Song of the South - 1946

This is one of the few older Disney movies I've never seen. I thought I had, but after watching it, the only thing I know is "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah."

A little boy is visiting his grandmother's plantation when he makes a couple new friends. He also finds a couple bullies. To deal with his problems, Uncle Remus tells Johnny stories of Br'er Rabbit. Johnny's mom thinks these are bad for him, but they are actually helpful. 

I liked this movie. I have to say I was more fond of the live action parts than the Br'er stories. I can't really narrow down why, I just was more involved with the relationships going on with Johnny, Uncle Remus, Toby, and Ginny. And Teenchy. I loved Teenchy. Uncle Remus (James Baskett) did a wonderful job on screen. He sang and acted really well, and I was always looking forward to scenes with him in it.

I'll briefly address the controversy about the movie itself. The portrayal of African Americans in this movie has caused a lot of tension over the years. The setting was a plantation for a reason. Uncle Remus is a character that tells stories from that era, and he is a freedman. What I saw was a kind older man helping a lonely boy. Johnny also found friends his own age from the area that could have been seen as questionable at the time, but no mention was made of who Johnny played with. It didn't matter if they were black or white, rich or poor. It was just kids playing together. 

Overall, I thought the story was sweet. Yes, there is child acting in this. I don't know how old Johnny's actor was, but sometimes he could pull off crying, and other times not so much. I enjoyed James Baskett the most in this movie (if we ignore the puppy). He really stole the show! Good Movie!