Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs 1943

Coal Black opens with a quiet, intimate scene in front of a flickering fireplace. A red-tinted silhouette of a large woman cradling a young child fills the frame as the child asks her “mammy” to tell the story of So White an’ de Sebben Dwarfs. Mammy [Lillian Randolph] begins the tale, and the narrative quickly pivots to the character at the center of the Queen’s schemes.

The rich, Wicked Queen [Danny Webb] sits atop her throne of abundance, a theatrical caricature of a wartime ration hoarder. Her den is stocked with the kinds of items that were scarce during World War II—rubber, sugar, gin, and more—piled high as symbols of power. The Queen stuffs candy into her mouth from a box labeled Chattanooga Chew-Chews and then orders her magic mirror to conjure up a prince, specifically “a prince ’bout six feet tall.” When Prince Chawmin’ [Zoot Watson] arrives in a flashy car, he swats away the Queen’s fear with bravado, declaring that though she may be frightful, her gal So White [Vivian Dandridge] is dyn-a-mite. He escorts So White away from her laundry duty, and they whirl into a rousing jitterbug that catches the Queen’s eye and sparks her jealousy into action.

In a frantic bid to erase So White, the Queen hires “Murder, Incorporated” to rub out the girl. The plan unleashes a cascade of chaos: a panel truck proclaims, “We rub out anybody for $1.00; Midgets: 1/2-price; Japs: free,” and the hired killers close in. After a series of unseen favors that seem to delight the would-be assassins, So White is spirited away, only to be found later in the woods unharmed. The would‑be assassins, their faces smeared with So White’s lipstick in a cheeky visual gag, drive off in a flurry of action.

Lost in the woods, So White encounters an owl-hooting dwarf. Fear sparks a quick flare of light when she lights a lighter, revealing a single rifle-wielding dwarf. He calls out, “Who goes there, Friend or Foe?” That moment ushers in the Sebben Dwarfs, seven diminutive, uniformed soldiers who march and sing “We’re in the Army Now,” punctuated by a pair of dwarfs singing a sly line about catching “cats” and “rats.” So White, now full of energy, is taken in as their squad cook, frying eggs and pork chops for the hungry troops, their makeshift stove bearing the sign “Keep ’em frying” as a cheeky nod to wartime slogans.

Meanwhile, the Queen learns that So White still lives and schemes anew. She poisons an apple, filling it with a venomous intent that even transforms the fruit into a green apple. Four worms escape the apple as the Queen, disguised as an old peddler, arrives at the Sebben Dwarfs’ camp and delivers a poisoned bite disguised as a gift. So White bites down and collapses, while one of the seven dwarfs spots her lifeless form and warns the others that the Queen has done the deed. In response, the dwarfs leap into action, loading a cannon with a war shell that carries a comical STL of Dopey. The shell fires, the female crone is knocked out by the toy-like mallet wielded by Dopey, a moment of triumph that’s equal parts farce and fantasy.

Yet So White remains unresponsive. The dwarfs’ chant underscores the moment as the Prince reappears, stepping into a spotlight with a promise to give her a kiss that will awaken her, declaring he’ll use his “special ‘Rosebud’” to bring her back to life—an affectionate wink to Citizen Kane. The Prince leans in with a kiss, but it proves insufficient, leaving him exhausted and turning pale in the process. Dopey then strides forward, and with a kiss that’s as dramatic as the prior attempt, gives So White a burst of life. Her eyes widen, her pigtails shoot skyward, and the red ribbons transform into twin American flags amid notes of Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean. Suddenly, So White’s revival shines with a victorious gleam, and the entire scene erupts into a jubilant finish.

The Prince, worn and defeated, asks Dopey what gives So White such irresistible charm, to which Dopey cryptically replies, “dat is a military secret,” before delivering one more kiss that triggers their eyes to glow with a renewed, almost patriotic, spark. The final moment sees So White awakening with a bright, opened-eyed grin and a triumphant, comic energy as the scene fades into the familiar Merrie Melodies ending: a playful “That’s all, Folks!” over the image of the little girl and her Mammy.

• Note: The voice cast appears in the story, and the above features characters linked to their performers where appropriate: So White [Vivian Dandridge], the Wicked Queen [Danny Webb], Prince Chawmin’ [Zoot Watson], Mammy [Lillian Randolph], and the Sebben Dwarfs brought to life by [Mel Blanc].

• Final touch: The piece maintains a lively, respectful balance of humor and wartime satire, presenting a vivid, larger-than-life fairy tale that blends song, slapstick, and bold animation in a way that only this era could deliver.