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"SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS" (1937) (voices of Adriana Caselotti, Lucille LaVerne) (G) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons None None Heavy *Heavy Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Moderate None None Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence None None Heavy Heavy Heavy QUICK TAKE: Animated/Children's: A beautiful princess flees to the woods to escape her vain and wicked stepmother who plots to kill her. She is taken in by seven dwarfs who allow her to stay with them. Her stepmother discovers where she is hiding and assumes a disguise to deliver to the princess a poisoned apple. PLOT: A vain and wicked queen (voice of LUCILLE LA VERNE) consults her magic mirror every day to see if she is still the "fairest of them all." When, one day, the mirror responds with the news that her step-daughter, Snow White (voice of ADRIANA CASELOTTI), is fairer the queen plots to kill her. She commands her huntsman (voice of STUART BUCHANAN) to take Snow into the woods, kill her, and return with her heart in a box as proof of the deed. The huntsman can't bring himself to do it and warns Snow to flee into the woods. She does so until collapsing in fright on the ground. Benevolent woodland creatures come to her aid and lead her to a cottage in the woods wherein dwell seven mine-working dwarfs. The dwarfs -- Doc (voice of ROY ATWELL), Sleepy (voice of PINTO COLVIG), Grumpy (voice PINTO COLVIG), Sneezy (voice of BILLY GILBERT), Happy (voice of OTIS HARLAN), Bashful (voice of SCOTTY MATTRAW) and the mute Dopey -- allow Snow to stay with them in exchange for her cooking and cleaning skills. All is idyllic until the queen learns of the huntsman's deception and decides to kill Snow White herself. She assumes the disguise of an old woman and coats an apple with a magic poison mixture. She visits Snow White while the dwarfs are at work and delivers the apple which Snow takes. The only known antidote is love's first kiss. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Many generations of children have. And many more will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G For apparently not containing material to warrant a higher rating. . CAST AS ROLE MODELS: It's debatable whether kids view animated characters as role models, but here's a quick look at the characters major characteristics. ADRIANA CASELOTTI (voice of Snow White): The princess whose beauty causes the queen to want her dead. She is more of a passive heroine: cheerful, kind and optimistic instead of brave and adventurous as many of the latter day Disney heroines. LUCILLE LA VERNE (voice of the Queen): One of the most successful Disney's villains. Vain, cruel, and unrepentant to the end, she is an evil and scary character. ROY ATWELL (voice of Doc): The kind-hearted leader of the dwarfs. Doc is subject to "spoonerisms" where he confuses or mixes up letters of words to form nonsense phrases. (Example: "hooks and grannies" instead of "nooks and crannies.") PINTO COLVIG (voices of Sleepy and Grumpy): Sleepy is constantly tired, asleep or yawning and much of the humor he brings finds him in various stages of somnambulism. Grumpy is a curmudgeon who uses his negativity as a shield behind which he hides his true feelings. BILLY GILBERT (voices of Sneezy): Always sneezing or trying not to sneeze, his nasal explosions are quite powerful and can blow people across rooms. OTIS HARLAN (voice of Happy): Rotund and cheerful to a fault. SCOTTY MATTRAW (voice of Bashful): Shy and prone to blush at the slightest provocation. STUART BUCHANAN (voice of the Huntsman): Forced into a no win situation, he is ordered to kill the princess by the queen he serves. He can't bring himself to do the act and enters into a deception that helps the princess escape the queen's command. HARRY STOCKWELL (voice of the Prince): Relegated to a minor role, the prince is more of an ideal than a fully drawn character. He is the image of salvation and hope for Snow ("Someday my prince will come,") and the instrument by which she is eventually saved. EDDIE COLLINS (performance model for Dopey): A non-verbal character, Dopey is one of the most easily remembered of the dwarfs. A simple-minded, child-like character, Dopey is the butt of many jokes as he skips, trips, and pratfalls his way through the movie. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated G. The violence in the film is not graphic - no blood or gore is shown. Most of it is of slapstick nature used for comedy although there are suggestions of real violence (the huntsman and his knife, the queen and her poisoned apple, etc) Various scenes and visuals might be unsettling, suspenseful and/or scary for younger viewers. Bad attitudes are present, and there are certain inclusions that may now be considered "politically incorrect." There are instances of characters demonstrating rude or impolite behavior, usually for comedic purposes. This is especially true of the dwarfs and their roughhouse physicality with each other. Other behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None. BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE There is an element of magic that may offend those who are concerned about such inclusion. The depiction of the dwarfs is never mean-spirited but may be potentially offensive to those sensitive to the subject of dwarfism. Dopey is also drawn and depicted as being a kind hearted though simple-minded individual but could be seen as insensitive to those of diminished mental capacities. Also the evil stepmother is a stereotype that those in a step-relationship could resent. The Queen, jealous of Snow White's beauty, dresses her in rags and treats her as a scullery maid. She is so jealous of her stepdaughter that she plots her murder. Snow White enters a house without permission. Squirrels sweep dirt into a mouse hole, angering the mouse who lives there. A chipmunk cleans up a cobweb, angering the spider who built it. Doc hits Dopey on the head, knocking free the diamonds he playfully placed in his eyes. A dwarf, knowing of Sneezy's allergies, shoves a bouquet of flowers under his nose. Birds scare the dwarfs by making strange noises. The other dwarfs force Dopey to go upstairs to look for the intruder. Grumpy says "All women are poison… full of wicked wiles." The dwarfs charge the dinner table, grabbing for food and fighting with each other. The dwarfs lie to Snow White about washing before dinner. Grumpy sticks his tongue out at Snow White. The other dwarfs force-bathe Grumpy against his will and tie his beard up in blue ribbons. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers but probably not to many, if any others. As the Queen approaches the Magic Mirror, the scene darkens, winds blow and the mirror shows images of smoke and flames. The Queen commands the huntsman to take Snow White into the woods to kill her and return with her heart in a box. The huntsman sneaks up behind Snow White in the woods and draws his knife. She cowers in fear before him. As Snow White flees into the woods to escape the Queen's jealousy, she is frightened by her own imagination as she sees tree limbs as bony fingers, tree stumps as ghoulish faces, and the eyes of benevolent woodland creatures as fearsome beasts. Snow White stumbles into a tree and spins out of it only to come face to face with a tree trunk in which she sees an evil face. Backing away, she falls into a deep hole. She grabs a tree root and lowers herself into the watery bottom where floating logs take on the appearance of crocodiles. Wind blows, making tree limbs look like reaching hands. She screams, panicked, seeing evil faces everywhere she turns. She collapses to the ground. The dwarfs sneak up on the sleeping Snow White with weapons drawn. The queen holds up a box which she believes contains the heart of Snow White. In an underground cavern, the queen mixes a potion that will turn her into an old hag. Her pet raven sits upon a skull watching her. After the queen drinks her magic potion, the room begins to spin. Her hands turn old and bony and when a bolt of lightning flashes, we can see their skeletal shape. Her hair turns white and her voice old and hag-like. When the queen dips the apple into the poison mixture, the liquid residue on the apple's skin forms the shape of a skull. She offers the apple to her raven who cowers in fear. After reading that the poison's antidote is love's first kiss, she cackles as she realizes that the dwarfs, thinking Snow White will be dead, will bury her alive. As the queen, as a hag, makes her way to the dwarfs' cottage, she is followed by two vultures, indicating the impending presence of a death. The queen, as a hag, suddenly appears at Snow White's window, scaring her. The dwarfs mourn over Snow White who they think is dead. They place her in a coffin made of glass and gold and place her in the woods. GUNS/WEAPONS The huntsman sneaks up behind Snow White in the woods and draws his knife. She cowers in fear before him IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Doo doo mouth," "Old warthog," "Fine bunch of water lilies" and "You fools." The Queen consults a "magic" mirror to determine her actions. The cottage of the seven dwarfs is dusty and filthy with dirty dishes in the sink and dirty laundry strewn about. Dopey has trouble keeping up with the other dwarfs and marches to his own strange rhythm. Sleepy steps on Dopey's head as he enters the cottage. The seven dwarfs, approaching the house, stop suddenly and bang into one another. Doc is subject to mix words up, resulting in "spoonerisms" where he means one thing but says another. (example: "crooks and nannies" instead of "hooks and crannies.") Grumpy tells another dwarf to "shut up." Dopey gets his head stuck in a banister. The dwarfs charge the dinner table, grabbing for food and fighting with each other. Grumpy sticks his tongue out at Snow White. When the dwarfs wash for dinner, they sing a song that includes them blowing through their lips underwater making a "brbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbr" sound. Grumpy spits on the ground to accentuate a point. Happy shakes head vigorously to dry his beard, spraying Doc with water. Dopey shakes head to drain ears of water. The water sloshes inside his head, forcing it to become misshapen. Dopey puts finger in his mouth and blows. Water streams out of his ears. Dopey has difficulty holding onto a bar of soap as it keeps slipping out of his hands. On last attempt, the bar flies into his mouth and he accidentally swallows it. He hiccups bubbles. As the dwarfs sleep, each of them has a different and humorous way of snoring. A fly buzzes into Sleepy's mouth as he yawns, buzzes out before he closes his mouth. Dopey climbs onto Sneezy's shoulders to dance with Snow. The dwarfs, having given up their beds to Snow White, fight over the one remaining pillow. They tug and pull at it until it bursts, sending its feathers everywhere. Grumpy spits into the fireplace. Snow White kisses each of the dwarfs on the tops of their heads as they march off to work. When it is Dopey's turn, he tries for a kiss on the lips. After she kisses him on top of his head, he jumps through the window of the house and comes back outside for another kiss. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) As the huntsman prepares to kill Snow White, the music becomes dark and ominous. It continues as Snow flees into the dark woods, seeing scary images in the shadows of the trees and bushes. The music turns tense and scary as the Queen drinks from her magic potion. As the queen, as the hag, makes her way through the dark woods, the music turns ominous. When the queen, as a hag, suddenly appears at Snow's window, the music turns scary. The music becomes ominous throughout the scene as the woodland creatures rush through the woods to warn the dwarfs that Snow is in danger. It continues as the dwarfs arrive home to find the queen as a hag exiting their house and stays tense as they chase her through the woods. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY None.. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES The Queen, jealous of Snow White's beauty, dresses her in rags and treats her as a scullery maid. She is so jealous of her stepdaughter that she plots her murder, and wants the huntsman to return with proof - Snow White's heart in a box. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The Queen consults a "magic" mirror to determine her actions. (Vanity) The Queen orders a huntsman to kill her own stepdaughter and to return with proof - Snow White's heart in a box. (Jealousy) The "death" of Snow White. Dwarfism. VIOLENCE Dopey flings a bag of diamonds into the vault but forgets to let go of the bag so he is pulled into the vault as well. Sleepy steps on Dopey's head as he enters the cottage. The seven dwarfs, approaching the house, stop suddenly and bang into one another. Sneezy sneezes and blows the other dwarfs across the room where they bang into the wall. A turtle falls down a flight of stairs. Sneezy almost sneezes again but the other dwarfs jump him and forcibly tie a hankie around his nose. Snow White stretches under bed covers. Dopey, thinking her to be a monster, flees downstairs and collides with the other dwarfs. They collapse in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. As they part, we see Dopey tangled up in his own legs. The dwarfs run outside, slamming the door in Dopey's face. Thinking him to be the "monster" they hold the door closed, effectively trapping him inside. As Dopey continues to pull on the door, the handle snaps off, flinging him back into the kitchen where he is hopelessly tangled with pots and pans. He runs out of house, looking like a metal clad monster. The other dwarfs jump on him and beat him with clubs and hammers before they realize who he is. Doc hits Dopey on the head after Dopey looks under his beard. Dopey, after freeing himself from the banister, trips on his tunic and crawls on a chair to reach the food. He falls backwards over the chair. Dopey, marching, misses the doorway and walks into a wall. Grumpy, storms out of house and walks into door post. Doc hits Dopey with a scrub brush, knocking him underwater. He then scrubs his clothed behind with the brush. Six dwarfs surround Grumpy who is refusing to wash. They grab him and forcibly carry him to the tub and throw him in. Dopey tries to help put Grumpy in the tub but is flung backward and careens into Doc. A fly lands on Dopey's ear while he's playing the drums. He tries to kill it by swatting at it with drumsticks, resulting in a drum solo. A fly lands on Sleepy's nose. As he goes to swat it, Dopey slips a cymbal into his hand and Sleepy hits himself in the face with it. Dopey is on Sneezy's shoulders, wearing a long topcoat so that only Sneezy's legs and Dopey's head can be seen. When Sneezy sneezes, the force of the expulsion sends Dopey shooting up into the air through the neck of the topcoat. The dwarfs, having given up their beds to Snow White, fight over the one remaining pillow. They tug and pull at it until it bursts, sending its feathers everywhere. The queen, as the hag, kicks a water pitcher into the outstretched arms of a skeleton that is behind prison bars. The pitcher shatters the bones of the dead prisoner. Sneezy sneezes (off screen) as Dopey is walking out of the cottage. The force of the Sneeze blows Dopey back into the house. Grumpy, distracted by Snow, walks into a tree and gets his nose stuck in a knothole. Freeing himself, he falls into the river. When he gets up, he bumps his head on the underside of the bridge. When the queen, as a hag, tempts Snow with the poisoned apple, a flock of birds swoop down and swarm over the queen. The woodland creatures, trying to warn the dwarfs that Snow is in danger, push, pull and prod them to leave the mine and return home. Animals stampede past a turtle, spinning his shell like a top. Snow White takes a bite of the poisoned apple and falls to the ground. The hag stands over her, cackling, as it begins to rain and lightning. The dwarfs arrive home just as the queen, as a hag, is exiting the house. She flees as the dwarfs give chase. She climbs up a mountain in her attempt to escape eventually arriving at a precipice. She turns and attempts to roll a boulder down into her pursuers but a lightning bolt strikes at her feet causing her to fall into the deep ravine. Two vultures lazily swoop down presumably to pick over her remains. Reviewed off DVD / Posted June 3, 2008