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The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
In 2012 Disney celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Snow White movie, a beloved classic and an important milestone in film history. This book, created with the Walt Disney Family Foundation, run by Walt’s daughter, is an exploration of the making of the film that includes never-before-published facts and art.
The Fairest One of All won the award for Best Animation Book at the 2012 A113Animation Awards.
Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was first shown to a theatrical audience in December 1937 and brought overwhelming, joyous applause from a house full of hardened film-industry professionals. In subsequent months it would open around the world, happily acclaimed by audiences and critics everywhere as one of the best films of the year, if not the decade.
From today’s perspective, its stature is even greater—named as one of the best movies of all time by the American Film Institute, and still beloved by children and adults around the world, Snow White can be seen as the flowering of an all-too-brief Golden Age of animation as well as a fascinating document of its time.
Such a level of artistic achievement doesn’t happen by accident. Walt Disney and a staff of exceptionally talented artists labored over Snow White for four years, endlessly working and reworking their scenes to achieve an ever higher standard. The result, as we know, was magnificent and game-changing for the Disney Studios and, indeed, for the art of animation itself.
This book is the first to reconstruct that process in exacting detail, with the loving attention it deserves from an internationally noted film scholar. Author J.B. Kaufman spent years researching the film’s history, interviewing participants, and studying the marvelous archival art that appears in these pages. The result is a work that can be appreciated equally as a piece of film history and as a collectable art book, a joy for anyone who loves film, animation, and the magical world that Walt Disney created.
The Fairest One of All won the award for Best Animation Book at the 2012 A113Animation Awards.
Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was first shown to a theatrical audience in December 1937 and brought overwhelming, joyous applause from a house full of hardened film-industry professionals. In subsequent months it would open around the world, happily acclaimed by audiences and critics everywhere as one of the best films of the year, if not the decade.
From today’s perspective, its stature is even greater—named as one of the best movies of all time by the American Film Institute, and still beloved by children and adults around the world, Snow White can be seen as the flowering of an all-too-brief Golden Age of animation as well as a fascinating document of its time.
Such a level of artistic achievement doesn’t happen by accident. Walt Disney and a staff of exceptionally talented artists labored over Snow White for four years, endlessly working and reworking their scenes to achieve an ever higher standard. The result, as we know, was magnificent and game-changing for the Disney Studios and, indeed, for the art of animation itself.
This book is the first to reconstruct that process in exacting detail, with the loving attention it deserves from an internationally noted film scholar. Author J.B. Kaufman spent years researching the film’s history, interviewing participants, and studying the marvelous archival art that appears in these pages. The result is a work that can be appreciated equally as a piece of film history and as a collectable art book, a joy for anyone who loves film, animation, and the magical world that Walt Disney created.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 3, 2020
This is a beautiful book, so well put together. It's what you would describe as a 'coffee table' book. The only issue comes is when you actually want to read it, as it's very awkward to hold! Easiest to read when sat at a table.
I've always loved Snow White. I've lost count of the times I've watched the film over the years. It is a true Disney classic. And although it may 'have all started with a mouse', I'm not sure Disney would have enjoyed the success they have today, if Snow White had been a flop.
It's unbelievable how much work went into this film. For three years, Walt and his team of animators worked around the clock, putting this together. Walt doesn't sound like he was the easiest person to work for, putting people to work on scenes for months, only to cut them or ask them to be redone. Obviously as a consumer, we benefit from this but I bet his staff had a few choice words for him at the time!
Halfway through reading this, I decided to watch Snow White, as it's been a few years since I last did. One of the things the animators were not happy about, was the Prince. I would agree with them, not because of how he moved but because he looks like he is wearing lipstick. He's not the Prince I would be dreaming about!
However towards the end of the book, it does explain that the colour palette on the film has been changed every time it's been reissued. So his lips, may not have been that bright on the original. Apart from that minor niggle, the film still looks as good as it did in 1937. This is a timeless classic and I've had the songs stuck in my head the entire time I was reading this.
I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of the film, Disney or animation. This truly is a remarkable book.
I've always loved Snow White. I've lost count of the times I've watched the film over the years. It is a true Disney classic. And although it may 'have all started with a mouse', I'm not sure Disney would have enjoyed the success they have today, if Snow White had been a flop.
It's unbelievable how much work went into this film. For three years, Walt and his team of animators worked around the clock, putting this together. Walt doesn't sound like he was the easiest person to work for, putting people to work on scenes for months, only to cut them or ask them to be redone. Obviously as a consumer, we benefit from this but I bet his staff had a few choice words for him at the time!
Halfway through reading this, I decided to watch Snow White, as it's been a few years since I last did. One of the things the animators were not happy about, was the Prince. I would agree with them, not because of how he moved but because he looks like he is wearing lipstick. He's not the Prince I would be dreaming about!
However towards the end of the book, it does explain that the colour palette on the film has been changed every time it's been reissued. So his lips, may not have been that bright on the original. Apart from that minor niggle, the film still looks as good as it did in 1937. This is a timeless classic and I've had the songs stuck in my head the entire time I was reading this.
I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of the film, Disney or animation. This truly is a remarkable book.
December 14, 2020
One of the most thorough studies of a motion picture that I have read in the last few years. J.B. Kaufman leaves no stone unturned. He gives you a great sense as to which Disney animators were involved and how they were involved--such as the difference between Grim Natwick's animation of Snow White versus Ham Luske's. Walt's presence and intense involvement is never far from the book, thanks to the quotes from his story meetings and the Sweatbox notes. As a result, you get a clear sense of the blood, sweat, and tears that were poured into this tremendous artistic endeavor.
Along with his careful study of the film itself, Kaufman also places Snow White in a larger context. Not only does he examine the many adaptations of the fairy tale, including theatrical adaptations, but also reminds us that there was a silent version that Paramount released--and that Walt saw.
The details might be exhausting to some readers, but for those who find such detailed information rewarding, Kaufman's work will certainly more than satisfy.
Along with his careful study of the film itself, Kaufman also places Snow White in a larger context. Not only does he examine the many adaptations of the fairy tale, including theatrical adaptations, but also reminds us that there was a silent version that Paramount released--and that Walt saw.
The details might be exhausting to some readers, but for those who find such detailed information rewarding, Kaufman's work will certainly more than satisfy.
December 18, 2020
This is perhaps my favorite making-of movie book. Bountiful with gorgeous images and wonderful insight into what makes SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS an enduring masterpiece, it's also a great insight into the popular culture of early 20th century America. What I love most about JB Kaufman's work is that he does not present these Disney films as existing in some artistic vacuum: he examines them in the context of classic Hollywood, silent film comedy, Winsor McCay comic strips, Broadway musicals, theater, and all of the other cultural/artistic forces that inspired Walt Disney and his collaborators.
August 9, 2015
With 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney took a gamble that audiences would sit still for a feature-length animated film – he won, magnificently. What showed up on screen as a sweet, pleasant fairy tale involved massive amounts of labor, second-guessing, fine-tuning, and pruning away of excess story. All of this is detailed by Disney historian J. B. Kaufman in his 2012 book The Fairest One of All, which satisfies as both a thorough production history and a lovely, large-format tribute to this still-influential animated icon.
Snow White certainly had a huge impact on my young mind when I saw a reissue screening in the ’70s (maybe the earliest movie I remember seeing?). In that darkened theater, I swooned to Snow White’s untouched beauty, cowered in terror at the Wicked Witch, and laughed along with Dopey and the other dwarfs. Being a little kid, when it was over I wanted more. Later on, my mother indulged me with the Disney storybook record album (the one with the purple cover), which got heavy play on the family turntable. To this day, the sound of Adriana Caselotti’s trilling makes me smile. The movie pretty much turned me into an artist, an old movie buff, and a full-on Disney freak – three in one!
Since Snow is so personally dear to me, I had extremely high expectations for The Fairest One of All. Surprisingly, the book ended up outdoing those high expectations – Kaufman truly knows his Snow White history, and it’s efficiently laid out in this beautifully designed volume. After a few chapters detailing the history of the Grimm Brothers’ source tale and the various pre-Disney stage and film renditions, Kaufman comprehensively goes through the film, scene-by-scene, explaining how they came to be. As a straightforward chronological history, having it arranged in the order the story is told reveals a ton of fascinating episodes which might have been lost the other way. It may even be too detailed for all but die-hard Snow White buffs. Kaufman’s research is so incredible, however, and it’s written in an accessible style. I devoured sections discussing scenes that were significantly tweaked (such as the prince’s introduction), painstakingly re-animated (the dwarfs coming home from the mine), or eliminated entirely (scenes with the dwarfs eating soup and building a bed for Snow White; a dream sequence meant to accompany “Someday My Prince Will Come”). Every single frame in this film got analyzed to a degree that’s never been attempted before or since. If anything, this book is a tribute to Walt Disney’s high standards and attention to detail. - Scrubbles.net review, August 8, 2015
Snow White certainly had a huge impact on my young mind when I saw a reissue screening in the ’70s (maybe the earliest movie I remember seeing?). In that darkened theater, I swooned to Snow White’s untouched beauty, cowered in terror at the Wicked Witch, and laughed along with Dopey and the other dwarfs. Being a little kid, when it was over I wanted more. Later on, my mother indulged me with the Disney storybook record album (the one with the purple cover), which got heavy play on the family turntable. To this day, the sound of Adriana Caselotti’s trilling makes me smile. The movie pretty much turned me into an artist, an old movie buff, and a full-on Disney freak – three in one!
Since Snow is so personally dear to me, I had extremely high expectations for The Fairest One of All. Surprisingly, the book ended up outdoing those high expectations – Kaufman truly knows his Snow White history, and it’s efficiently laid out in this beautifully designed volume. After a few chapters detailing the history of the Grimm Brothers’ source tale and the various pre-Disney stage and film renditions, Kaufman comprehensively goes through the film, scene-by-scene, explaining how they came to be. As a straightforward chronological history, having it arranged in the order the story is told reveals a ton of fascinating episodes which might have been lost the other way. It may even be too detailed for all but die-hard Snow White buffs. Kaufman’s research is so incredible, however, and it’s written in an accessible style. I devoured sections discussing scenes that were significantly tweaked (such as the prince’s introduction), painstakingly re-animated (the dwarfs coming home from the mine), or eliminated entirely (scenes with the dwarfs eating soup and building a bed for Snow White; a dream sequence meant to accompany “Someday My Prince Will Come”). Every single frame in this film got analyzed to a degree that’s never been attempted before or since. If anything, this book is a tribute to Walt Disney’s high standards and attention to detail. - Scrubbles.net review, August 8, 2015
January 26, 2015
An appreciation of the movie by way of a very comprehensive play-by-play of its development, production and release.
I think the way to get the most out of this book is to think of the finished movie as a museum exhibit, and this book as your docent. All the information is five-star, and it's presented in a very organized way. But if you're looking for "the story" of how the film came together then parts of the book will definitely be more interesting to you than others.
I feel that I would have benefitted from a better idea of the book's general outline before reading, so don't read on if you'd consider that to be a "spoiler."
The book begins with a look at the story's history before the Disney version, including earlier stage and movie adaptations, then proceeds with a straight-ahead telling of the movie's general development, which of course introduces the key people, developments, events and changes the story went through.
Then the book takes what to me seemed like a different tack: you're taken scene-by-scene from beginning to end through the finished version of the movie (including deleted scenes), with very comprehensive notes on each individual scene, and a complete history of all the story, design, animation and personnel changes it might have gone through, as well as artistic analysis of the finished animation. Due to the non-linear nature of planning movies ( in particular animation and in particular the experimental first large-scale animated feature), some topics are kind of picked up here from where they were previously discussed in the more general development overview, or linked to other scenes elsewhere in the film.
And then, in the final part of the book, we're given the story and details of its release and the cultural impact of its first run, as well as an overview of its re-releases and its characters' uses in other media.
All in all, even though in some places I found it disjointed, it's understandable considering how disjointed movie production chronology can seem, and the quality of the research and information makes up for it.
I think the way to get the most out of this book is to think of the finished movie as a museum exhibit, and this book as your docent. All the information is five-star, and it's presented in a very organized way. But if you're looking for "the story" of how the film came together then parts of the book will definitely be more interesting to you than others.
I feel that I would have benefitted from a better idea of the book's general outline before reading, so don't read on if you'd consider that to be a "spoiler."
The book begins with a look at the story's history before the Disney version, including earlier stage and movie adaptations, then proceeds with a straight-ahead telling of the movie's general development, which of course introduces the key people, developments, events and changes the story went through.
Then the book takes what to me seemed like a different tack: you're taken scene-by-scene from beginning to end through the finished version of the movie (including deleted scenes), with very comprehensive notes on each individual scene, and a complete history of all the story, design, animation and personnel changes it might have gone through, as well as artistic analysis of the finished animation. Due to the non-linear nature of planning movies ( in particular animation and in particular the experimental first large-scale animated feature), some topics are kind of picked up here from where they were previously discussed in the more general development overview, or linked to other scenes elsewhere in the film.
And then, in the final part of the book, we're given the story and details of its release and the cultural impact of its first run, as well as an overview of its re-releases and its characters' uses in other media.
All in all, even though in some places I found it disjointed, it's understandable considering how disjointed movie production chronology can seem, and the quality of the research and information makes up for it.
April 5, 2015
There have been a few books on the making of Snow White, this this no doubt will remain the most comprehensive book for years to come. The book is organized by character development and then film sequence. Each chapter explains how the sequence was developed during production. Unused sequences are also discussed. The last chapter discusses how the color palette changed over the years due to age and digital revisionism. This is the only fault I have with the book, because it's a lame justification for why Disney has ruined the aesthetics of their films. Nonetheless this is a must have for the Disney enthusiast.
November 12, 2015
I started this book about a week ago and I couldn't put it back down. It is a lovely written book explaining everything there is to know about the movie. The illustrations are firnominal! You come to gain massive respect for all the work done by all the writers, artists and casting. like disney said "around here, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things. Because we're curious.. and curiosity keeps leading up down new paths!" And that's exactly what they did.
August 29, 2015
Interesting meticulous book on the making of Disney's Snow White, a groundbreaking movie in more than one way, not just its being the first mainstream feature-length animated film, but also its use of techniques and color. The middle section which discusses the making of each sequence in great detail was a bit too detailed for me, as I have not seen the film in at least 15 years, but the rest of the book is fascinating reading, with lovely illustrations.
October 23, 2017
informative and beautiful
March 13, 2024
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Snow White is my favorite Disney princess. So, having this in my personal library; I am very happy to read this from time to time. 🍎💙
Snow White is my favorite Disney princess. So, having this in my personal library; I am very happy to read this from time to time. 🍎💙
December 31, 2025
Luxurious making-off of Walt Disney's very first animated feature film, with lots of artwork, and ample attention to the film's antecedents, production process, alternate story lines, deleted scenes, premiere and aftermath. For animation lovers highlight is the detailed scene-for-scene animation breakdowns at the end of the book.
Kaufman tells about the film thematically, and my only criticism is that the rising tension because of an all too close deadline gets a little lost by this approach, when compared to the more chronological re-tellings of these years in other books. Some of the interesting insights from this book are the animation style differences between Ham Luske and Grim Natwick when animating Snow White, with the former giving her a more childish innocent character, and the latter making her older, and more worldly. To be frank, when watching the movie one can easily miss that.
Anyway, like with 'Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic by J B Kaufman (26-May-2015) Hardcover' Kaufman does an excellent job in providing the reader ca. everything one wants to know about the movie. I hope other Disney classics receive his treatment, too!
Kaufman tells about the film thematically, and my only criticism is that the rising tension because of an all too close deadline gets a little lost by this approach, when compared to the more chronological re-tellings of these years in other books. Some of the interesting insights from this book are the animation style differences between Ham Luske and Grim Natwick when animating Snow White, with the former giving her a more childish innocent character, and the latter making her older, and more worldly. To be frank, when watching the movie one can easily miss that.
Anyway, like with 'Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic by J B Kaufman (26-May-2015) Hardcover' Kaufman does an excellent job in providing the reader ca. everything one wants to know about the movie. I hope other Disney classics receive his treatment, too!
August 4, 2014
It may took so long to read but such a treasure can't be read in a day or two, what a wonderful book indeed
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews