THERE were a number of reasons why Walt Disney decided on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" for his first full-length production.
It was a folk tale known and beloved in practically every country in the world. The seven dwarfs were natural Disney characters.
IN them he could put all the piquant humor for which he is famous.
With most of the action taking place in and around the dwarfs' cottage in the woods, there was plenty of opportunity for the introduction of appealing little bird and animal characters.
Lastly, the human characters were fanciful enough for Walt's taste.
The idea crystallised in 1933, although no one – least of all Walt himself – can quite say how long the seed of the plan to make "Snow White" had been planted in his mind.
Some of his co-workers believe that the overwhelming success of "The Three Little Pigs" was what convinced him that the time was ripe to embark upon his first feature.
He didn't call his staff together and announce, "Boys, we're going to make a feature."
He introduced the idea by the method of slow infiltration.
He dropped it on everyone individually in the midst of casual conversations.
Most of his staff were a little afraid of the venture but were finally won over, not only by Walt's magnificent enthusiasm, but because they had to admit that he had always been right in the past.
As a matter of fact, none of his staff liked the idea of "The Three Little Pigs." It was Walt who battled for it and put it across.
[…]
