The Princess and the Frog

I chose to review The Princess and the Frog. I chose this particular movie because when it first came out and there was all this hoopla going around about how African American girls finally got a “black princess”, I didn’t want that fact to take away from me truly enjoying what they had done with the fairytale and pick out every misrepresentation of the African American girl from the images placed on the scene. I have to admit sometimes I just want to be entertained. I want to just look at something that has been put together theatrically and just enjoy it without clouding my perception on what the media and the public really think about African American girls. So much noise was being made about how great this picture was for the African American viewer and how we could now be depicted as princesses and live happily ever after as so many white princesses did for years. Or could we?
When the tape rolled I was ready. I had already heard a few things about the movie from my cousin, who by the way always has this invisible fist in the air waiting to shout “power to the people” at whatever moment renders the need and just to get the point across – that we [African Americans] are still the second class citizens that we once were so blatantly not too long ago. My cousin has good intentions though. Awareness is vital to resolve. After she viewed it, she made sure to let me know that I should watch it and tell her what I think and what I think it’s saying. I knew after that comment that she had seen things that were somewhat disturbing and no matter how much I tried to just watch the movie, I couldn’t. It’s like I could see everything already because the story opened with a disturbing notion.
Two children, apparently friends, sitting in front of what looks like a nanny, because from what history I know of, in the 1920’s, roles in family structure included all that was mentioned above; a white family with children, money, and black nanny to clean, cook, and raise children, including her own in the glamorous and fortunate home of her employer. Fortunately, the two children are friends and that means that they are safe from the world of prejudices and misconceptions, because regardless of what is going around them, they still manage to move past it. At this point I try to catch myself before I fail to look at the big picture and what this “big picture” gives to African American little girls, but it was hard even in the opening scene, because this is where I learn that what is to be our first African American princess, is not a princess at all!
Could I assume it would not be possible for Disney to just hand over a black princess, as all princesses have come before, heirs to exotic, yet simplistic Kingdoms, filled with joy and happiness before an external evil of life comes in, in attempt to corrode their very being and contentment as a life lesson in love and romance, power and strength by precluding that she, the African American Princess start as the “friend” of a more true “princess?” While the Caucasian friend in the movie is not a true princess herself, she was depicted in this light more than the true star of the flick, Tiana. Tiana starts off with all her hope and dreams diminished by the cruel realities of life, at such an early age! Every other princess had the childhood most children should have, where it is okay to wish and dream and believe that one day they would in fact come true. Tiana couldn’t even bring herself to make a wish until she filled with desperation to find an exit from her misery of failure.
Tiana struggled! She was a young girl looking to make her own dreams come true. That was great, though! But why are African Americans always in the struggle? Why couldn’t for once we be the ones who had nothing to worry about but living and enjoying? Am I to struggle before I become the princess that I know I am within? Would my children have to put in extra work before they are recognized as the true contribution they will be society when I decide to birth them? Can African Americans do anything without struggle?!?
The whole movie seemed to be treading the thin line of the path of least resistance. It became very obvious throughout the movie that there was a conscious attempt to keep off of the toes of African Americans, but Tiana was a constant reminder of what people really think of African American women; as bitchy, angry, struggling, and bitter to the end. African American women don’t have time to dream! It is only when we get what we want that we become capable of being the loving creatures that are found in the “white princesses.” Could this movie have done anything for the young African American girls watching? That’s hard to say. In the end, Tiana does become a “princess”…of a swamp and with the swamp animals. How delightful! All that, after her wonderful adventure through the bayou, being dragged in the mud and being the door mat of a wealthy prince that just could not fully adjust to his new life as a frog.
The common element that I find between the lines of our Girl’s Studies readings is this: as girls, it is vital that we stay true to who we are as individuals. It is in finding that individuality and pride that comes along with being pleased with who you are and what you will become that will ward off the negativity that we find in the media. I can’t say that the movie was all bad for African American girls, I’m just saying it’s not what most of us was looking for. All of us are practically “Tiana’s” dealing with what is handed to us and making due. Tiana is what we hoped to avoid seeing on the big screen for everybody to watch because that is something we all know already and not the true picture of who we are culturally. Yes, we are strong! Yes, we work hard for what we want! Yes, we get angry at the fact that we are the farthest from the standards of society! But if every “Disney” Princess were permanently displaced from her position of privilege it would be easier for them to see how delicacy is afforded to what society sees as standard. Who would have figured?
Media is a double edged sword. It is what educates us and what stray us the farthest from the truth, sometimes at the same time. Without it we couldn’t spread the word of what is good, and with it the spread of misconceptions is inevitable. The use of media has enormous impact on people today and it is a force to be reckoned with if we plan to educate our young girls on the dangers of “premade” conceptions and avenues of femininity and identity. We have to strengthen the image that young girls have of themselves and their purpose so that they may be able to recognize what is to their benefit and well being and what is to be left out and hung. Young girls are told to be so many things, and reminded to not to be anything all at the same time. And while in our readings this perception related to femininity and what girls are made to think, I feel that the Frog Princess affirmed each contradiction made in society. We can have aspirations and want to be independent but that will never come without struggle


Musker, R. C. (Director). (2009). The Princess and the Frog [Motion Picture].