The history and the making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Walt Disney Studios didn’t have a feature-length film collection. They made animated shorts for the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies series. But, Walt Disney wanted to take a risk with the company and make the first full-length cel animated feature.
It was the evening of 1934 that Walt Disney first approached a group of animators for their next big project. According to Den of Geek, he spent four hours acting out the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The plot follows a fairytale princess who escapes her evil stepmother and finds refuge with seven friendly dwarfs who live in a forest.
Drawing 90 minutes worth of animation would be challenging, as well as financing this risky project during the Great Depression. Walt and Roy Disney estimated that their budget would be between $250,000-$500,000— about ten times the amount of a Disney short. Disney was betting everything on this movie. If the film failed, so would the studio.
Walt Disney wanted more realistic animation to be featured in this innovative film. Animators studied life drawings and spent thousands of drawings to come up with the look and movement of the characters. For example, figuring out how a long, flowing beard would move during a head shake. Live actors were actually used to perform some of the characters’ actions to add to the realism, crafting them with a human emotional resonance rather than a Betty Boop-style. By the end of the film’s production, 1,500 shades of paint were created.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs required 750 artists to partake in this project. Costs continued to soar for three years, and the project went way over budget. Disney would need $250,000 more to complete the film. This would push the overall cost of the budget to what was considered a very high one at the time: $1.7 million. Fearing the bank wasn’t going to continue lending the production any more money, Roy Disney had the idea for his brother to show the bank the work they’ve done on the film so far. Walt took his brother's advice and held a private screening for the Vice President of Bank of America Joseph Rosenberg. By the end of the footage shown, Rosenberg said, “Walt, that picture will make a pot full of money" (CBC). Therefore, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was able to make its winter deadline.
What are the themes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?
There are a number of themes in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that educators teaching films can discuss with their students. This fairy tale classic will show audiences the contrast between good and evil. Snow White represents good for being kind to all creatures who meet her. The Evil Queen represents wickedness for wanting to do whatever it takes to kill Snow White for being “the fairest of them all.” The seven dwarfs also represent good for taking in Snow White and protecting her against the Evil Queen.
True love is another important theme. As soon as the Prince hears Snow White singing, he’s smitten. After she takes a bite out of the poisoned apple, his kiss revives her. It proves the Evil Queen doesn’t feel love, but solely vanity which leads to her downfall. It’s also about the true love Snow White has for the seven dwarfs. She shows her love to them by helping with the housework and in return, they provide her with fun and safety.
How was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs received by critics and audiences?
The premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was held at the Carthay Circle Theatre on December 21st, 1937. It received a standing ovation and became a major box-office success earning rentals of $4.2 million in the United States and Canada. At the time, it was the most successful sound film. With a budget of $1.49 million, it earned a box office of $418 million through its original release and several re-releases.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ended up being an enormous success. Critics felt that Walt Disney truly outdid himself in using animation to capture human emotions and authenticity while still retaining a sense of fairytale wonder. At the 11th Academy Awards, child star Shirley Temple presented Walt Disney with a full-size Oscar statue and seven miniature ones for the Academy Honorary Award. The animated film also received a nomination for Best Musical Score, with memorable songs such as “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and “Heigh Ho."
The legacy of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Well-known filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein and Charlie Chaplin regarded Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as a landmark of cinema. MGM even used Walt Disney’s beloved animated feature as inspiration for The Wizard of Oz two years later.
Since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was considered one of the greatest animated films in history, and a critical and financial success, it inspired countless merchandise, a Broadway musical adaptation, theme park rides, and video games. $4.5 million of the film’s profits were used to create a new studio in Burbank where Walt Disney Studios still exists. In two years, Walt Disney Studios made successful classics like Pinocchio and Fantasia. There’s even going to be a Disney remake coming out in 2024 starring West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is truly a masterpiece. Walt and Roy Disney really poured their creativity, time, money, and heart into the project. It could have made or broken the company, but instead brought Walt Disney Studios to life for the next 85 years.