SLEEPING BEAUTY
Whimsical classic fairytale with Christian moral themes.
Should You Watch It?
This is classic family entertainment with grand animation, vibrant colors, and whimsical, catchy songs. Its strong moral framework clearly separates good from evil, while its biblical imagery gives the fairytale an allegorical Christian dimension.
The film does include animated violence, scary images, and a frightening dragon. A girl pricks her finger and falls into a magical sleep, and younger children may find parts of the story intense. Still, the movie’s warmth, beauty, humor, and themes of sacrificial love make it a rewarding choice for most families.
If your younger children are sensitive to scary animation, preview it or watch alongside them. Otherwise, SLEEPING BEAUTY is worth the trip for a family movie night.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESPrincess Aurora is born to King Stephan and his queen, but an evil fairy named Maleficent curses her. On Aurora’s 16th birthday, she is destined to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die.
A good fairy changes the curse, ensuring that Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep until awakened by true love’s kiss. The three good fairies take Aurora into the forest for protection, while Maleficent and her servants search for her.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an outstanding animated family film. SLEEPING BEAUTY is a grand achievement from 1959, with vibrant colors, whimsical and catchy songs, and thoroughly entertaining storytelling.
Some of the music is based on Tchaikovsky’s ballet SLEEPING BEAUTY, adding to the movie’s graceful, distinctive atmosphere. The animation and music give this familiar fairytale a memorable visual and musical identity.
The Worldview
SLEEPING BEAUTY presents a strong, allegorical Christian and moral worldview. Good and evil are clearly divided, with Maleficent representing evil and the good fairies protecting a vulnerable child. The fairies’ care for Aurora also extols adoption, since they take in a child who is not their own.
The film contains several Christian and biblical references. The three fairies bestowing gifts resemble the wise men who visited Jesus at His birth. Later, Prince Philip fights evil with the sword of truth and the shield of faith, directly recalling the Armor of God in Ephesians 6. The story also emphasizes true love and the triumph of good over evil.
The movie mixes these Christian elements with very strong Romantic themes and magic. A villain curses a child, a fairy counters the curse with magic, and the fairies use wands to create a dress and bake a cake. The film’s moral imagery is strong, even as its fairytale world includes magic and romantic ideals.
The story’s central longing is for love strong enough to overcome evil and awaken what has been lost. Scripture describes the shield of faith as part of the believer’s armor: “take up the shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Very strong allegorical Christian, moral worldview with mentions of true love, several elements of Christian and biblical imagery, characters take care of one another and adoption is extolled as fairies taken in a child who isn’t their own, good conquers evil, the sequence of the three fairies bestowing gifts is reminiscent of the wise men who visited Jesus at the time of his birth, and a prince fights evil with the sword of truth and the shield of faith, a direct refence to the amor Armor of God found in Ephesians 6, plus veery strong anti-biblical Romantic elements and some magic where the villain curses a child to die on her 16th birthday but a fairy counters the curse with her magic, three fairies use their wands to bake a cake and create a dress for a teenage girl turning 16, and villain transforms her body magically
Foul Language
No foul language
Violence
Animated violence includes sword use, a scary dragon who breathes fire, and girl pricks her finger and falls into a magical sleep
Sex
No sex but a couple kisses
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Two kings get a bit tipsy while celebrating and court jester gets drunk and passes out under a table
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Nothing else objectionable.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
How does the story show the difference between good and evil? How does Scripture describe the believer’s struggle against evil?
Ephesians 6:10–18 · Romans 12:21The good fairies care for Aurora even though she is not their own child. What does the Bible teach about caring for children and others who need protection?
James 1:27 · Psalm 82:3–4The film connects true love with awakening and rescue. How does biblical love differ from merely romantic love?
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 · 1 John 4:9–10Prince Philip fights with the sword of truth and the shield of faith. What do those images represent in a Christian’s life?
Ephesians 6:14–16 · Hebrews 4:12The Final Word
With beautiful animation, memorable music, and a strong moral and Christian worldview, SLEEPING BEAUTY remains a rewarding family fairytale. Younger children may need help with its scarier moments, but most families can enjoy this classic together. WORTH THE TRIP.
