Spanning all the way back to 1937, Disney has produced many beautifully-crafted and unforgettable animated movies, that were deeply important in countless fans’ childhoods. The animation was simply beautiful, the tales were heartwarming, and each Disney classic is a classic for a reason that left a mark on fans forever. However, Disney’s wide array of classic movies don’t come without their fair share of deep controversy, with many problematic themes. So with that in mind, here are the seven most problematic classic Disney animated movies.
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7 Cinderella (1950)
RKO Radio Pictures
The first, and perhaps the best; Cinderella comes with many problematic themes. When asked “what about Cinderella is problematic?”, many may point out the slavery and mistreatment that Cinderella is forced to endure at the hands of her evil stepmother and stepsisters. However, the real problematic themes are when Cinderella lies to the prince about who she is, which is a lesson that kids should not be taught. But the worst part of all, was that this lie works, and she eventually gets the Prince that she wanted. Not a good lesson Disney, not a good lesson.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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6 Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Beauty and the Beast may be a charming story filled with memorable songs and cute moments; however, it’s impossible to deny the controversy that surrounds the flick. The story of Beauty and the Beast is as follows; Belle is captured by a terrifying beast after attempting to rescue her father from a haunted castle, before falling in love with her captor. There isn’t much we really need to say, but the notion of falling in love with your captor, which is more commonly known as Stockholm Syndrome, is a very toxic and dangerous message to portray.
Similarly, Beauty and the Beast does feature hints of bestiality, with Beast (Prince Adam) being a giant furry animal, of which Belle falls in love with. Sure, Prince Adam is portrayed as a beast in the movie to display the message that it isn’t all about someone’s looks, but also about what’s in a person’s inside that counts, and while this is a cute and poignant message, we can’t get over the uncomfortable and undeniable theme.
5 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Disney
Sleeping Beauty is another movie that doesn’t take a lot of analysis to determine why it is so controversial, and it’s because of one scene in particular. We all know that kissing someone or sexually interacting with someone without their consent or while they are unconscious is wrong and illegal, at least we hope you do, yet Disney thinks it’s a cute and romantic moment, that true love’s kiss will end a horrific and deadly curse.
4 Dumbo (1941)
Dumbo is just one of many Disney movies that depict some incredibly racist themes, as well as Dumbo getting drunk and going on a psychedelic trip. The scene in question was the moment with the singing crows that can’t help but feel like a tribute to racist minstrel shows, that insensitively featured white actors in black-face. Likewise, the leader of the singing crows was even called Jim Crow, a horrific reference to the history of racism in America.
3 Snow White and The Seven Dwarves (1937)
Walt Disney Studios
Much like Sleeping Beauty, Snow White portrays a lot of problematic issues around consent. However, to make matters worse, Snow White is actually only 14 in the movie. Not only does Snow White hold many issues surrounding consent, but also an uncomfortable controversy surrounding underage marriage, and underage sexual interactions. Again, Disney deals with topics that are illegal, yet portrays them as okay for the purpose of a story. Once you realize that Snow White is only 14, you won’t be able to watch Snow White the same way again.
2 Pinocchio (1940)
1940’s Pinocchio is by far one of the darkest classic Disney tales there has ever been, but no one really talks about it. The problematic themes on display are as clear as day, and yet parents still allow their children to watch it. Famously, Pinocchio depicts many uncomfortable acts of child abuse and child trafficking, of which we cannot overlook. Pleasure Island is the lawless island that already holds much bad messaging, like drinking and smoking, but beneath that is a horrific portrayal of child trafficking and abuse that eventually sees the young children turned into donkeys, to spend the rest of their lives working in a mine.
1 The Little Mermaid (1989)
Walt Disney Pictures
The renaissance-era Disney film, The Little Mermaid comes with many problematic themes, including repression, underage marriage, sexism, and sexualization being key negative messaging that sadly surrounds this classic tale. When most people think of the problematic themes in The Little Mermaid, the first that comes to mind is that the film teaches children to repress one’s self and the silencing of women. Most may not realize that Ariel is actually 16, so when Prince Eric marries Ariel, he is actually uncomfortably marrying a 16-year-old, which most people are unaware of. What’s with classic Disney’s obsession with underage Princesses?
The Little Mermaid’s final sins come with its display of systematic sexism and misogyny. Throughout the flick, Ursula is filled with jealousy, constantly fixated on Ariel’s beauty and title. This eventually leads to Ursula using her position of authority to exploit Ariel’s vulnerabilities, which tragically promotes the silencing of women, as well as pinning young girls’ insecurities against them. The sexist themes don’t stop there, as King Triton is the epitome of toxic masculinity, portraying a stereotypical “buff” and insensitive man that instead uses irrational acts of violence to assert himself and work through his frustrations. Again, Triton constantly belittles Ariel and lashes out at her, which is forgiven and forgotten, just because he allows his 16-year-old daughter to marry a prince, giving off a toxic message that this is forgivable behavior.
