Why Frozen Isn't Really That Novel

"I just love Frozen.  It is the first movie from Disney that actually empowers women."  Raise your hands if you've heard that before.  Okay, now put your hands down.  Raise you hand if you actually, honestly believe that.  Well, you shouldn't and here's why:  It's not true.  The qualification that people usually use for this assessment is that Disney movies used to tell women that they needed to be saved by men.  First of all, I don't think that's the only way you can empower women, but that aside, here's the truth:  It's not the first movie to do that.  I present six Disney movies that taught that message.  Some of them long ago. These aren't the only six that have strong female characters, mind you.  They're just the ones where the girls saves her own day--or even everyone else's too.

Now, I'm not saying that Frozen has nothing to offer.  I actually enjoyed the movie pretty well.  But I don't think it is anything new in the feminism department.


Alice in Wonderland (Animated 1951 version)

People say that Frozen is great because she doesn't need a guy to saver her.  Last time I checked, Alice gets herself out of Wonderland.  Unless you count the King of Hearts insisting on a trial before the "Off with her head!" part is carried out, Alice doesn't need a man to save her.

Pocahontas (1995)

Last time I saw this movie, Pocahontas saved John Smith, not the other way around.

Mulan (1998)

 

Does Chang save China?  Nope. His plan was to "die with honor."  Does Chang save the emperor?  Remember the statue battering ram plan?

Tangled (2010)

I know, this one is a little bit iffy because, technically, Flynn Rider saves her from a life of absolute obedience to Mother Gothel by cutting off her hair--which keeps her from saving his life.  So I think it still qualifies.  Nothing less sexist than the girl saving the guy.  He thinks that he needs to save her, but that ends in a gaping slit across his abdomen.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Maybe they just don't know about this Disney movie, but not knowing about something doesn't exclude it from being evidence.  It just means that you should know your Disney repertoire a bit better before making generalizations about it.  In Bedknobs and Broomsticks, three kids, Charlie, Carrie and Paul, are sent to live with Eglantine Price during the Bombing of London in WWII. It's a long story, but in the end, Miss Price ends up stopping an entire Nazi invasion of England! All the while, the male love interest, Emilius Brown bumbles around aimlessly.

Brave (2012)

 

Brave pretty much fights the stereotype of you-need-a-man until the concept of not-needing-man starts to taste like vinegar, actually.


Furthermore, all these counter-examples aside, I take umbrage at the implication that accepting help is a form of weakness. The reason we have societies is to help each other.  Saying that you won't accept help from someone who can give it, just because you are proud, is silly.  And if that someone happens to be a man, why is that wrong?  Elsa accepts help from Anna, and it's empowering?  But if sister Anna were a brother Anders, it would be bad?  Besides, Anna does accept help from Kristoff!  He helps her get to the East Mountain.  He brings her to the trolls when she is cold.  He takes her back to the castle when she collapses.  Everyone should learn to both give and receive help.  I need to learn that lesson to.  It's a form of humility.  So why is it wrong to need someone to save you?  Everyone does at one time or another.

So, in conclusion (we want to make this as much like a high school essay as possible, right?) Frozen isn't a bad movie.  But it isn't exactly new.