The Lion King (1994) is one of the all-time classic animated features produced by the Disney Studios (see entry under 1920s—Film and Theater in volume 2)—no small achievement for a movie studio that across the decades has made dozens of highly acclaimed children's films. At once provocative, beautifully made, and highly entertaining, it rates among the most popular and profitable films of its decade.

The Lion King spotlights the life and times—and struggles and triumphs—of Simba, a princely lion cub in Africa who is heir to the throne of Mufasa, his father. The kingdom is desired by Scar, Mufasa's evil brother, and herein lies the story's conflict. While billed as an original conception, the Lion King scenario clearly is rooted in other writings and films, including any number of works by William Shakespeare (1564–1616); Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain (1835–1910); and Bambi (1942), the beloved...