting on the skull are a nice touch.
The poison flooding towards the centre of the pot, engulfing the apple, and the jack o'lantern face on it afterwards.
Some of Disney's most classic songs come from Snow White: Whistle While You Work, Heigh Ho (its off to work we go), and one of the most beautiful Disney songs ever, Some Day My Prince Will Come.
There's also a very memorable piece of theme music that plays during the climactic storm scene.
10/10. An essential, marvellous work. A thing to see.