Disney Should Stick To Fantasy - Skip Bad History Lessons

Reality and fantasy, Disney needs to learn, are two things that should be kept separate in some cases.

“Pocahontas” is definitely one of those cases. A Disney musical set in the beginning stages of genocide is definitely inappropriate and offensive.

In “Pocahontas” the young title character falls in love with a white man, who was brought to the new world to defend other whites against the Natives. Their love prevents a battle between her tribe and the whites. The story is also littered with musical numbers, talking trees and charismatic animals for comic relief.

I know that if I were a Native American, seeing a film geared toward children where my ancestors sing some happy Disney pop songs, I would be pretty angry. Just as I would be angry if I had survived the concentration camps and Disney made an animated movie about a free-spirited Jewish girl who, while a prisoner at Auschwitz, falls in love with the Nazi officer who works the gas chamber pumps.

I read that someone said “They (Native Americans) should just be happy the movie portrays them so beautifully.” Aside from being a remark on the same level of intelligence as “Let them eat cake,” that insult seems to be Disney’s logic.

The “If we make them look good they won’t care” train of thought is in full effect in “Pocahontas,” for the Native Americans are all noble and handsome. They operate from reason, unlike many of the whites, and are shown to be good, decent people. Apparently this is supposed to appease Native American audiences. But it’s hard to ignore the fact that the film does not tell, show, or even hint as to the future of the Native Americans after Pocahontas’ melodramatic little story.

Cinematically, “Pocahontas” doesn’t do much. It has all the standard Disney villains and heroes, which have been very entertaining in the past, but this time around they fall short. The simplistic plot leads to an unsatisfying climax, and the film ends a little prematurely.

The animation is beautiful and brings the scenery to life. A tree that talks and some nice shots of water make the film pleasing to the eye.

The “Pocahontas” message is in the right place, too. The film teaches understanding and acceptance over violence and hatred. But that’s only on the surface, because looking at the whole picture, the film teaches a much darker lesson. “Pocahontas” shows us that some people do not fully comprehend what happened to the Native Americans at the hands of whites, and as a result a one-sided film like this is made possible.

Grade: F