The Real Poison Apple:  The Staggering Hypocrisy of Hollywood

Confession:  I’m 47 years old and have never seen a Disney movie.  Much to my mother’s chagrin, growing up I’d always opted for scientific documentaries or the old “Creature Double Feature” Saturday matinees. Hey, when you’re only allowed a 1/2 hour of TV per day, it’s choose wisely my friend. ​

So...

When I saw two stories simultaneously waft through my newsfeed, it gave me pause:  Kristen Bell sparks outrage online for 'Snow White' kissing consent comments and Kristen Bell Voices Concern about Message 'Snow White' Sends to Daughters.  Now, my tricorder has been set to high alert since the Me Too Movement has descended like the Black Death across our Nation vilifying predators and kindergarteners with equal ferocity.  Therefore, seeing one of our famous Hollywood stars known for such fine works as Bad Moms 1 & 2  which Pluggedin described as “one long string of sex jokes”…. with explicit references to oral and anal sex, manual stimulation, male and female anatomy, casual sex, and engagement in adultery, strippers, alcohol, multiple types of drugs—some of which were given to children, along with no less than 105 “F” words spoken by actors as young as 5, I thought I’d better give this rapacious Disney movie a whorl. ​

I forked over $12.99 to my good friend Amazon and readied myself for 83 minutes of cartoon torture.  The movie shocked me. There is a general consensus that most Disney movies reflect long held moral concepts on humanity and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves did not disappoint. There is more theology packed in this little 1937 movie than a good Sunday morning sermon. 

​Before we delve straight into the forbidding kiss, we need to examine a few things about the movie that ironically seem to be lost on the above mentioned thespian.  The nearly opening scene pictures Snow and the Prince meeting by a well where they profess true love for each other.  Disney could have chosen numerous places for their meeting but the setting by the well is unique.  Throughout history some pretty famous betrothals have taken place by wells. You might have heard of Isaac, Jacob, or Moses? It was actually a common place for singles to meet and marriage proposals to be constructed. In fact, the Prince does just that in answer to Snow’s “I’m Wishing” song with his lyrics,

One Song
I have but one song
One song
Only for you  
One heart
Tenderly beating
Ever entreating
Constant and true.

Many hardships and several attempts on her life ensue throughout the film prior to its’ climactic ending but through it all Snow maintains her goodness and charitable nature and even prays for her friends.  She also remains loyal to the Prince and tells the dwarves about him with her rendition of "Someday My Prince Will Come",

He was so romantic, I could not resist.
Someday my Prince will come
Someday we'll meet again
And away to his castle we'll go
To be happy forever I know
Someday when spring is here
We'll find our loved one
And the bees will sing
And wedding bells will ring
Someday when my dreams come true.

I’m no expert, but I’m fairly certain that indicates Snow accepted the Prince’s marriage proposal.

Fast forwarding to the climactic kiss scene, we finally get to know the Prince a little better. After an entire year of searching everywhere for Snow so that he could keep his promise, the Prince finally finds her lying “dead” and uncorrupted in a glass coffin.  Bereft at her state, he bends down and kisses her while repeating his marital proposal and thus awakens her from sleep.

Again, Disney is purposeful in their script. In taking a look at history, we find that for all intents and purposes a couple was already considered “married” during their betrothal period and it was common practice for legal contracts to be validated with a kiss.  This idea is still held over today in our own wedding ceremonies.

In the Prince we have the picture of a powerful nobleman who remains faithful and leaves his kingdom to search everywhere for the one he loves who was lost to him. Upon finding her, He enters into a 100% one-sided covenant with Snow who, in her state, could offer nothing in return. Now, freed from the evil Queen’s death curse, they leave to reign together in harmony in his kingdom set high in the clouds.

Yup, the Prince certainly sounds like a dastardly character.

Isn’t this the type of sacrificial love we want our daughters to find? There’s a thought process that’s become prevalent in our society where if it’s old, it must be somehow bad. In our rush to tear down all cultural symbols of the past because we believe they somehow don’t fit into our present day narrative, we’ve lost something important.  It is the rich experience and wisdom of those who came before us.  Disney movies haven’t been the only casualties. There has been a systematic toppling of societal pillars from historical figures to Christmas carols to ideas about faith. This post-modernist relativism which seeks to be open to new ideas, ironically results in staggering ignorance.  If  Mrs. Bell hadn’t been so quick to be offended, maybe she would have recognized the universal truths contained within this fairy tale. Even more concerning is what happens to our Country once all this dust and ash settles? A society built on rubble will eventually fall.

In regards to Mrs. Bell’s criticism,

the definition of hypocrisy is “behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel especially in matters of virtue.”

Perhaps she should ban her daughters from watching her own movies. However, considering that so far the Bad Moms franchise has grossed an estimated revenue of $320,108,373  and there are talks of a third installment, we probably won’t see a behavioral change any time soon.  If Hollywood crusaders spent a little less time promoting drunkenness, drugs, the sexualization of women, and generalized bad behavior, which actually places women in dangerous situations where they may have a difficult time fending off unwanted attention, and a little more time on promoting messages that value the dignity and worth of the individual, our daughters, the rest of society would lead happier, healthier, and safer lives. ​

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References
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Monnickendam, Yifat. "The Kiss and the Earnest: Early Roman Influences on Syriac ..."
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