w-zucker57
Joined Sep 2010
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w-zucker57's rating
I watched this film on YouTube last night, seeing it for the first time since my childhood days more than 60 years ago.
There appears to be some talk about racism regarding this film; I saw lots of it in posts I have read in the past. In fact, I remember the film being picketed during my childhood years.
Now having seen it again after all these years (remembering that the sound on YouTube is not the clearest, so maybe there was something I did not pick up),what struck me first of all is that you have a boy who has parents grossly insensitive to his needs, feelings, or desires.
When that happens, he will naturally turn elsewhere for some sort of recognition or endorsement, which is what happens here.
The mother, seeing into this situation as though a mirror were held up to her, feels very threatened by it; and consequently tells Uncle Remus that she does not want him around her son. (The final answer to her comes when the boy is lying on his bed in a stupor, calling out for his friend rather than his father who has returned.) That must have been difficult to accept. But in today's society, when she would tell him to stay away from her son, he would still have to show the same recognition of her role as parent regardless.
I really do not see any explicit or overt racism, and I wish someone would point it out to me. There is plenty of color mixing in the film, and the boy's best friend happens to be black, so I cannot imagine what all the hullabaloo was about.
There appears to be some talk about racism regarding this film; I saw lots of it in posts I have read in the past. In fact, I remember the film being picketed during my childhood years.
Now having seen it again after all these years (remembering that the sound on YouTube is not the clearest, so maybe there was something I did not pick up),what struck me first of all is that you have a boy who has parents grossly insensitive to his needs, feelings, or desires.
When that happens, he will naturally turn elsewhere for some sort of recognition or endorsement, which is what happens here.
The mother, seeing into this situation as though a mirror were held up to her, feels very threatened by it; and consequently tells Uncle Remus that she does not want him around her son. (The final answer to her comes when the boy is lying on his bed in a stupor, calling out for his friend rather than his father who has returned.) That must have been difficult to accept. But in today's society, when she would tell him to stay away from her son, he would still have to show the same recognition of her role as parent regardless.
I really do not see any explicit or overt racism, and I wish someone would point it out to me. There is plenty of color mixing in the film, and the boy's best friend happens to be black, so I cannot imagine what all the hullabaloo was about.
First of all, I must agree with a review written by one Bob Dove. I agree with everything said. I never saw the Broadway original either, and also might have been disappointed with it, as I so dearly love the movie.
I loved the generally homespun family oriented scenario. I loved the way the characters came across in their roles, very credibly, I thought, and let me repeat, I've seen this movie several times, always enjoyed it, and as with Bob Dove's review, I urge others to see it if and when they get the chance.
I particularly loved the signature song at the beginning, and equally loved the way it came back at the end in exactly the same form, to wind up the whole thing. This is a device that I will always welcome; as a musician, I always appreciate exactly this form of summing up in a musical work.
The scene from the ballet Sleeping Beauty, with the music speeded up, was one of the very few things I did not appreciate. As a musician, I do not like works tampered with in that way, and also used in a scenario where frankly it has no place - others may disagree and may have perfectly sound reasons for doing so, but for my part, I was very uncomfortable with it.
But this part is relatively brief, and not enough to spoil what for me was essentially a really wonderful movie. By the way, when I first saw it, at a first run theater right after it was released in 1963, I immediately afterward took my parents to see it.
I loved the generally homespun family oriented scenario. I loved the way the characters came across in their roles, very credibly, I thought, and let me repeat, I've seen this movie several times, always enjoyed it, and as with Bob Dove's review, I urge others to see it if and when they get the chance.
I particularly loved the signature song at the beginning, and equally loved the way it came back at the end in exactly the same form, to wind up the whole thing. This is a device that I will always welcome; as a musician, I always appreciate exactly this form of summing up in a musical work.
The scene from the ballet Sleeping Beauty, with the music speeded up, was one of the very few things I did not appreciate. As a musician, I do not like works tampered with in that way, and also used in a scenario where frankly it has no place - others may disagree and may have perfectly sound reasons for doing so, but for my part, I was very uncomfortable with it.
But this part is relatively brief, and not enough to spoil what for me was essentially a really wonderful movie. By the way, when I first saw it, at a first run theater right after it was released in 1963, I immediately afterward took my parents to see it.
A rather obvious and predictable plot made acceptable by the use of top notch players (Griffith Jones, Kathleen Byron, Hugh Williams, etc.), all of who appear to dispatch their respective parts with complete credibility.
However, what got me to return to this film a few times was the fantastically wonderful music sequence, utilized both during the dance scenes and as emotional ballast for some of the more poignant moments. As a musician myself, I found that I had to hear this repeatedly to absorb it for myself.
I certainly recommend the film for the musical score, but as well for the performances by the players, which pulls through the plot and more than saves it from being hackneyed.
However, what got me to return to this film a few times was the fantastically wonderful music sequence, utilized both during the dance scenes and as emotional ballast for some of the more poignant moments. As a musician myself, I found that I had to hear this repeatedly to absorb it for myself.
I certainly recommend the film for the musical score, but as well for the performances by the players, which pulls through the plot and more than saves it from being hackneyed.