100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #23: Pinocchio (1940)

Produced by Walt Disney. Based on "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi.

When Walt Disney decided to adapt Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio into an animated musical, he could not have foreseen how the film would become the definitive Pinocchio retelling for every subsequent generation. Coming off the groundbreaking success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio was released in 1940 to widespread acclaim, with unanimous praise for the vibrant artwork that even today is considered the studio’s most accomplished animation. Over eighty years later, the passionate storytelling on display is still enough to stir the imagination and uplift the spirit, and not only for its artistic accomplishments. Although the film is mostly remembered as an iconic musical fairy-tale adventure, it also acts as a children’s allegory, adhering closely to Collodi’s original fable, where virtue is rewarded, vice is punished, and Christian symbolism is ever-present. Just as in the original novel, the Christian allegory gives the already stunning PInocchio an indisputable timelessness, sealing it as one of the greatest works of animation in history. 

Originally published in Italy in 1883, Carlo Collodi, a children’s writer and former seminarian, wrote The Adventures of Pinocchio as a way to express his beliefs on man’s relationship with the eternal and the importance of shaping the soul through faith and works. Pinocchio as a “wooden boy” reflects man not yet formed by virtue and discipline, and his desire to become a “real boy” is the crux of the novel. Through comedic, often dark adventures, Pinocchio struggles to be good and repeatedly makes unfortunate mistakes, but through the teachings of various guides (The woodcarver Gepetto, the talking cricket, the blue fairy), he slowly learns lessons that transform his behaviors and set him on the right path, leading to the fairy-tale happy ending that’s always been part of the Disney brand but has its origins in the fable tradition of rewarding the virtuous. Translating the text into a film required some modification, including cutting out some of Pinocchio’s more sinister adventures and even softening Pinocchio’s personality to make him more likable than the book counterpart, but Walt Disney’s translation proved faithful to the spirit of Collodi, with the animation team creating a meticulous world full of light and wonder that never shies away from the darkness Pinocchio encounters after his poor decisions. Today, audiences might see storytelling of this nature as overly didactic, but there is a beauty to the fable’s simplicity where actions are met with logical consequences, or at least logical in a fairy tale sense. When Pinocchio disobeys his father, he is taken prisoner by the evil puppet master Stromboli (because freedom from rules enslaves rather than liberates). When he lies to the blue fairy about his actions, his nose grows long (because lies increase the more they are told), and when Pinocchio indulges in too much pleasure, he begins to turn into a donkey (making a jackass out of himself). While these frightening consequences seem harsh, Walt honors the Christian allegory of Collodi to convey the consequences of sin and the way children become lost without the guidance of their Father.

On the subject of Fathers, the relationship between the father and son is at the heart of the allegory. Gepetto the wood-carver is Pinocchio’s creator, a reflection of God the father creating a child whom he loves. But Pinocchio is a puppet, lacking free will and the ability to return love to Gepetto. This is where Gepetto wishes for Pinocchio to become a real boy, so that he may have a loving relationship with his created son. Pinocchio is given life, but as God gave his children freedom to choose love, Gepetto’s wish for Pinocchio to become real means Pinocchio also has the freedom to abandon his father and pursue his own selfish desires, which Pinocchio does repeatedly. But even as God’s children repeatedly fall into sin, the Heavenly Father continues to love his children in their fallen state. Likewise, Gepetto continues to love his son and never stops pursuing Pinocchio’s safe return to the arms of his father. 

With the help of Jiminy Cricket (who takes the job of a conscience), Pinocchio is finally freed from the temptations of fame and earthly pleasures. He rushes home, only to find his father is no longer there, having been swallowed by a giant whale. Desperate to return to his Father, Pinocchio plunges into the depths to rescue him. Collodi was inspired by the story of Jonah to illustrate Pinocchio’s spiritual renewal. The darkness of the world completely swallowed Pinocchio, who ran from the command of his father repeatedly and found himself submerged in the deep. But in the belly of the beast, he found his father, who still sought after his son with all his heart. Pinocchio’s final confrontation with the whale symbolizes his rejection of worldly temptation and the embrace of his father’s love. No longer confined by the shackles of fame and hedonism, he escapes the darkness of the beast and embraces virtue. And while Pinocchio does not directly represent a Christ figure, his moment of self-sacrifice that places him in the tomb of the whale ends with a resurrection and life granted anew.

Pinocchio’s journey back to the father’s embrace is not only guided by Jiminy Cricket. His cricket conscience was a gift from the blue fairy, who answered Gepetto’s wish and bestowed life on the wooden boy. The spirit intercessor is common in classic fairy tales, and the blue fairy makes frequent appearances to offer assistance to Pinocchio in times of need. But there are several key moments to suggest that the blue fairy is intentionally symbolic of the Blessed Mother. Her appearance in blue and white are the same colors commonly depicting the Virgin Mary in religious artwork, and her appearance at the beginning of the story, giving life to the wooden boy, is a metaphorical depiction of how Christ was given life on earth through the Blessed Mother. As we are called to emulate Christ’s sacrificial love, the heavenly Father blesses us with the intercession of the saints and angels to guide us on our journey, and the blue fairy as a Marian figure reflects the intercession of Mary, Queen of Saints, who is present in Pinocchio’s life from the time of his conception. During moments when Pinocchio experiences the catastrophic consequences of giving in to temptation, the blue fairy appears to guide Pinocchio back to his father. The education she provides him about responsibility and choosing right over wrong is Collodi’s allusion to the Blessed Mother role within the Communion of Saints, who all seek to guide God’s children to sainthood.

At the time of the film’s release, when Christianity was still dominant in the West, it was common for major Hollywood productions to speak to the public’s Christian beliefs, and Walt Disney’s early works all reflected a Christian worldview. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, among others, embrace classic Christian archetypes found in Western fairy-tales. While Disney no longer adheres to the traditions of classic storytelling, and chooses subversion instead of sincerity, it’s worth remembering the power of Walt Disney’s original visions that illustrated the importance of truth, goodness, and beauty. These timeless classics all have their own merits, but Pinocchio could easily be considered the pinnacle of Walt’s golden age, not just for the exceptional animation and music, but for the faithful adherence to the original story’s Christian allegory. Enjoyed today by modern audiences as a simple animated fantasy about the misadventures of a wooden boy, the Christian viewer will also enjoy the subtext which provides a much richer story. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of virtue and man’s need for spiritual intercession, and a heartwarming reflection on the Father’s eternal love for His child.

Are you a fan of classic Disney animation? Want more Catholic analysis of Golden Age Disney films? Then check out Film #3 on the list, Fantasia (1940)!