Guest Column: Top Ten True Romantic Disney Moments
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Guest Column:  Top Ten True Romantic Disney Moments
by Louisa Swanson and Fernando

When you hear the words 'Walt Disney Animated Feature', there's a pretty good bet that it will contain a love story. Whether the hero and heroine falling in love is a major part of the story or just a subplot, more than likely the romance will be there. However, just how many of these romances can be truly defined as real, believable love that can ASSURE a happily ever after? True, mermaids, talking animals, and fairies aren't things that you bump into in the real world, but the overall "love" that is in these stories are, at times, even MORE unbelievable than the characters themselves!

In 'Sleeping Beauty', Prince Phillip meets Brair Rose in a forest, listens to her singing and stares at her LOOKS, falls in "love" that MINUTE, and declares to his dad he's gonna marry her. despite NOT KNOWING HER NAME, and the fact they've only "known each other" for about 30 MINUTES! I heard Nick Lachey had the same problem! Cinderella doesn't even TALK to the Prince, just dances with him...instantly they're BOTH in "Love"!

What the heck is in those magic dancing glass slippers?! Yet, if people think to list 'Romantic Disney Moments', BOTH of these scenes are invariably included, despite not being about REAL love at all!

The "love" that is shown here is "Love" based basically on LOOKS alone...which of course raises the question - what happens when you get older and the looks go away?! What message is this sending out to the viewers of these movies? 'Your life will change for the better as long as you look like a model?' How can we teach viewers about real, true, honest love when the role models, mainly the 'Disney Princesses', teach a completely different message? Little girls and boys who watch these movies are too young to tell the difference and would not understand if you try to explain it. All they'll see is two people falling in love with looks.

In honor of Valentine's Day (a couple of weeks ago) I have come up with a completely different 'Top 10 Disney Romantic Moments' These are Disney moments that I feel truly reflect real, honest love. You will notice there is only ONE 'Disney Princess' on this list. These movies, I feel, can truly show young children what real love is like. This list took quite a long time to put together due to having to find movies where the love doesn't happen 'at first sight', but happens for other reasons, and the love develops over the course of the movie, like real love does,

So, without further ado, I present the Top Ten True Romantic Disney Moments!

(c) Disney

No. 10: The Black Cauldron (1985)
The final scene from The Black Cauldron, Taran Wanderer and Princess Eilonwy.

This scene comes at the very end of the movie when Taran and Eilonwy go to kiss Gurgi, but end up kissing each other. This romance was building all throughout the movie. Taran and Elionwy go through an entire adventure together and nearly lose their lives in their struggle to destroy the Cauldron. It did not happen at first sight at all because when Taran and Elionwy met they were in the middle of getting out of a dungeon. They put up with stress, arguments and seeing the 'real' each other because there was no time to pretend. The love that they discover is love for the real person: the brave, learning, caring individual they are inside.

(c) Disney

No. 9: The Rescuers (1977)
Miss Bianca and Bernard see each other when she comes into the meeting

Now it looks like a 'love at first sight' scene', but a closer look and a listen in this scene reveals that Bernard and Miss Bianca did already know each other before the movie began. The familiar way they look at each other in greeting as Bianca comes into the meeting and lightly spritzes herself with perfume shows they ALREADY like each other. The smiles they give each other are more than just friendly, especially since she seems so uncomfortable with the way the rest of the male mice stare as she comes in. When she is asked to choose a partner, she immediately chooses Bernard despite the skepticism from the Chairmouse and the fact that all the other male mice of the society raised their hands eagerly to go with her! She would rather go with someone she feels comfortable with, and who she can be herself around!