Does Disney have something against me.....or just Mom's in general?

Rating: 5 after 4 votes

OKay, so I have a question that has been on my mind for some time now. I'm just wondering, am I the only one who has noticed that in a majority of Disney movies the Mom is dead or nowhere to be found? It's hard to think of a Disney movie with a strong maternal presence. Think about some of the most popular movies:

1. Finding Nemo - Mom's dead
2. Ratatouille - Mom's not even mentioned
3. Beauty and the Beast - Again, Mom's never even mentioned
4. Cinderella - no Mom....as a matter of fact the maternal character is portrayed as evil
5. Snow White - same deal as Cinderella
6. The Little Mermaid - Dad only
7. Bambi - Mom's dead
8. Jasmine in the movie Alladin had no mother

I remember Dumbo had a loving mother...GREAT that's one! But really, how many Disney movies can you name that have a Mom only and no Dad, or a Dad that is evil? 101 Dalmatians has a positive maternal presence, but a positive father too, so that's a wash.

I'm just wondering, what's Disney got against Moms? Has anyone else noticed this and have a great reason as to why it is?

Thanks!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Indigo on December 8, 2008 at 11:03am: In the case of most of the stories you've mentioned, they are based on fairy / grimm / folk tales without a mother figure.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Colleen Dick on December 8, 2008 at 11:15am: Cuz youngsters with proper moms don't get to have cool adventures, cuz their mom's wouldn't let them. What kind of movie plot would be I woke up, fed the livestock, cleaned daddy's sword, studied my latin, picked some tomatoes, chopped some wood and went to bed. So the mom has to be seriously coocoo or an evil step who doesn't care about them or better yet, dead. And the dads are all just clueless bunglers have you noticed that? You could say Disney has something against parents in general, always spoiling the fun. In Peter Pan they had parents, but it was the dog that was their real mom.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ommay on December 8, 2008 at 11:32am: They rarely have Moms in the story. And Stepmoms are given a bad wrap. *sigh* *sad*

Sleeping Beauty has a good Mom and Dad, right?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ilana Bittner on December 8, 2008 at 2:09pm: When we write for kids, we have to find dramatic devices that resonate with them. Having only one parent is certainly a strong plot that nearly every kids can relate to, either from personal experience or through friends.

There are plenty of strong Mom characters, though.

Sarabi in Lion King
Duchess in Aristocats
Kala in Tarzan
Plio in Dinnosaur
Helen in Incrdibles
Grandmother Willow in Pocahontas
Darling in Lady and the Tramp; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sonya Smith on December 8, 2008 at 2:32pm: Do you really want to mention Dumbo? Wasn't she a rampaging elephant and that's why they locked her up and separated Dumbo from her, so a mouse had to raise him? I don't think that quite counts, lol.

I never really noticed either. Very sad.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by sylviaG on December 9, 2008 at 5:02pm: it's simply a writing technique - a formula perse for children's stories. It is created or adapted to allow a child to have their own 'individual' experience as an individual and not have the parents get in the way of the story. There is no other way to do it - in real life, a parent would get in the way of the 'adventure'.

most disney movies are not, nor were not, created by Walt Disney himself, so regardless if he had issues with his own mother, it was probably just a story used for publicity. Most disney movies are adapted from pre-existing fairy tales.

another modern day example would be Harry Potter.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ClevelandMom on December 10, 2008 at 5:51am: In Lion King the dad is brutally murdered, but, I've said this exact thing to the hubby before, naming all of the movies where at least one parent is gone and several where the parent is actually killed during the course of the movie. It's depressing to me, I won't even watch the beginning of Finding Nemo anymore and don't plan on letting my son watch those scenes until he is much much older. I like that many of the Pixar movies are more lighthearted.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rachel on December 12, 2008 at 5:23pm: Seriously!! Me and my husband were wondering the same thing!! AND in Ratatouille, it is said that Linguini's Mom died! WTF!?!?!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robin Burgoon on December 12, 2008 at 5:34pm: ClevelandMom said:
In Lion King the dad is brutally murdered, but, I've said this exact thing to the hubby before, naming all of the movies where at least one parent is gone and several where the parent is actually killed during the course of the movie. It's depressing to me, I won't even watch the beginning of Finding Nemo anymore and don't plan on letting my son watch those scenes until he is much much older. I like that many of the Pixar movies are more lighthearted.

Only a few days ago, my husband and I were commenting on this as well. Yes, the Pixar movies are more lighthearted. I don't recall anything about Andy's dad in the "Toy Story" movies, though. Re: "Finding Nemo" - I'm with you there! We always play that movie by the chapter/scene selection and start at chapter 3. As far as my kids know, the movie starts with Nemo exclaiming to his dad, "First day of school! First day of school!"; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Patty Gale on December 12, 2008 at 8:00pm: The t.v. shows as well.

Suite Life of Zack and Cody: single mom
Hannah Montana: single dad

I'm sure there are probably others.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kipling on December 15, 2008 at 10:10am: Wow Donna!

I never really thought about this, it's pretty crazy!!! Walt must have had some issues w/women! I'll ask my father-in-law, he's reading his bio right now and get back to you.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeannette Neerpat on December 19, 2008 at 7:42am: I've noticed as well, seems like all of the movies have missing MOMS!! yet we are always the ones whio stick around. Ironic isn't it. But you have to remember who is the director / producer? MEN!!; ▶ Reply to This