109. Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Director: Clyde Geronimi
Starring: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley
Synopsis: It’s Princess Aurora’s (Mary Costa) birthday or something, and everyone’s invited! Kings and courtiers and even fairies! But then King Stefan (Taylor Holmes), the dope, “forgot” to invite Maleficent (Eleanor Audley), the incredibly powerful and easily offended witch(?). Maleficent then puts a curse on Aurora that no one thinks to tell her about for the 16 years she’s secretly raised by the fairies Flora (Verna Felton), Fauna (Barbara Jo Allen, and Merryweather (Barbar Luddy). Then Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley) and his horny teen energy enter the picture and complicate everything. Typical!
Bechdel-Wallace Pass? Yes
The Episode
It's Totes Tradition to watch a Disney animated film in February because they are the most romantic movies out there. We recall Sleeping Beauty (1959), a movie about princess who has to be kissed by a prince or else she'll sleep forever. Maybe this is also Snow White? Plus, we play a good round of betroth, touch the spindle, or throw to the brambles.
