When I chose “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” for our 3rd Anniversary episode, I just saw it as a fun opportunity for Madison to have an adventure as a Disney Princess. But it does fall into our overall theme of pointing out the sexism in old time radio. And with the Disney live action movie on-again-off-again, it made me want to think on what it was like to adapt “Snow White.”
So I watched the original film before setting down with the Lux Radio Theatre script, just to get into the mood of the story. For regular OTR shows, I go on a steady diet of the series as I write, so this was par for the course. And where we can easily discuss how innovative the original film was, being the first full length animated movie, the techniques Disney and his team invented that changed animated movie making forever… let’s just talk story.
Prince Charming
In recent years, the trope of a man saving a woman, or the long history of Disney Princesses starring in their own films as the heroines but needing to be saved by a two dimensional prince, has been talked about and written about and memed about to death. And while I agree with wanting young girls to see a more proactive female lead, let’s not throw all of the blame on Prince Charming. The dude merely book ends the movie. I do think it’s gross that he breaks into her private garden and then chases her all over the place while trying to manhandle her. It is REALLY sending the wrong message. Not only to how men should act, but that age old “good girls put up a fight.” Gag. But Prince Charming kissing Snow White to “save” her is only part of her being saved.
The Huntsman
I skipped over this scene for our adaptation, but the first man to “save” Snow White is the Huntsman who decides the woman who writes his paychecks isn’t worth listening to. So it’s a man’s decision (because well, golly, Snow White is just so sweet and pretty) that saves Snow White the first time.
The Dwarfs
So Snow White flees and ends up with these seven men. And while I’ve read reports that the new live action script decided “dwarfs” wasn’t PC and instead made them all “magical creatures” males, females, and a variety of races. The only reaction I have to that is dwarfs is not a slur. They are creatures from folklore appearing in generations of storytelling. So, moving on. Let’s focus on how Snow White and the Dwarfs interact.
Snow White believes in order to prove her worth, she has to clean the messy home or the inhabitants of the house won’t let her stay. How about that as a message to little girl? Keep your head down, clean up after everyone and you will have value. At first the Dwarfs actually do want to kill Snow White. And Grumpy does say she’s full of “wicked womanly wiles.” But when Snow White seems so sweet and pretty, they decide not to kill her. So, yes, these men were going to kill her, too, and they decided to spare her life.
Then the Dwarfs all warm up to her as she serves them. There’s a weird sequence where she treats them like little children telling them to clean themselves or they won’t get any dinner. It’s teaching little girls that “boys will be boys” and a firm but ever-loving hand is what makes a good mother. Then she cooks for them. Cooking and cleaning.
Next we have the evil Queen who easily tricks Snow White because, little girls, you need to be kind, trusting and giving to others unless it’s to another woman because they can’t be trusted.
Now you might want to jump to the end of Prince Charming kissing her to break the spell. But there’s one scene before that you might not remember if you haven’t viewed the film since you were a kid. The Dwarfs arrive too late to save Snow White from the Queen’s poisoned apple, but they chase the Queen off a cliff where she plummets to her death. So it actually is the Dwarfs who take care of business and rid the world of the evil woman. And then, because Snow White was sweet and pretty and did chores around the house, the men honor her in death with the glass coffin that ultimately allows the prince to kiss her and carry her off to be his bride. (Where she’ll ultimately become a baby making machine, continuing the cycle of existing to care for others. Hey, instead of a live action, how about a sequel?)
And no one wants to talk about the Queen. Another in a long line of women in power who are shown to be evil. I feel for the Queen. Society only values you as a woman if you are young and pretty. So there is no winning for the Queen. Can you really blame her jealousy? And just like all women, instead of taking that anger out on those who perpetuate the horrible stereotype, we’re all taught to take it out on each other. All other women are a threat that must be destroyed.
So, girls, be young, be beautiful, be subservient to men and all your dreams will come true.
