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Fairy story, probably the most lovely example of pure fantasy that has yet been seen on the screen. The plot, which follows closely that of the original tale by Grimm, tells of a Wicked Queen who is jealous of the beauty of her stepdaughter, Snow White. Eventually she plans to have her killed. The huntsman, however, who is charged with the deed, cannot bring himself to do it, and Snow White escapes, terrified, into the forest. She flies through the dim wood - which her fears people with clutching hands, glowing eyes and evil beasts of prey - to fall at length, sobbing, on the ground. And then the sun strikes through the trees and the little forest creatures come out to welcome her, shyly at first and then joyfully. They lead her to the miniature home of the Seven Dwarfs who work in a diamond mine and which, like the home of all bachelors, is in a terrible mess. Snow White, with the help of the animals, tidies it up before they return. With the coming of evening the little bearded men - Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Bashful, Dopey, Doc, and Sleepy - arrive home singing their marching song "Hi-ho, hi-ho, back from work we go." After some hesitation they agree to allow Snow White to stay with them, although they are a little afraid of the possible vengeance of the Wicked Queen. Meanwhile the latter, told by her magic mirror of Snow White's escape, disguises herself as an old woman selling apples and takes to the Dwarfs' cottage poisoned fruit. Snow White bites an apple and falls to the ground in the sleeping death to which the only antidote is love's first kiss. The Dwarfs, warned by the animals, return just too late and chase the Queen through a thunderstorm until she is killed by falling over a precipice. Sadly the little men build a shrine for Snow White in the woods where they keep watch through the seasons. The fame of the shrine grows, until a Prince who loved Snow White and had been seeking for her ceaselessly hears of the sleeping maiden. He visits the shrine, recognises the Princess and kisses her with the first kiss of love, the antidote to the poison. Snow White awakes, the Dwarfs' tears turn to joy and "they live happily ever after".

It is difficult to find any flaws in this very lovely film; there is beauty here and tenderness, fantasy and humour and, above all, a perfect understanding of a young child's dreams. The animation is almost perfect, giving, except on very rare occasions, the illusion of life. Snow White herself and the Prince are perhaps a little doll-like, but the gay little Disney animals, the Wicked Queen and the Seven Dwarfs are real "living" creatures. To see the film is to see into Fairyland. There are certain incidents in the picture nevertheless - for example, the flight through the forest and the witch's incantations - which make this film unsuitable for young and nervous children. For older children and adults, however, it is impossible to imagine a film which can be more highly recommended.

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