The year is 1935, and two men are being honored by the League of Nations in Paris for their creation of a certain cartoon mouse…

These men were, of course, Walter and Roy Disney. They became famous for their cartoon shorts, but shorts can only tell so much of a story. They also can only earn so much of a profit. While visiting in Europe, an idea is thought to have been reinforced in Walt’s mind.

Disney noticed a Paris theatre played six Disney shorts consecutively. If that could keep the attention of the audience, could a feature length film be successful? It was a novel idea in the United States, which had yet to see a full-length animated feature in English and technicolor. If he could pull this off, it’d rocket his production company to new heights. All they needed was the right story. At first, Walt thought of doing Babes in Toyland, Rip Van Winkle, or an animation/live-action version of Alice in Wonderland. Ultimately, he settled on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Origins of a Story

The story of Little Snow-White is a 19th-century fairy tale that appeared in the first edition of Grimms’ Fairy Tales in 1812. Known as “Sneewittchen” in German, it includes many of the elements that were later found in the animated film. Of course, the seven dwarfs are present, though unnamed. The Wicked Queen, with her magic mirror, also features as the primary antagonist. There is even the poisoned apple. Disney did take some creative license with the story, however.

One of the biggest changes is that the Wicked Queen originally tricks Snow White three times, not once.

One of the biggest changes is that, in the original tale, the Wicked Queen originally tricks Snow White three times, instead of only once. The first time is with magic laces, which she uses to tie Snow White’s bodice too tight, making her pass out. Next, she combs Snow White’s hair with a poisoned comb, causing her to faint again. Both times, the dwarfs save Snow White. Finally, the Wicked Queen tricks her to eat the poisoned apple, which puts Snow White in a state of suspended animation. Snow White is only saved when a prince sees her in her glass casket and lifts the casket to take it home. This knocks the bite of apple out of Snow White’s mouth, waking her. In Disney’s film adaptation, the Prince doesn’t lift the casket, but instead, wakes Snow White with a kiss.

The Wicked Queen’s fate is also slightly different in the original tale. Instead of falling to her death, as she did in the film, the Wicked Queen is forced to dance to death in red-hot iron slippers. That was probably a good change to make for a family film.

In Production

The earliest work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs began a year before Walt and Roy’s trip to Europe, in 1934. At this time, Disney’s team developed an 18-page story outline. Early in production, Disney decided that the focus of the film would be the dwarfs, whom he felt were ripe for gags. At first, the names of the dwarfs were very up in the air, with over 50 to choose from. The team eventually picked them through process of elimination.

At first, the names of the dwarfs were very up in the air, with over 50 to choose from!

Originally, the film’s outline was much more comical than the final product and included a sequence where the Wicked Queen captures the Prince in attempt to get him to marry her. The next draft removed some of the comedy and developed the Queen’s character some more. Walt Disney personally took charge of much of the story’s development through the end of the year.

Despite its progress, the studio took a hiatus on the production until the fall of 1935. It’s believed that Walt’s trip to Europe reinvigorated his confidence in the project. In later drafts, the team shifted the focus of the film from the dwarfs to Snow White and the Queen. This meant cutting many of the humorous scenes between the dwarfs to give the film a tighter story.

As for the animation, the studio employed a team of both classically-trained illustrators and newspaper cartoonists, giving the team a mix of experiences. They used several different techniques like rotoscoping to create the film.

Its Legacy

Originally called Disney’s Folly during production, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs received a standing ovation at its premiere on December 21, 1937. The film was a critical and financial success, and was the highest grossing film of all time until it was replaced by Gone with the Wind in 1940. It received an honorary Academy Award, along with seven miniatures. And to this day, it’s praised for its art, music, and story, and is held as the standard for animation films.

Over the next few decades, the studio went on an unprecedented run of success, creating some of the most celebrated animated films ever.

Perhaps the greatest outcome of Snow White was its effect on Walt Disney Animation Studios. Now that they knew full length animated films were profitable, Disney experienced a golden age of production. Over the next few decades, the studio went on an unprecedented run of success, creating some of the most celebrated animated films ever. The Walt Disney Company has continued to grow, becoming one of the largest media companies in the world.

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For a film many thought would be a massive failure for Disney, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has remained one of the most influential films of all time, live-action or animated. In the end, film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes says it best, “With its involving story and characters, vibrant art, and memorable songs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs set the animation standard for decades to come.”