People are urging Disney to revamp the plot of Snow White for modern times.
Released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney’s first full-length animated film and has become a childhood classic for many. The movie, inspired by the Brothers Grimm’s German fairytale, tells the story of a princess who befriends seven dwarfs after being exiled by her wicked stepmother.
While the United States Library of Congress has recognized the film as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” according to the Los Angeles Times, some modern audiences feel it’s time for an update.
Several Disney films that once brought joy to many are now being looked at in a much darker light, with one person tweeting: “As a kid, I never knew how dark and sinister some scenes were.”
Another X (formerly Twitter) user tweets: “You ever go back and watch some of the Disney animated movies that came out when we were kids and realized how damn dark and not really for kids they were?”
In regards to Snow White, one scene in particular has sparked a fierce debate.
Toward the end of the movie, there’s a well-known scene where the prince, heartbroken by Snow White’s apparent death, kisses her. However, some viewers now find this sequence outdated and problematic.
During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, journalist and broadcaster Nichi Hodgson argued that the scene sends a confusing message about consent. She noted that Disney added the kiss, which wasn’t in the original Brothers Grimm story.
“Disney has a moral duty. They can be an ethical business if they want to be. They make billions every year from their films. Children watch their films from a very young age, and these are some of the first stories they encounter,” Hodgson stated.
Even celebrities have joined the discussion. Actress Kristen Bell shared with Parents magazine that she had a serious conversation with her children about the kissing scene, saying, “Don’t you think it’s weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission? Because you cannot kiss someone if they’re sleeping!”
But not everyone agrees the original story should be changed, with one person penning: “I think it’s great we’re opening up the conversation about consent, but people blaming Disney – a romantic kiss at the end of a movie isn’t the reason teenagers become confused about consent.”
Another adds: “It’s a fairytale, leave Disney alone.”
“I’d argue that Snow White would readily give her consent to be kissed since not kissing her would condemn her to eternal sleep,” someone else argues.
A fourth person agrees, writing: “I can’t believe they’re saying Snow White is wrong now! Why not look at it as the kiss of life?”
The debate flared up again after Disneyland, California, revamped the Snow White Enchanted Wish ride, which now ends with the prince kissing Snow White. In a review for SFGATE, Julie Tremaine and Katie Dowd criticized this addition, calling it the “movie’s biggest problem.”
“Haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue?” the review asks. “Teaching kids that kissing without establishing mutual consent is not okay.”
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