Movie review – “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” (1937) *****

Still magical after all these years: the quality of the story helps, with some brilliant conceits (the mirror that tells you the truth - there's a whole new film in that, the huntsman swapping hearts, the seven dwarves looking after you, the poisoned apple), lots of romance, cuteness and comic relief, and pure evil from the Queen. The opening stuff with Snow and Prince Charming is a bit syrupy a la Nelson Eddy, but everything with the Queen is brilliant - the transformation scene is genuinely frightening as is when Snow gets lost in the forest. There are some super cute animals as well as the dwarves. I didn’t realise that here basically the dwarves kill the Queen by forcing her off the cliff top (vultures watch her fall then swoop down after – a neat touch) – way to go dwarves! Memorable songs, as well.