When Disney went to conflict with British movie censors over 1937 Snow White’s ‘too scary’ scenes… as ‘woke’ remake continues to flop
As re-makes go, Disney’s second try at Snow White has not gone down well so far.
Since being released earlier this month, the ‘woke‘ production has proved to be unpopular with viewers.
The absence of a prince, the use of computer-generated dwarves rather than real actors and inflammatory comments made by the film’s star, Rachel Ziegler, have all generated bad publicity.
But, back in early 1938, when Walt Disney’s original film was proving a mega hit with children and adults in the US, there was controversy ahead of its release in Britain.
The British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) demanded that scenes it deemed too scary be cut from the film.
When Disney’s UK distributor refused, saying it would be ‘sacrilege’ to edit the production, Snow White was released with an ‘Adult’ rating, meaning children aged under 16 could not go and see it alone.
The BBFC was concerned that the Evil Queen’s transformation into an ‘old hag’ witch was too frightening, whilst Snow White’s run through the haunted forest was also thought to be beyond what a child could handle.
Reacting to the BBFC’s position, Walt Disney told the Mail at the time that it was a ‘shame’ and added: ‘I can’t understand it’.
The original Snow White film was released in the US in December 1937. It proved controversial when it came to Britain because the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) wanted to cut scenes that were deemed too scary for children
The BBFC was concerned that the Evil Queen’s transformation into an ‘old hag’ witch was too frightening
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was Disney’s first feature-length animation.
The story of the young and innocent Snow White and her search for her prince – whilst coming up against her evil stepmother – was originally an 1812 fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
The film ran way over budget, with its eventual $1.75million cost – more than £100million in today’s money – being seven times the original budget.
Twenty-five songs were written for the film, but only seven made it into the final cut.
Someday My Prince Will Come and Whistle While You Work remain classic melodies.
Snow White premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood in December 1937 and was an instant hit.
In New York, the film broke all records. It remained at the Radio City Music Hall for five weeks, with hundreds of thousands of people – many of them children – going to see it.
But in Britain, the BBFC were steadfast in their position.
Snow White’s run through the haunted forest was also thought to be beyond what a child could handle
Responding to the news of the film getting an Adult certificate, Walt Disney told the Mail: ‘Why, now that’s a shame.
Walt Disney’s comments reported in the Daily Mail in February 1938
‘We made this picture for children of all ages. Over here there has been no restriction on ages, and I don’t seem to have heard anyone at all saying that there’s been anything frightening in it.
‘But there, if your people have taken this action – why, I guess there isn’t much we can do about it. All the same, I can’t understand it.’
He added: ‘I am not conscious of anything in Snow White right now which could be described as horrible or horrific.
‘There is one scene where the Queen turns herself into a grotesque woman, but the children love it.’
When the film did make its debut in London in February 1938, it received a rapturous reception.
The Mail’s Seton Margrave reported from the showing at the New Gallery on Regent Street.
He wrote: ‘Time and again scenes in the picture aroused happy laughter in the audience and compelled applause, especially the sequences showing the rabbits in the forest as they discover Snow White.’
The critic added: ‘The applause at the end of the picture showed that “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” has begun a run at the New Gallery likely to equal the record-breaking season it has just completed in New York.
‘It was generally agreed by the audience that Walt Disney has made an exquisitely beautiful picture.’
Walt Disney showing scenes from his 1937 film Snow White and The Seven Dwarves
In 1953, UK distributor RKO Radio Pictures asked the BBFC to reconsider the film’s adult classification ahead of a proposed re-release the following year.
The BBFC said that a U could be achieved by making cuts in the sequences it deemed scary.
It asked for Snow White’s journey through the haunted forest to be reduced to a minimum and to cut out screaming sounds and the sight of clutching hands.
And it wanted to shorten the scene showing the evil queen’s transformation into a witch, and to reduce the accompanying sound.
The BBFC also asked for the sight of a skeleton to be removed and for the screams of the witch as she fell from rocks to be removed.
However, RKO again refused to make any changes. Instead, they appealed against the BBFC’s decision to the local authorities where the film was due to be shown.
Some councils allowed the film to be shown uncut with a new U classification, whilst others insisted on keeping the original.
When the film was due for another re-release in 1964, Disney did agree to make the cuts suggested in 1953 so that the film could play as a U everywhere.
The controversial reboot of the 1937 classic Snow White has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews
In 1987, when the film was classified again for a 50th anniversary release, the previous cuts were reversed and it was given a U classification.
A report produced by censors listed the scary scenes but added: ‘Disney takes some care to follow nearly all the moments of fear with comic or musical relief and we would be well within current guidelines to pass this ‘U’ even were it not for the presence of a very young audience who clearly handled the frightening moments very well indeed.
‘The company rightly requested ‘U’ for this masterpiece of animation and we are happy to give it to them.’
