Ever since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" first graced the screen in 1937, little girls everywhere have been enchanted by Disney Princesses. But don't be fooled into thinking that these ladies, with their sparkly dresses and long cascading hair, are just another bunch of pretty faces. They make strong choices, help those less fortunate, and ultimately champion the underdog.

The success of "Snow White" shows that princess appeal is nothing new. It was the highest-grossing film ever until the release of "Gone with the Wind." The worldwide gross for "Snow White" was $8.5 million - in an era when a child's ticket cost 10 cents.

The princess tradition continued after "Snow White," with Disney film versions of the enduring fairy-tales "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty." Although "Sleeping Beauty" was Walt Disney's most extravagant animated feature ever at the time of its release, the princess genre quieted after its release. It wasn't until the late '80s and early '90s that the Princesses returned -- in what has been called an...