The REAL Stories Behind 5 Famous Disney Movies

The Disney Company is a colossal entity, and its films are cherished by billions globally. However, it may come as a surprise that several of their most iconic titles are inspired by real events and extraordinary tales. Here are five Disney films that reveal unexpected origins, some of which would not have been suitable for children had they not undergone significant alterations.

One notable example is "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Released in 1937, this film was a monumental success and marked the beginning of Disney's princess franchise. The narrative follows Snow White, who is pursued by her envious stepmother, the Evil Queen, who commands a huntsman to eliminate her. Unable to carry out the order, the huntsman spares Snow White, allowing her to escape into the forest where she finds refuge with seven dwarfs. When the Evil Queen discovers that Snow White is still alive, she disguises herself as an old hag and offers her a poisoned apple. Upon consuming it, Snow White falls into a death-like slumber until a prince arrives, kisses her, and revives her, leading to their happily ever after. While this version is enchanting, the original tale presents a much darker conclusion. The Brothers Grimm penned the initial story in 1812, and it was first published in German. Although it shares many elements with the Disney adaptation, the prince does not awaken Snow White with a kiss. Instead, he inadvertently dislodges the poisoned apple from her throat while carrying her casket, leading to her revival. The story takes a grim turn as a grand wedding is organized, inviting every king and queen in the realm. Unbeknownst to the Wicked Queen, who accepts the invitation, it is her stepdaughter's wedding. Upon her arrival, she is forced to wear red-hot shoes and dance until she dies, a punishment for her earlier attempt on Snow White's life. This unsettling twist is particularly jarring, considering the story's intended audience.

The Disney film "Pocahontas" was highly controversial due to its portrayal of the historical figure. The movie depicted Pocahontas as a young American Indian woman who falls in love with a British captain, despite her father's disapproval. However, the true story of Pocahontas differs significantly from the film. Pocahontas, whose birth name was Mitaka, was the daughter of a chief and was born around 1595. She was part of a tribe in Tidewater Virginia and played a significant role in mediating between the English settlers and the Native Americans. Pocahontas later married a tobacco planter named John Rolfe in order to secure her release after being captured by English settlers. This marriage symbolized peace between the English and Native Americans. While the film portrays a romantic relationship between Pocahontas and Captain Smith, historical records suggest otherwise. Mitaka encountered John Smith, the captain she had rescued from execution, in England. However, she chose to remain silent and walked away from him. Meanwhile, Pocahontas was on her way back to Virginia by ship but fell ill and had to disembark at Gravesend, England. Tragically, she passed away at the young age of 21. There were speculations of poisoning being the cause of her death, although this theory has never been proven. It is quite astonishing to consider that the film is only loosely inspired by actual historical events.

In the 2010 Disney film "Tangled", the story revolves around a baby princess named Rapunzel who possesses magical healing powers. She is taken from her crib by Mother Gothel and kept in a hidden tower where her magical hair grows incredibly long. As she grows older, Rapunzel becomes curious about the outside world, particularly the bright lights she sees floating in the sky beyond her tower prison. She teams up with a local thief to escape the tower and embarks on an adventure, discovering that the lights in the sky are lanterns released every year on her birthday by her parents. After bringing the thief back to life with her powers, Rapunzel falls in love with him, and they eventually marry and live happily ever after. This film is a version of the original story of Rapunzel, which begins with a lonely couple living next to an evil witch named Dame Gothel. The neighbor, who is pregnant, sees a Rapunzel plant in the witch's garden and asks her husband to steal it for her to eat. She enjoys it so much that she asks him to steal more, but he is caught by Dame Gothel. He begs for his life, and the evil witch agrees to let him go on the condition that he hands over their baby as soon as it's born. Dame Gothel calls the newborn baby Rapunzel and raises her as her own. Rapunzel grows up to have long golden hair, and when she reaches the age of 12, Dame Gothel locks her in a secret tower. Rapunzel's hair grows so long that when the witch visits her, she shouts up for her to let her hair down. Rapunzel would then drop her hair down from the tower, and Dame Gothel would climb up to her room. Then one day, a prince hears Rapunzel singing in the tower, and they eventually meet and fall in love. They both plan her escape so that he can marry her, but Dame Gothel notices something is not right, so she watches the tower and finds out about the prince's visits. In a rage, she cuts off Rapunzel's hair and slings her into the woods to fend for herself. She then uses the cut hair to trick the prince into thinking he's climbing up to see Rapunzel, but when he reaches the top and is told Rapunzel is gone, he jumps from the tower in an attempt to kill himself. He survives, but thorns pierce his eyes, leaving him blind for months. He wanders aimlessly in the forest until one day he hears Rapunzel singing and is reunited with her, and she restores his sight. As for Dame Gothel, in a fit of anger, she drops the lengths of hair and is forever trapped in the tower to die. So, although the original has a good storyline, it's far different from the movie version and wouldn't have really made for a good children's movie, considered by many to be the greatest Disney film ever made.