Disney’s original 1937 animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starts with a picturesque storybook opening, setting a magical tone right from the beginning. Fast forward to 2025, and Disney revisits this iconic tale with a live-action update, opening with another storybook—this time narrated by a mysterious voice. The narrator, we soon learn, offers a twist that wasn’t present in the original.
The live-action Snow White begins by introducing viewers to the titular character’s early life, narrated over scenes of her joyous upbringing with her kind parents. It’s a nostalgic touch, echoing the charm of the original. Yet, the real surprise is the identity of the narrator. This narrator isn’t merely a background voice; it’s revealed to be Dopey, the famously silent dwarf, who gains a mini-arc not seen in the classic.
Dopey’s silence is explained away in the new version as a result of his fear of speaking, adding depth to his character. Snow White (played by Rachel Zegler) helps him find his voice, literally, by teaching him to whistle. This, in turn, inspires a cleanup song-and-dance number, reminiscent of the old “Whistle While You Work.” Near the end of the film, the big reveal comes: Dopey, inspired by Snow White’s bravery, narrates the movie’s final scenes and the prologue we first heard. Voiced by Andrew Barth Feldman, of Ratatouille the Musical fame, Dopey’s transformation is meant to deliver a touching moment, though it leans more towards the cringey side due to the uncanny CGI.
The “Narrator All Along” trope can work brilliantly in some stories, adding an unexpected twist or deeper meaning to the narrative. Sadly, in the case of Snow White, it feels like a forced attempt to inject new emotions, somewhat undermined by the unsettling CG representations of the dwarves. While the dwarves try to match Snow White’s fairy-tale energy, their CGI-rendered appearances can be a bit distracting, detracting from the emotional weight the filmmakers intended.
Disney has experimented with this trope before, with varying success. In “Maleficent,” for instance, the narration by Princess Aurora provided a new perspective on a familiar story. But with Dopey, a character traditionally reserved for comic relief, being revealed as the stoic narrator, the twist feels mismatched, leaving viewers perplexed rather than inspired.
Snow White is now playing in theaters. What do you think of this new narrative twist? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: Petrana Radulovic
