SNOW WHITE’S DENOUEMENT
So far the film’s entire narrative has happened in only a day-and-a-half. In order to bridge the gap of time between this funereal scene and the following springtime three title cards now intervene narrating the story in text over a single simple background of sky and a treebranch. The change of seasons is indicated by falling leaves, then snowfall, then vernal blossoms. Over and over Walt pruned the writer’s verbiage down to its bare essentials and finally authored the third card himself:
- “So beautiful, even in death, that the dwarfs could not find it in their hearts to bury her…
- “…they fashioned a coffin of glass and gold, and kept eternal vigil at her side…
- “…the Prince, who had searched far and wide, heard of the maiden who slept in the glass coffin.”
The irony of the entire Snow White story is revealed in the first of these cards: because of her physical comeliness the dwarfs forgo the customary burial rite. They cannot bring themselves to entomb underground one so beautiful. Thus the evil Queen’s murderous plotting is thwarted because of her victim’s exceptional beauty. That she is the “fairest in the land” prevents her interment so she remains above ground and available to receive the poison’s antidote “love’s first kiss”.
And true to fairytale protocol that’s just what happens and with a grand paroxysm of joy. Underscoring the third title card, the orchestra segues into a sublime restrained rendition of “One Song”, each of the soloist’s lyrics answered melodiously by a women’s chorus elaborating his line. This last card crossfades through a blackout into a close-up of Snow White lying in the glass coffin, showered with gently falling blossoms. As the camera trucks back, it pauses for the animals – deer, rabbits, birds – to pay their respects adding more bouquets of flowers to those already surrounding the base of the coffin. As these creatures turn and withdraw the camera movement resumes, backing farther away to show all seven dwarfs advancing, one by one each removing his cap and laying down more flowers. Doc and Happy lift the glass enclosure off the coffin and set it down behind so that Grumpy – the last of the seven to approach – can place his bouquet in the folded hands of the sleeping princess. All retreat a respectful distance away from the coffin and kneel reverently. The choreography of this single long animation flows with a superbly graceful solemnity. A sustained longshot now encompasses the entire scene: the coffin beneath a single weeping wisteria in a glade amidst the looming forest and surrounding it the seven dwarfs kneeling at a little distance, an assortment of animals watching from somewhat farther away and framing the foreground.
Cut suddenly to the source of the singing, the Prince standing off among the trees along a pathway in front of his horse. He removes his hat and holds it over his heart, tentatively drawing nearer. The dwarfs stand up and step aside to allow him access to the coffin. In their midst and facing away from us, he concludes his song then approaches Snow White. High-pitched tremolo on the strings and a descending magic motif. He leans over and kisses her on the lips, then kneels and bows his head in sorrow. The dwarfs do likewise. As do the animals.
Something had gone awry in the animation or the camera work so that the prince shimmied slightly when he leaned over Snow White’s glass coffin. Walt told Roy that he wanted to fix the defect; the repairs would cost several thousand dollars. Roy, who had borrowed all he could, decreed, “Let the prince shimmy.” And so the prince shimmies to this day.[1]
The accompaniment segues into “Some Day My Prince Will Come”. Close-up on Snow White. Her eyes flutter. She wakes up. She stretches an arm overhead as Grumpy’s bouquet slips out of her hands.
Although Grimms’ tale and most other versions of “Snow White” had brought the princess back to life by dislodging the morsel of poisoned apple stuck in her throat, Walt and his team seem never to have considered resolving the story in this mildly unpleasant way.[2]
Bashful sees her first, then all the others, expressions of joy spreading over all their countenances. The animals look up in amazement. Snow White sits up. The Prince is the last to notice. She sees him and spreads her arms in his direction. He lifts her out of the coffin into his embrace. The dwarfs are ecstatic, hugging each other, hopping about, tossing their caps in the air, Dopey somersaulting. The animals also bound and hop and fly about. The screen is at this point so completely filled with joyous movement that its details escape discernment!
The Prince carries Snow White along the pathway over to his steed and lifts her onto its saddle.
Now comes the operetta’s “curtain call” as the Prince hoists the dwarfs up each to receive a farewell smooch on the noggin. These kisses are distributed in close-up, first Bashful who of course blushes beet-red, then Grumpy who blows his own kiss back at her, then three-at-once Doc, Sneezy and Happy, then Dopey who of course once again offers his pucker which as before Snow White gently rejects. Poor Sleepy must have drowsed through these parting kisses because he is not seen. Snow White waves good-bye as the Prince now leads his white stallion along the pathway through the trees and up a low hillside, stopping in front of a brilliant sunset. The camera trucks beyond them into the sky where ever so gradually the image of a gleaming castle in the clouds materializes against the golden rays of the sun.
Blackout. The words “..And they lived happily ever after” are displayed across the final page of that book which opened at the start of the film. As before of its own accord it now closes.
[1] Thomas, Bob: Disney’s Art of Animation, Hyperion Books, New York, 1991 p. 77.
[2] Kaufman, J.B.: op. cit., p.218.
