This sequence is a true model of storytelling, proving that, although the film is not identified as such, this is the first musical whose songs drive the story forward with a degree of effectiveness rarely achieved. Thanks to the images and the two songs “I’m Wishing” and “One Song”, we learn in eight minutes and thirty seconds and almost without dialogue about the heroine’s condition, her aspirations, the danger that threatens her, and the love that awaits her.
This seemingly self-evident story was difficult to create. Originally, the idea was to have Snow White talk to an imaginary Prince made up of her bathtub and rags. The real Prince, far more daring and whimsical than in the final version, would slip into the fake Prince’s rags to surprise Snow White and, once he’d obtained her proof of love, would start jumping up and down with joy and antics. One of the drawings even shows him on a winged horse.
On the film’s Blu-ray, director Don Hahn presents one of the sequence’s sets and explains the principle of the exposure-sheet.
Production information
Sequence number: 2A
Date of final draft: November 11, 1937
Director: Perce Pearce
Assistant director: Carl Fallberg
Animators of Snow White: Jack Campbell, Hugh Fraser, Hamilton Luske, Paul Busch & Grim Natwick
Animators of the Prince: Grim Natwick, Paul Busch, Jack Campbell, Clair Weeks & Milt Kahl
Animator of the Queen: Arthur Babbitt
Animators of the pigeons: Eric Larson & Milt Kahl
Jack Campbell’s assistant animators: Clair Weeks, Hugh Fraser & Amby Paliwoda
Milt Kahl’s assistant animator: Murray McClellan
Grim Natwick’s assistant animator: Marc Davis
Effects animator (Shadows, rope, bucket, pulley, water, curtain): Sandy Strother
Cast
Snow White: Adriana Caselotti
Prince: Harry Stockwell
Birds: Esther Campbell, Anne Darlington, Marion Darlington, Peggy Downey, Ruth Magden, Louise Meyers, Clarence Nash & Ruby Ray.
Scenes
Here is the sequence broken up into scenes with the corresponding animators.
