Is Song of the South Racist? | James Baskett, Hattie McDaniel & Walt Disney | Before Splash Mountain
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I grew up with Splash Mountain but I'm truly excited for a change! Today's video is part of a series discussing Brer Rabbit, Song of the South, America Sings, Splash Mountain, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure. I think it's fun that one of Disney's most problematic properties will be replaced by something more timely and relevant. My goal will be to discuss the evolution of the attraction honestly and respectfully.
Of course, there is far more info than I could fit in one video. So below you'll discover some resources that might be valuable for anyone looking to research the topic further:
What's the Deal with Song of the South | MousePlanet
www.mouseplane...
Hattie McDaniel | Hollywood Walk of Fame
walkoffame.com...
When White Women wanted a Monument to Black "Mammies" | The New York Times
www.nytimes.co...
The Lost Causes' Long Legacy | The Atlantic
www.theatlanti...
What was Jim Crow? | Jim Crow Museum
jimcrowmuseum....
Song of the South and why you'll never see it on Disney+ by Shawn Rosell
• Song of the South and ...
produced by Brandon Specht
Music by Kevin MacLeod
incompetech.com/music
#UncleRemus #SongoftheSouth #splashmountain
The next video in this series will be about the music of Song of the South/Splash Mountain. I would love to hear everyones thoughts about the music.
7/485 Comments Jan 18th 2025
Hattie McDaniel brought class to everything she did.
I have a lot of thoughts about Song of the South. That said, I'm pretty fond of Hattie, all things considered.
@ it’s a great quote for sure
@@retrospectrum I'm pretty fond of Uncle Remus.
@ I’m pretty fond of some of my friends, even tho some of them are pretty problematic. Recognizing flaws doesn’t mean you can’t also find enjoyment in things. That’s the fun thing about history (at least for me). I have a good deal of SotS merch and really enjoy the songs and animations. Admittedly, I could do without the live action segments.
@@retrospectrum Sorry, I don't agree. I love UNcle Remus, sweet, wise old guy with good stories. DOn't be so uptight.
When I first saw this movie I was too young to contemplate whether the movie was racist. I just enjoyed the story, characters and the songs. Kids don't see the things adults see. I still don't see racism in the movie. Just a good film.
Well said, I totally agree ❤️
Like Rochester van Jones, Hattie McDaniels took alot of heat from the black community but Ms McDaniels was know to say " I can be a maid in the movies for $700 a week or be a regular maid for $7 dollars a week". It all comes down to how you want to look at things.
Not racist with me. A beautiful musical with an awesome actor.
I support Uncle Remus and his wise stories. One Blessed Movie.
Good for you.
It's interesting that what some call problematic, I find to be misinterpreted. What is more interesting is that the misinterpretation is often because the individual is looking at this film through a biased lense. Much of the criticism I've read about this comes from those who had not seen the movie, do not understand the culture of the area, began watching it with preconceived ideas or are intentionally being disingenuous. Song of the South, at its heart, is the story of a kind old man who befriends and tells stories to a lonely little boy. It attempts to show that in spite of age, socio-economic, racial and cultural differences, people are people. It is clearly set during the post-Civil War reconstruction era. The three children, Johnny, Toby and Ginny benefit from childhood innocence which allows them to look beyond physical differences and befriend each other. Johnny’s grandmother and Uncle Remus have the wisdom of age and also can look past such things as they clearly had a long-standing friendship and respect for each other.
I don’t think this is one of Disney’s best movies or even my favorite, but it is still good. More than that, it has special meaning to me. Song of the South is the first movie that my mom ever saw, when seeing a movie in a theater was a rare treat. She took me to the 1980 theatrical release to share the experience of her first movie with me. I could go into many reasons why I feel that Disney not giving an official release is a poor decision but the biggest is shouldn't the fact that positivity can be found in the film be a factor? I don’t think it should remain repressed because we do ourselves a disservice if we ignore what was wrong in our past and don't gain wisdom and understanding from it. I would see it as a teaching moment, an example of how far we as a society have come and how far we still have to go. Fortunately, I find SOTS to be mostly uplifting and inclusive.
Well said!!
The two black actors make this film and their talent and professionalism in their craft deserve to be honored, respected, and indeed celebrated. I reject the tendency of current times ethos to borderline malign them.
Beautiful, wise analysis. I just watched it and loved it. I reminded me of my childhood when I saw it and loved it.
Those black actors were great ❤❤❤❤❤. And they were doing their job. ❤❤❤❤. Especially Ms. McDaniel ❤❤❤❤.
And James Baskett too😉☺️
Especially James he had a voice on him and I say that with the greatest respect because he could sing.
Doing their job...lol. so did Hitler propagandists. A happy slave, are you crazy? McDaniel had to eat so she took the role-so did slaves. This generation is indeed Wiser but weaker.
Esp. Bassett.
@@maximem1033 I don’t know why people in this day and age wanna say that everything about splash Mountain and song of the south is racist I mean, don’t you think that if the actors had one single suspicion that it was racist do you really think they would’ve done it. No they wouldn’t have and rightfully so but they did and they did a splendid job so they must’ve been fine with it.
In New Orleans there is a "Confederate Museum" located near the WW2 museum near Lee Circle on St Charles Ave.. Several years ago I spotted a non-pirated DVD of Song of the South there and immediately grabbed it.
We have a copy - think it was ordered out of Japan
Uncle Remus was presented wise and caring. He was a free man giving the fact he was able to leave on his choosing. The main theme is of a mentor to children during a growth period, with stories that encouraged them to make choices with kindness. Yes it set post civil war. Yes it's during a terrible part of history, but look beyond the surface for its meaning.
* I saw a kindly older man singing songs & telling stories to children. I still see nothing wrong with it. 😇
Modern day racist think it’s racist because of the different races being depicted
@@TheSulross By the way "Uncle" is a term of respect in numerous cultures, I have a younger east Indian friend who always refers to my wife and I as Uncle and Auntie, with great respect.Just bring back Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima , no slur at all.
Song of the South is part of the evolution of American film towards being more inclusive. It is away point, not the end goal, and should be respected as such.
right! Why do these weak people want to re-wright history, so it doesn't offend no one, ridiculous
kind of like a black Mary Poppins helping out misguided rich kids and dancing with animated characters, too bad executives are too afraid to release it again.
Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but I don’t see a problem with the movie or the music or the ride.
A few facts to consider about slavery. First, America's participation ranks in the 4-6%, well behind Brazil and the Caribbean. Second - somewhere between 2.5 to5% of all southern households actually owned slaves. So, the idea that everything south of the Mason/Dixon line was a racist enclave is thoroughly misguided.
With regards to Song of the South - Walt Disney did not set out to create a racist movie, nor did he succeed in making one! Chandler's culling of oral stories told by the black community was a valiant effort to preserve, rather than white-wash the past.
The prevailing censorship at the Disney organization which prevents anyone from judging for themselves the merits of this classic film is far more abhorrent than anything in the movie itself.
Finally, Hattie McDaniel's performance in Gone With The Wind is a towering achievement. She represents the moral compass of Scarlett O'Hara, as Scarlett clearly possesses none of her own. McDaniel's Mammie is forthright, clear-eyed, decisive and resourceful. Moreover, she exudes an astute compassion towards all humanity.
Her empathy for Rhett Butler, after first considering him a scallywag, upon the death of the couple's daughter, Bonnie Blue, and her conveyance to Olivia DeHavilland's Melanie, of the tragedies that immediately followed that untimely death, is the defining moment in the movie and one that, quite simply, brings every theater I've ever seen this movie in to tears.
There have been few performances of any vintage, from any race, that have been as Oscar-worthy as McDaniel's.
Last, but certainly not least of all. Gone with the Wind is not a story of slavery, but a romantic melodrama of a woman so self-involved with her own fiery passion she would cast true happiness asunder in her ravenous desire to chase after something that can never be hers. So, judging it as racially insensitive is as misguided as claiming Speedy Gonzalez is a faithful representation of Latin American culture.
And caricature, in all it's forms, is not only marginally representational of a culture - or it would not be relatable on any level - but is also art. And art - always - has its flaws. We shouldn't judge either the art or the artists harshly for their flaws, especially when there is so much good to find in their craftsmanship.
The characters of Mammie and Uncle Remus are inspirational on many levels. They seek and find a certain level of moral clarity that brings an audience together and fosters a great and enduring respect, not only for the artists bringing these characters to life, but for the plight of a generation who staunchly maintained their own compass of personal integrity through a time that could so easily have destroyed it for all time.
This current generation's lack of understanding for how it all works spectacularly well without leaning into a discussion of either performance being 'racist' is an obscene indictment on our times, rather than those we seek to dismantle, ban and judge, and, our total and complete lack of appreciation for other times before our own we seek to merely brand as 'insensitive' and 'wrong' because we are judging them from a perverse gauge of our own moral superiority.
I probably would not agree that the negative view of Mammies is a byproduct the current generation's lack of understanding, rather an ongoing analysis of several generations over the last century. Mostly because it continued to perpetuate the idea of the "Contented Dark" that was so popular in the Southern version of history after the civil war.
People always had a negative view on Mammies. What are you talking about. Boomers or Gen X.
@@nuthingbutnonecents3386 What is the definition of "woke" and "wokeness?"
It sure is not racist. Black people should lobby Disney to bring it back. It is full of great stories like brair rabbit and so on. Just because there is a black gentleman in it is not racist, it is in fact part of multiculturalism.
Song of the South is a very misunderstood movie, and it should be released! Although, I do have a bootleg copy of the movie on DVD. But I would love to see it be remastered on DVD, Blu-ray, and Disney+. As for James Baskett and Hattie McDaniel, they are true African-American legends!
Baskett most notorious? He was lovely, and kindly, good singing and good stories.
If one had to go inside a building scared to death for some reason and encountered Uncle Remus, as portrayed by James Baskett, just inside the door, then I think the tension would just melt away. Who could not love this character and feel the warmth he exudes? I think the positives of this movie greatly outweigh the negatives.
Wonderfully made movie, i have it on DVD. What a wonderful relationship uncle Remus had with Bobby Driscal and the loving lessons he was teaching him out of love, color had no play here. The era was part of our history that we can learn from. And who knows maybe a relationship could have happened back then like this. We all need to go forward and never go back but also never forget.
@@davidmacias741 It’s important to look back honestly.
One thing that is truly unique about Uncle Remus is that he is portrayed as having no flaws at all. He is one of only a very few characters in any film portrayed that way. The film may romanticize the time in which it is set, but it is a DISNEY film. They do that with nearly every film they make.
@@sterlingtardie I don’t know if I agree. He comes across as quite the vagabond in the kitchen scene w/ Aunt Tempy. Contributing very little but hoping to score a free meal.
'Song of The South' isn't really racially insensitive. It takes place after the American Civil War, so the African("black") people in it are not slaves, and the movie is about the friendship between a young "white" boy and an old "black" man. It's a positive movie with positive messages. The only reasons that anybody thinks that this movie is racially insensitive are that they haven't done their research and assume that the film takes place before or during the Civil War, and the fact that Disney, thanks to Michael Eisner and Bob Iger, has not given the movie any kind of official release since 1986(other than some VHS and Laserdisc releases in certain countries), which only helps to perpetuate the notion that the movie is racially insensitive. If Disney had released the movie on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray worldwide, there would be very few, if any, people who think that 'Song of The South' is racially insensitive. Is it a great movie? No, but it is a good movie with a positive message of friendship, and it deserves to be defended and seen.
For a movie of it's era, 'Song of The South' was actually pretty progressive in portraying multi-racial friendships when you consider that it was released during the segregation era of the American South. Disney needs to release the film on Blu-ray and make it available on Disney Plus, with bonus features included, including a feature-length documentary on the film's creation, release, and legacy. Also, to anyone who thinks that Walt Disney was racist, he wasn't. The "black" actors who were in the film were not allowed to attend the film's world premiere at the Fox Theater in Atlanta,GA, but that wasn't Walt's fault. It was 1946 and segregation in the American South was a thing by that point, as I've already mentioned. Walt hated the fact that the "black" actors weren't allowed to attend the premiere, but, obviously, there was nothing that he could do about it. Walt made it possible for James Baskett(the actor who played Uncle Remus and Brer Fox) to get an Oscar for his portrayal of Uncle Remus. #ReleaseSongofTheSouth and #BringbackSplashMountain.
So there are a few good thoughts in here but not entirely correct. The complaints about Song of the South go decades before Eisner and VHS, and typically don’t involve the misconception that it took place during slavery. I feel like too many advocates for the film use this argument and it’s somewhat disingenuous. That said it is worth asking if the Disney company depicts the reconstruction era honestly or whether some of the characters in the film portray unwanted stereotypes.
It’s also worth mentioning that premieres in Georgia were extremely uncommon and the decision to have it there would have been made knowing some of the stars of the film would not have been able to attend (as was the case with Gone with the Wind). That not saying that Walt is racist per se, just that this decision was insensitive at least.
Finally I do agree that the film should be made available to the public in order for people to engage with the product honestly. Not on Blu Ray or Disney+ but perhaps through the Library of Congress.
@@retrospectrum yes, it should be available on Disney+. Why wouldn’t it?
As to depicting stereotypes, most movies have stereotypes, the housewife, the football boy, the cheerleader girl, the boy who is the bully at school, etc.
@@enjoystraveling ya, I’m comfortable saying Disney (like most companies) will alway been conscious of branding. There are reasons they don’t feel comfortable releasing SotS on their platform, but that doesn’t mean it should not be made available elsewhere.
That said comparing cheerleader or athlete stereotype to black stereotypes (like Mammy or Uncle Tom) that’s a false equivalency tbh.
Why do you put quotes around the word 'black'? It's a little..."weird"
@@JackieDaytona1776 Because the fact that we call "black" people "black" and "white" people "white" makes no sense, since "black" people are actually brown and "white" people are actually tan.
There is a curious undercurrent in the film. In the beginning, when the father goes away, his son tells him to keep writing those articles no matter who they anger. One gets the feeling that he was writing in favor of civil rights. This point is never returned to in the film.
I wish it had. Would have helped the film quite a bit.
No, Song of the South IS NOT racist! Most people of my generation who watched the movie had no inclination that there was a racial issue involved. The characters were just people without any perception of civil rights issues. People need to STOP making everything into something that is racist.
Not racist, it's a piece of history.
There was no civil rights movement going on at the time the movie was made.
😅
Everything is about race/ethnicity or class.
All movies made in the US have a racist element
Song of The South was filmed ahead of it's time when it was released. Yes, racist segregation still existed in the 1940's, but that didnt stop Disney to make a movie where the most popular and themed characters were black. I disagree that Uncle Remus was happy because of slavery, but rather, happy from the release from it. His character was optimistic. It has been extremely damaging that Disney caved in and chose to hide it rather than present it with pride. There are many moral lessons taught in that movie....lessons this modern society is starved of.
@@ShamWowProphet the idea that Remus has “found memories of the institution of slavery” relates to how the character was originally written. It’s problematic but also a reality of the character whether we choose to agree with it or not.
@@retrospectrum I've read the book a couple of times. That is the type of line I would absolutely remember. I don't recall ever seeing it.
Also, Uncle Remus is based on the author's memories of a real person.
@ I believe Remus is a composite of a few different people.
‘He was not an invention of my own, but a human syndicate, I might say, of three or four old darkies whom I knew. I just walloped them together into one person and called him ‘Uncle Remus.’”
I like the debate. I think you can have complex situations and thoughts on this. I'm seeing song of the south as a kid I had no idea of there being anything problematic with the movie. But I get the idea a person would look back fondly at being a slave for the vast majority would be total bs. But disney does this with all folk tales. Take someone else's idea and make money off of it Is the disney way
Splash Mountain is based upon this film. The original story compiled by Joel Chandler Harris are a National Treasure, a part of our history. We should not shun or avoid it , but should learn from that time.
Bring it back.
At this moment Disney is so controlled by woke idiots who were programmed in liberal staffed colleges that they are unable to understand human truths. Like Karl Marx, who was a sullen and resentful guy, decided it was better for him not to be forced to take care of his wife and kids but instead get handouts from his wealthier friends and dream of a world in which he didn't have to work if he didn't want to. One guy, alone in his basement room while his wife worked, dreamed up a system that would never work unless you forced it down people's throats. It's that kind of thinking that stuck us with woke SJWs running Disney.
This movie is very touching. The relationship between Uncle Remus and The Boy is heartfelt and genuine, and the final image of them holding hands is heartwarming. That is my takeaway, and it is powerful and palpable. I was able to find a decent bootleg copy, so I could see what all of the contentious fuss is about. I do not agree with the controversy that surrounds this film. I tried to see what was bothering people, and I could only assume that one reason is because the animated characters speak in a Black Southern Dialect, because Uncle Remus is telling the story, and he speaks in a certain way. Also, by today's standards, I can see how it might seem odd that there are slaves on the plantation, but it has been pointed out that this takes place during reconstruction, which is news to me. But that is not what the story is about. The white mother is the evil one, and we root for the relationship between Remus and Johnny, a black man and a white boy. Especially for the time, this was quite progressive. I think it is always important to evaluate films in the context/zeitgeist of the period in which they were made. (people have issues with "Gone With the Wind" for similar reasons). I understand that Disney needs to listen to its fans, but removing "Zip-A-Dee-Do Dah" from the music loop in Disneyland (which I heard they did), I find disturbing. It's one of the most joyous songs ever written. As for re-branding Splash Mountain, they are trying to keep up with the times, which I agree is important to appeal to modern tastes. "Song of the South" means more to me personally than "Princess & the Frog", but Tiana is an empowered character that is a good role model for young people. I will miss Splash Mountain, but grateful for the many years I got to enjoy it. (I will forever be upset that they removed Adventure Through Inner-Space to make way for Star Tours). Disney will never be able to please everybody.
@@mooseboylove One hundred percent agree about Splash Mountain, and for me it was Horizons at EPCOT. RIP
Joel Chandler Harris made a considerable effort to record slave stories faithfully (which was difficult for white folklorists, for perhaps obvious reasons), and to record the authentic dialect in which they were told to him. Mark Twain praised his writing of dialect, calling him a master of that art. Remembering that folklorists like Cecil Sharp did not have recording technology until the 20th century, Harris probably did the best job he could of collecting these stories.
Nowadays, we associate dialects with racial or other stereotyping (including Irish, Italian, Jewish, etc.) but that is not always what's at play. Another Disney film, "Darby O'Gill" is based on a book that is told in an Irish dialect, interestingly, though nobody foinds it to be particularly offensive.
@@majkus Honestly I’ve rarely encountered people who take issue with the dialect, which is why I didn’t reference it in any of our SotS videos (other than it’s challenging to read).
I saw it as a child. Loved Uncle Remus! Never thought it was racist.
The wisest person in the movie was Uncle Remus.
@@stephencorleymississippili4007 I don’t disagree.
In my opinion this is the best movie Disney has made so far. It displays every emotion known to man and in good taste.
I listened to my Dad read the Uncle Remus stories from a Disney book when I was a little girl in the late 50’s and early 60’s. My Dad taught me that these beloved stories showed the ability of the slaves to overcome the tyranny with a vibrant culture of story telling. So just like my Dads enthusiasm for black jazz musicians, I thought these stories were a tribute to the undefeated spirit of the black people. I’m an old white lady who wishes there was a way to “repackage” the stories without racism. Sigh. Racism against black people is such a terrible problem in this country.
@@user-wk1mw9nj3i76 That would have been interesting, repackaging the Brer Rabbit segments.
I watched Song of the South in 1972 and took my daughter to see it in 1986. I saw many movies that now are associated with negative stereotypes that never clicked with me until I heard about them on TH-cam. Dumbo and the crows, Lady and the Tramp with the Siamese cats, jazz band in Aristocats ,and The Jungle Book,to name a few. Political correctness has gotten ridiculous. I doubt there is a single movie, TV show, song that if you didn’t try could be found offensive in some way to some group of people. Dark Wind could be labeled as offensive to Mormons because it was a Mormon family that got kidnapped. Tulsa King could be called offensive to many different groups. Not to mention Wicked, John Wick, or older movies like Rush Hour and Deliverance.
You mentioned Luana Patten around 1:31. The lady is actually Ruth Warrick from Citizen Kane. Also, the cinematographer is Gregg Toland who lensed Citizen Kane as well as this movie. Interesting since I never have seen Ruth Warrick in a Technicolor movie nor seen Toland's work in Technicolor. Pretty cool.
@@yaddamop6309 nice catch I’ll edit that when I compile the full length documentary in 2025.
I liked Bobby Driscoll in The Window it was one of the things that helped make me a brutally honest man.
Thanks for bringing up "Gone with the Wind" and noting that Hattie McDaniel appeared in both. "Gone with the Wind" wasn't as "problematic" because it made money, money and more money and even led to a sequel in the Eighties.
Song of the South was criticized for perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes--the white people in the movie were all fools and jerks. Many fringe elements in American society hated the idea perpetuated in Song of the South that Black people and white people could associate with each other--the father sought work in Atlanta so that he could pay his Reconstruction Era work force. What? No Union soldiers paying visits? I was fortunate to see the movie in theaters during the 1980's. The animated parts were shown several times on television during the Sixties and Seventies.
I do not recall any backlash to another Disney movie that showed actors playing slaves--I speak of the 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase."
The backlash against Song of the South during the Forties set back the Civil Rights movement nearly two decades, scrubbing the modest racial equality progress made during World War Two. Has the erasure of Splash Mountain harmed racial equality, too? Don't forget--the Jungle Cruise replaced its people of color (except for the scene with the pole and the rhinos) with monkeys. THAT was a bad optic! I'm shocked, shocked, shocked that Tiana was allowed to appear as a human in her Bayou Adventure--set in a salt mine on Avery Island.
What? Are they thinking?
@@alancranford3398 there is a lot of good info here. Thank you.
I have Song Of The South. I got it because I love everything Hattie McDaniel has done. I don;t think it is racist st all.
@@rodtb2 I actually like Hattie quite a bit.
Song of the south honors black people and gave them great opportunities. It is not and never was problematic.
I actually got to see it in middle school. My history teacher arranged for the class to watch it in the theater arts class. He wanted to show us how the post war south was depicted to contrast it with historical facts. The crazy part is that I'm from Texas.
@@ricardoaguirre6126 that’s incredible! Wouldn’t fly in Florida.
In 1993 I was a visiting professor in Japan for a couple of weeks. I had read that Disney released "Song of the South" on VHS in Japan, so when I arrived I went to a video store and ordered a copy, which I brought back for my kids when I returned home. It was in English; I don't remember whether it had Japanese subtitles. But at the very beginning it had a commercial in Japanese for Splash Mountain in Japan's Disney theme park.
@@fsilber330 that’s neat!
Somehow my wife scored such a copy - guess she found some place in Japan to order it from. We will make sure it gets passed on in our family circles.
What the NAACP said: it presented a dangerously glorified view of the antebellum South. That doesn't mean it was made to spread hatred towards black people. At the time, though, this was perhaps the only way a movie version of the Uncle Remus stories of black people could be made. To call it "racist" or not doesn't describe it accurately, the truth is nuanced.
@@quadibloc2 I would agree
If that's what the NAACP said (and I think it is), that is simply factually incorrect, because the film is not set in the Antebellum (Pre-Civil War) South.
There is one person, and only one person, I would want to hear from on the question of whether Song of the South should stay unreleased, and that person passed away long ago, so he can’t tell us his opinion. That person is James Baskett. If I had a chance to ask James today if he felt Disney was doing the right thing by not allowing the movie to release, if he then said he agreed with their decision, I would not ask his reasoning. I would accept his answer and stop hoping they change their minds. But as it stands, I saw Song of the South in a theater in 1986, which was the last year it was shown in theaters, and it has always held a place in my heart. Speaking as someone who has seen the movie, it does not deserve the hate so many people throw at it, mostly because, as others have pointed out, the movie and the book it is based on take place during the reconstruction period, and there is no slavery going on.
@@ThunderFist1978 I appreciate much of your commentary. Thank You.
Just to reiterate, the majority complaints about the film aren’t hinged on the issue of slavery (other than the film does play a little loose with the timeline). Rather, several people since its release have taken issue with the glorified version of the South during Reconstruction.
I read somewhere on the internet (can't remember what source) that James Baskett defended Song of the South.
@ I’d have to imagine.
@@retrospectrum Maybe the majority of written criticism about SONG OF THE SOUTH doesn't reference slavery, but it is very widely believed by people who have not seen it (and some who have) that the film glorifies slavery in the pre-Civil War South.
@ maybe? I can’t find any info that confirms that
I think that it's more racially naive than outwardly racist. I have a copy of the film and it seems to me that most of the reviews I see of it are by people who've only heard about it. I think it should be seen (with context provided) as the entertaining film it is and also so people can appreciate the talents of actors like McDaniel and Baskett because they really were great.
@@fembotheather3785 I agree with much of this
It sucks he couldn't even attend the freaking award show. I am certainly not surprised by this BS. 😮 sorry not sorry.
History is crazy
Very good video. I learned a lot. This deserves more views.👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey I think it got more views!
I saw it in the theater in 1986 and I have it on laser disc. Had to get the LD imported from Japan in 1994.
Walt Disney Home Video did release Song of the South in Japan on LaserDisc. I own the most common release with two audio tracks (1. English 2. Japanese Dub) It retailed for $120 as an Import title although I paid $80 at a local Camelot music store. In fact it was released on LaserDisc 3 or 4 times in Japan and Hong Kong.
There are many positive aspects in here. The problem is that scholars and experts have declared it racist for decades. The film obviously has problematic elements, but the controversy has exploded overboard. Removing Splash Mountain was unnecessary. However, too many people get upset at something today, and it sucks.
@@applianceman6009 ya maybe, I think the bigger problem is how polarizing we make things. People are content to just pick a side, and not engage in the reality of a problematic piece of media. I think if we were to scroll down the comments we’d find far more people arguing there is absolutely nothing wrong with Song of the South. To me that’s a red flag.
Honestly, I think a lot about Spielberg and The Color Purple. He made a film he thought needed to be made, and upon reflection, realized he wasn’t the right person to do it. I believe this is probably even more true of Song of the South. Disney wasn’t a good fit for Remus. The music is great. The animation, outstanding. I can’t say the same for the live action.
Uncle Remus was the main problem with Song of the South or any Br’er Rabbit story. He is the most controversial of them all.
@@applianceman6009 I totally agree. The most interesting take I’ve heard about Remus came from the Wren’s Nest (Joel Chandler Harris’ home). They said Remus was created so no one thought the Brer Rabbit stories were Harris’. Harris was actually progressive for his time, so I’m inclined to believe that.
@@retrospectrum I absolutely love Zipadee do dah though. It is a fantastic and very catchy tune. I would always hum it after coming off of Splash Mountain. It was indeed part of the magical Disney experience. From a business perspective, Disney wanted something new and free of controversy especially after debates got out of control. I truly will miss it though. The storytelling and music were so memorable and fantastic.
@ Oh and don’t forget about merchandising. They can sell a lot more princess merch than Brer Rabbit.
For a good while The Song Of the South was available on vhs and DVD……I have a copy of it on both. I love SOTS!!
To me, what would have been racist would have been not giving the actors to be in movies at all, using white actors to paint their faces black. Those stories were written for children, and, as one of those children (born in 1950), it didn't matter to me what color an actor or cartoon character was, it was the entertainment and the moral of the story. It was a different time, with different attitudes. But you're probably too young to understand, so you'll never know. Too bad.
@@wes5532 Maybe but I’m also old enough to understand the concerns of those who lived through it. Certainly the Walt Disney Company flirted with blackface in some of the animated features, so I’m glad they used black actors and I do have respect for both Hattie and James. That said none of us lived through reconstruction but it’s important to understand this South depicted in the film was not authentic. The concerns of the NAACP right after the films release are valid.
I wonder about the stories that originated from the Songs of the South. I wonder if the stories, which I understand came from slave stories (which might have roots in African stories) aren't meant to be a survival manual to those who aren't allowed to read. The rabbit, like any slave, is going to be surrounded by enemies, and needs to rely on his wits to survive and even outsmart his enemies. For instance the briar patch story, might be a way to tell slave children how to outwit the master by making them think that one task is less desirable than another and get sent to do what the slave wants to do. Instead of condemning the stories they need to be looked at a different way. Moreover, I think Sidney Poitier got the Oscar for Lilles of the Field sometime during the sixties, making him the second African American actor to get the Oscar. Of all the movies that Disney is rehashing they might as well do the Song of the South but in a way that's more insightful rather than pander to the South's lost cause.
@@schizoidboy Great insight! Thank you
Assisti este filme num relançamento em 1980,
Amei a historia, as canções, os personagens e a animação. Nunca vi nada de contra a comunidade negra, pelo contrario, vi um pessoal pobre que trabalha cantando, a amizade sem preconceito de um garoto branco rico com crisncas pobres, quer negras ou brancas.
Dizer que os negros estao estereitipados é esquecer de que se trata um filme para crianças. E não se deseja discuter camadas psicológicas. E lembramos que os personagens brancos estão estereotipados também. E os únicos vilões da história (fora a animação que tem o irmão raposa) são os 2 irmãos brancos.
So the loonie bin regales a foul mouthed (yet very entertaining) comedian like Red Fox and disparages a great entertainer like James Franklin Baskett? Sounds a bit prejudice to me.
The movie was released on VHS in the early 80s but I only saw for rental.
@@zebart if it was in the states, it was a bootleg.
@@retrospectrum yes I am in the US and hit had the old white and red Disney VHS boxes when they started home video distribution
@@zebart So I know there were some authentic looking bootlegs mass produced. Here is what I found online: Yes, Song of the South was released on VHS outside of the United States, but not in the US:
Outside the US
The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc in other countries. A UK PAL release of the film on VHS features a generic label and a PAL region clamshell.
Not in the US
Disney has not released Song of the South on any home video format in the United States. Disney CEO Bob Iger said in 2019 that it would not be in the best interest of shareholders to bring it back, even though it could be financially beneficial.
@retrospectrum I recall seeing it in with the other Disney movies in stored on VHS.
Like many things it is of it's time . I watched it as a child and never for got that song .
Saw as a child in 1972. Not for a second did I think it romanticized slavery. Critism comes from nit picking adults looking at a kids film made in 1946
@@zevroth1361 I mean.. the complaints started in 1946, so there may be a little bit more to it than that.
@@retrospectrumComplaints by people that had not seen the film.
@@stevendeans4211 Correct. The complaints were about the direction of production
(lets twist some logic) .... the Flintstones and the Jetsons are racist cartoons !! ... why?? ... THEY DON'T HAVE BLACK CHARACTERS !!
@@markhellman-pn3hn I mean, the lack of inclusion in those series are 100% problematic looking back. That said, it’s a completely separate conversation than the SotS issues.
Is “Song of the South” racist? In my opinion… No. When people discuss things from the past, they often fail to understand the social norms of the time. One thing the narrator doesn’t mention is that most blacks back then were happy to see another black person on the silver screen no matter the character. Otherwise, no black person would have been on film at all. Even into the 2020’s, there is a push to “black wash” everything claiming lack of representation of blacks in film; although that has been false for many decades since the 1960’s. Considering the original definition of “racist”, “Song of the South” doesn’t have any script that promotes discrimination against any race. It does depict the life of most blacks of the period and they do seem happy; but that isn’t racist. I highly doubt all black people were unhappy every day of their lives until the Civil Rights movement. “Racism” today mostly means anything that black people don’t like regardless if the intent was not meant to be offensive or if the black person had the wrong perception. We’re a hyper-sensitive society that finds offense in almost anything just to claim “marginalized” status. I saw the film once and enjoyed it. It’s a part of history and art. I will not condemn the film because of how the US was during that period or because the portrayal of blacks was embarrassing, but mostly accurate. It’s a shame that blacks today don’t celebrate the black stars in the past that made it possible for black celebrities since then.
@@DRAKKENFIRE22 You make some good points but I probably wouldn’t agree the the film is historically accurate (at least from what we know about Reconstruction). I should also say that while many people watch the film today through a modern lens, it’s also important to address the fact that complaints of the film started at the time of release. So these complaints are now many decades old.
@@retrospectrum What's inaccurate in the film?
@ SotS (much like GwtW) gets criticized for romanticizing the treatment of Blacks in the South, which was extremely common in certain media of the time. In SotS, there was a feeling Disney presented a false, version of plantation life in a post-Civil War South.
In fact, during this time period formerly enslaved people were frequently terrorized by individuals emboldened to ignore constitutional amendments designed to provide Black people equal protection. In fact, I think the Supreme Court may have even blocked Congressional efforts to protect formerly enslaved people during Reconstruction (I’d need to dig through my notes). This in turn led to more Violence, mass lynchings, white supremacy, etc. In a nutshell, the reality for Black People at the time was far different than what was displayed on the screen.
@@retrospectrum So, to simplify your answer to the question, you believe SotS is inaccurate because it “romanticizing the treatment of Blacks in the South”. You don’t believe a single household that employed blacks ever had any civility with their servants? What references during your research led you to believe this?
Your assumption is incorrect. Although most white businesses and families that employed blacks as house servants or field workers during the Reconstruction Era did mistreated them, there were a few that were quite civil with their black employees (considering the time period). Some of the curators, at a few of the Georgian and South Carolinian historical tours dating back to that period, would say things like “Some of the slave owners treated their slaves like family”. I definitely don’t agree with that, but I understood what they meant. Some of the white families or business owners did engage in friendly personal conversations with their black servants or employees, and at times protected them from other whites who did intend harm. Walt Disney founded his business as a company that produced family friendly films based mostly on fiction. SotS is one of those films. It’s neither a documentary nor a fictional film “based on true events”. It is pure fiction meant to entertain children. Creating a live-action film with cartoon characters depicting black people being beaten and lynched isn’t family friendly…is it? With that said, SotS doesn’t have to depict the harsh reality of life on most plantations; and, since Walt Disney is not known to be a social activist, his work doesn’t have to push any social ideology.
@ It’s a false equivalency tho right? The story of Uncle Remus is quite a bit more tethered to a dark point in mankind’s history than say Beauty and the Beast. That’s not to say that the story can’t be told, just that Disney was likely the wrong fit. To go along with what you mentioned, the Disney brand would give us a romanticized version of the south during reconstruction. We know this type of white washing was common at the time and as the National Associate for the Advancement of Colored People pointed out at the time, the detrimental aspect this glorified version of the south. That not to say the South (or even much of the U.S.) was always horrific for black, just that we can’t forget that it was extremely trying for many. Things like The Lost Cause give us leave to ignore history in some cases or even re-write them in others. Heck, on this video alone I’ve been confronted by people with Blood Drop Crosses as their profile image boasting the benefits of pre-reconstruction slavery. So at the very least, there is something attractive about this film to some truly vile people. I can definitely understand why that alone would help make Disney’s decision to keep the film hidden (a decision I don’t entirely agree with btw).
I mentioned this elsewhere I think, it was interesting to visit Joel Chandler Harris’ home and learn that they do not include any references to Disney’s SotS. I think it’s extremely important to keep these Brer Rabbit stories alive, I just think that objectively Disney was not all that effective in helping in that effort.
Hattie McDaniel is such a golden age hollywood icon I loved her in every part in any movie especially song of the south
Hattie McDaniel was out there breaking ground. She did it her way. There were Black Actors, Directors and Producers who did it another way in all Black films. It probably took longer than it should until Sidney Potier, Ozzie Davis and other such actors set their mark as times changed. It took work though and its a shame we didn't get more Paul Robeson or Josephine Baker in the US in main stream films I myself have never watched 'Song of the South' but I always asked myself when I saw a clip of 'Zip-a-dee-doo-dah What a Wonderful Day' why is that man so damned happy.
My understanding is that Joel Chandler Harris, a white newspaperman, heard these African folktales as a child, loved them, and preserved the oral history of the African Gullah people by publishing them in his newspaper. Those African folktales, retold by enslaved and the recently freed, are valuable historically and as Literature. And as fables with moral lessons. Mr. Harris was most likely not as evolved in his attitude towards race as most of us are today, and yet I believe we all owe him a debt of gratitude. It seems that no other individual was willing or able to preserve as many of these folktales as he did.
@@llschnitz We have a video on the subject. th-cam.com/video/O7MYk_LPKpQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=bqQExkqyumvtLIQD
@@llschnitz After visiting, Joel Chandler’s home this summer the guide told us the purpose of Remus is to make sure people don’t think these stories are Harris’ creation. Sounds good anyways.
Song of the South is not racist.
That is why it is accused of being racist.
I saw Song of the South in the early 1970s, Disney would re-release their movies and our theater showed them on Saturday afternoons, it was visually a stunning film, but I was too young to get any political context.
@@embossed64 That’s fair
I've known a number of the older generation who had an older black woman housekeepers, North and South. She really is a staple of ordinary American life. Why the establishment tries to hide her isn't right.
Because it is racist to deem black women as maids and housekeeper to white people.
It's African American folk tales....release it already. I've seen it when I was younger...great songs and animation.
@@josephgordon4613 Well the Brer Rabbit parts are AA Folklore. Remus is literary creation.
I saw this as a kid at a drive-in in the 70's. I got the bootlegged dvd. Great movie
It's a terrific movie. It's biggest problem is, that the white actors speak in a posh/mid Atlantic accent & dialect instead of a southern accent & dialect. In reality, blacks & whites in the Deep South spoke pretty much alike during Reconstruction. There may have been differences, but to outsiders, southern blacks & whites sounded the same in those days.
FYI. Disney had released the entire film on laser disk.
The better question is, was it considered racist in 1946 when it was released?
It was. I think the video address the original complaints within the first minute or 2.
It was considered racist before it was ever released. In other words, sight unseen.
Once the statement had been made, there was no way they were going to take it back after seeing the film, regardless of what they saw.
well that’s not entirely correct. Many petitioned Disney to make some changes during production. Ultimately Disney chose not to make those changes.
Weird that you can still watch Gone with the Wind, but not Song of the South since they both have the same problems. Sounds more like they have a problem with Walt and not the movie?
Actually, GWtW has experienced many of the same issues as SotS. If the film remains more accessible It probably due to: (1) MGM isn't at all the family company that Disney is rooted in. (2) Its just a far better movie (quality-wise) and in that sense remains relevant. Lol, you know in a lot of ways SotS feels a lot like "Great Value" brand GWtW.
Not racist. It was a Disney fantasy movie, a good one. Not racist.
If this is racist, then I think movies like Django, Roots, Mandingo and any other movie made in this manner in the last 120 years is racist,
@@toyman81 I’m gonna say that’s a false equivalency
Song of the south contains no racism It' a beautyful story and a Disney master piece.
My question is, why did they have the premiers in Atlanta? I know that was the centerpiece of the movies. Couldn't have had the premieres in LA or NY. That would have solved any of the issues.
@@RolandRodriguez-cq5so Honestly, I think Walt just did it because Gone with the Wind did the same. Never underestimate how popular that film was.
I grew up in Georgia. I’ve never heard anything about a ‘Lost Cause’ in fact I didn’t dwell very much on the civil war. Not until I graduated college and moved to an area filled with many northerners. They talked incessantly about the conflict. You’d think they actually fought in the war 😂.
@@proprich5586 You know it’s funny, I’m the opposite. I’m an educator from the north who moved to the south. So getting to experience some of these old textbooks written to edit history, in a way that paints slavery as benevolent is eye opening. And while it doesn’t surprise me you may not have heard of the Lost Cause, I don’t think that ignorance of our nations history is all that strong of a flex. 💪🏾
The critique of Northerners is Ironic tho since once you pass the ol’ mason dixon line you start seeing confederate flags far more frequently. You’d almost think some people in Georgia never got the memo that the war was over.
My take is if Gone With The Wind is still shown(I saw it December on TCM) then Song Of The South should be shown also and let the public decide. Or at least make it available to buy the CD.
Repressing the past and acting like this movie didn’t happen won’t change the past.
And while I’m on it, Bobby Driscoll not getting Disney Legend status is criminal.
@@emerybayblues ugh, I don’t disagree but the drug abuse makes it difficult.
The GWTW/SOTS comparison isn’t all that strong based purely on the fact that GWTW is such a superior film. SOTS is ‘t nearly as good ad remains relevant because of the music and the notoriety. That said, the animation is under appreciated.
They did release it on video. I found a video in England around 2000. So it was released in Europe. I can't play it now because it's in European video format and I don't have a player that will play it.
One day I will get someone to put it on DVD.
The films message is treat anyone with kindness and accept them no matter what race they are.
End of story.
Its not even slightly racist its just a kind old man trying to cheer up a kid with his story's and his positive outlook on life and the future.
But it is, though. It's perpetuating a stereotype of the happy slave. A narrative that was critical for the foundation of Jim Crowe. It's easy to overlook. But this vlog's coverage of the Mamie stereotype is completely accurate. Today we refer to it as a "microaggression", but it still is racist.
@@JackieDaytona1776 oh yea cus it would have been soooo much better if he was angry all the time and rather than singing and telling story’s he was swearing and slapping children.
The fact u used the word microgression tells me u are a member of the pc police witch also tells me most likely arnt black so how can u say if something is or isnt racist if u art part of that minority? This is the issue with you leftists you are always speaking on behalf of someone else and point out things that u this k are offensive but arnt really. Get over yourself and stop looking for things to be outraged about.
@@JackieDaytona1776Is Mary Poppins a misogynist film to you because it is set in 1910 and Mary Poppins and happy and hopeful and she does not preach about women not having rights and the suffrage movement?
Mary Poppins in a children’s book made into a children’s film- not a biography movie. Uncle Remus is a children series made into a children’s movie as well. Not a biography movie.
Disney helped and made a role model for women by making the Mary Poppins movie. Disney tried to do the same with Uncle Remus with black people but people out of their ignorance totally misinterpreted Uncle Remus being a slave happy being a slave. Uncle Remus is an EX slave and the stories and movie is set in the Reconstruction era.
@@JackieDaytona1776 Its not racist and perfect but it's still good film nonetheless.
@@7ColoredSong I'll err on the side of the academics who have spent entire careers explaining why it is.
the correct answer is, "yes." and it's not a close call.
I loved this movie and have a copy of it! Racist? TV has been full of actual racist shows! Like, Martin? I could look up the rest because I have chosen to forget them! Amos and Andy was called racist and as a kid I couldn’t wait for it to come on . The trash produced in the 90s-2000s was mostly racist! Anything that makes it look like one race is Better than another is Racist!
The Song of the South was not racist. Some of it is folk stories.
I'm British and have this on a VHS which belonged to my grandparents who have been dead over 20 years now so 'most people' in the Anglophone world or British commonwealth (About 1/3 of the globe) have probably seen it, it's just that many Americans have not.
I don't think anyone outside of the USA (including black people like me) were aware this was supposed to be racist although Enid Blyton's use of the Brer Rabbit characters has also become an issue along with her stories that include a gollywog doll (even though black people in the Caribbean used to make dolls out of black cloth to represent themselves so again, no one was aware it was racist to that either) But I guess the fact that Uncle Remus was only in his 40s is the issue, right? He looked older.
As a white person I can’t make that decision, I am not affected by it. As a child I saw the movie and loved it, but I had no knowledge at that time about the history of slavery or racism. As an adult I have learned about what happened not just before and after the war. I grew up watching the growing civil rights movement and the horror of racism and savagery brought by people who haven’t learned how to be human beings.
@@Bethelaine1 Thank you for sharing your experience.
Towards the end of the movie, Uncle Remus decides to leave the plantation.
That would not have happened if it was pre-civil war.
People judge based on what they hear from others and not seeing the evidence for themselves
I've rarely encountered people who dislike the film because they thought it took place during slavery, neither was it discussed in this video. I would go as far to say it doesn't really even address the majority of complaints about the film.
@ I’ve seen people put it in writing. Especially when they were pushing to remove splash mountain.
@ Interesting. What do they typically say?
@ I remember reading people saying things like the movie “depicted happy slaves singing Zip-a-Dee-dooh dah”. Etc. people on social media were calling for the end of a “ride from a movie that depicts an idealized version of slavery”. The “myth of the happy slave”.
Again, most of these were on social media and not by educated media. I would bet that the people making these comments had never seen the film. But this is the reputation that it has on a lot of social media”
@ Interesting, I could definitely understand stand if someone felt the film presented a sanitized version of the south during reconstruction. Admittedly, the film does play it a little loose with the timeline.
To ponder the question, "Is it racist?" is to wade into a murky pool where the currents of perception swirl and crash. Racism is not a quantifiable specter; it reveals itself through the wounds of those it touches, defined only by the hearts that bear its sting. If one is untouched by the sharpness of insensitivity dressed as humor or art, then their voice is but a whisper in a tempest. Each soul possesses the sacred right to be portrayed with dignity and fairness, a right that must not be trampled in the artifice of representation. Thus, to pose such a question suggests a profound ignorance of the film's essence, its participants, and the enduring scars of racism upon our collective artistic tapestry.
Not much of a murky pool when it elicits whites responding "It’s not racist .!"
I have 2 copies on DVD that were from a "Song of the South" laser disc. Bought on the internet about 15 years ago. Do not remember the site, though.
@@johnreyes9392 Laser Discs are awesome!! 👏
Is SONG OF THE SOUTH racist? It has a black man as hero, a trusted keeper of folklore and a positive influence on the youth of his community. Every day we see films that portray urban black folk as rapists, car jackers, pimps and thugs, and no one complains. In SONG OF THE SOUTH we see black folk portrayed as hard working, decent country folk. I think I'll stick with SONG OF THE SOUTH, one of the best films of the 1940's.
What a lovely film. Reminding us of better times.
I admire these people very much they should be honored and given a formal Apology !
Short answer: No, it's not racist.
Long answer: It was a well intentioned movie that got some things wrong.
While it's ok to criticize the movie for those mistakes, it's a very big reach to call it racist, as it was never created with the intent to harm or degrade anyone, but rather pay tribute to the African-American fables Walt read growing up.
Song of the South was released on Laserdisc.
The Song of the South was made at a time when the depictions of certain characters were still acceptable in much of the movie. If you look back many of the movies of that time would be considered racist and inappropriate now.
@@toscatattertail9813 Actually many people raised concerns about the film back when it was released.
Thank you very much for your video and commentary on these movies of the USA SOUTH. I'm from PUERTO RICO and we do not watch these movies.We did not had the plantation culture or Civil War. Our population is racially integrated. I just finished watching "Song of the South" and it took me 3 days to finish it. I find it CRUEL and very difficult to watch. The cartoon themes are horrible. Also I do not like the mother. I have never seen "Gone With the Wind" because I do not stand the Maureen O'hara's attitudes and values. Thanks again for your historical perspective. It was truly helpful. 13-Jan-25
You’re saying that the movie glorifies the time of the reconstruction after the Civil War,
but this movie is not supposed to be a documentary.
@@enjoystraveling I mean… I didn’t say that. I was citing a complaint by the NAACP.
@@retrospectrum What Walter White, the executive director of the NAACP said in a statement was this: "the production helps to perpetuate a dangerously glorified picture of slavery. Making use of the beautiful Uncle Remus folklore, ‘Song of the South’ unfortunately gives the impression of an idyllic master-slave relationship which is a distortion of the facts." White had not yet seen the film when he wrote this statement and distributed it to newspapers, and he clearly mistakenly believed it was set in the pre-Civil War South, which it isn't, and that the movie depicted black characters who were slaves, which it doesn't.
@ Hmmm, I haven’t encountered that quote but I’ll do some digging. I am aware that Clarence Muse did ask the rest of the SotS crew to address the ambiguity of the films timeline while working on the film, but was ultimately dismissed. That certainly could account for the confusion.
@@retrospectrum I'll agree that Disney could have saved himself a world of trouble had he simply included a title card at the beginning of the film either stating what year the story was taking place, or clearly stating that it was taking place in the Reconstruction era after the Civil War.
@ 100%
Thanks for the insight on this for Black History Month ❤❤❤❤
I wanted to drop this one during BHM for sure
@@retrospectrum you’re wrong!!! Song of the south isn’t racist or racial film and #songofthesouthssplashmountain at @DisneyParks !!! @S0ngOfTheSouth is wonderful movie plus an academy award winning film part of Walt Disney classic movies!!! #savesplashmountain !!! #savecrittercountry at #disneylandresort #savesongofthesouth #releasesongofthesouth
@@AlexandraWilliams-lp6qc I don't think I said it was racist. The purpose of this video was to discuss the problematic elements of the film and why people take issue with the movie. I also definitely discussed the Academy Award Baskett received, but I think its also important to point out some of the morally problematic truths like how he couldn't attend the premiere of the film. If we don't discuss both sides then we really aren't being honest.
A beautiful film about a young boy who missed his father, and as a young child I loved it. But I know that today it has been banned because eople say it's racist.
So, when are they going to get around reneging Rochester?
The Jack Benny Program?
@@victorhernandez8723 absolutely
I don't know, Mister Benny.
No, it is absolutely not racist. Saw it in theater as a child. Loved that film
It is racist, not the story itself, but the background. Was Disney a racist? I thought so until I dug deeper and learned he was not, but he did harbor typical insensitivities. Just look at the nostalgic opening of the movie for starters, meant to set a mood, with nostalgic music, black folks living in crappy shantys dressed in rags happily serving the white folks of the manor. Nostalgic for whom? One could possibly make a case that positive relationships could emerge in spite of the inequity. But here are important facts, and I believe Disney made amends for his insensitivities. He supported James Baskett, financially at the end of his life and successfully campaigned for an honorary academy award for him as well. He also made anti Nazi films for the FBI, and besides, one can't but help have some appreciation and affection for a man who befriends a mouse. I don't think most white folks are aware of their insensitivities but are well meaning, and accepting that on both sides is a step toward healing.
@@dolorazajick920 I agree with much of this.
I had it on WHS in the 80s. Found it boring, and fast forwared it. Loved the animation, and Uncle Remus. It`s a fairytale, and not a documentary, or even real. I am Gay. We have been portrayed as silly, less man/less human, not to be taken seriously demented and criminal, or the killer.. So what. That was back then. Does it matter today? No. Can I see movies with evil gays (Agatha Christies latest series MARPLE 2004 - 2013). Yes. It does not represent me
The film IS on DVD. [ or , Was. ] I don’t know who did it, but it is Professionally done.
A friend hunted one up for me as a gift. A couple years later, I found another copy at a thrift store. Of course, I bought it.
📻🙂
@@jeffking4176 Disney officially released it in Europe, but here it the states they were high quality bootlegs.