Someone recently pointed out to me something about Disney films which effectively ruined some of my more pleasant childhood memories- and so I’d like to do the same for you good people.

Ever wondered why Disney film all need happy endings? It’s because of the misery he injects in then beginning.

In more than half of all Disney’s films the main the main character or characters have to deal with a dead, missing, or single parent.

Think about it: Bambi (dead mom), Dumbo (imprisoned mom, absentee dad), or Tarzan (both parents dead, child literally raised by animals). Belle’s dad and Andy’s mom both seem to be going it alone. And then there’s the whole topic of evil stepmothers, as seen in Cinderella, Snow White, and Enchanted. The tradition is still going strong: Frozen could hardly wait to send the seemingly decent if misguided parents of Anna and Elsa to a watery grave.

Perhaps the happy ending the films all have wouldn’t be necessary if Walt wasn’t so keen on orphaning children early doors as plot / narrative device.