I saw The Princess and the Frog – and while a lot of the same trappings remain (the glorification of the father figure) - Disney did mix it up.
1. Tiana has a female friend who is not jealous of her.
2. Two men are seen cooking.
3. The father is dead instead of the mother.
4. The prince is poor.
This Feministing article on the Princess and the Frog is pretty good.
I still have an issue with the glorification of marriage (I’m still frustrated with Up in the Air). Only once the pair are married can they be transformed and live out their dreams. I guess that message could be argued as an improvement from the message of Beauty and the Beast – a woman’s sacrifice is the only means to transform and bring happiness into the world.
The “best” part of the film is when Tiana asks her prince if he is still hungry, and of course she gives him her food to eat. Good woman.
