https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:43:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784603 Wed, 15 May 2013 22:35:58 +0000 Mrs. Pen 784603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: @DigAPony: @silva:</p> <p>oh wow.... those are two of my favorite movies EVER (Blind Side &amp; Freedom Writers)... I never would have thought of them like that.</p> <p>I am incredibly naive and unintentionally ignorant when it comes to this type of stuff... so I have probably seen so many and never even noticed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784594 Wed, 15 May 2013 22:25:34 +0000 citymouse 784594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: you took the words right out of my mouth! My husband and i just rewatched the "what makes the red man red" song bc we were trying to remember the lyrics and were horrified. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784188 Wed, 15 May 2013 18:35:33 +0000 DigAPony 784188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: Regardless of whether a story is fiction or non-fiction, I don't enjoy the "white savior" trope (see the "Oscar loves a white savior" article that a PP posted) and I thought that that film was heavy-handed and poorly done. (I was a teaching assistant in a classroom where the teacher made the kids watch Freedom Writers, otherwise I would not have seen it!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784147 Wed, 15 May 2013 18:15:18 +0000 mrsjazz 784147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: I think whether it's a based on a true story or fictional, it goes back to the article that @meredithNYC: posted about the Oscars loving movies with a white savior...but it's not just the Oscars, it's Hollywood in general. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784133 Wed, 15 May 2013 18:08:58 +0000 daniellemybelle 784133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Seeing Freedom Writers, The Blind Side, and other "white redemption" movies based on true stories makes me think of two things...</p> <p>1.) Just because something follows a "trope" or a stereotype doesn't mean it's bad. White people can help black people and we can be uplifted, not offended, by it.</p> <p>2.) On the same token, it's interesting that these are the true stories that get made into movies more than true stories of white people helping white people or black people helping black people or what have you. Maybe because it feels less ordinary / more remarkable? That's kind of sad. Or maybe it is playing into the stereotypes that we like to see...</p> <p>I miss sociology classes. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784130 Wed, 15 May 2013 18:07:09 +0000 mjane 784130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meredithNYC: completely. The subtle stuff is maybe the most insidious, it really affects people's thinking! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784111 Wed, 15 May 2013 17:55:41 +0000 loveisstrange 784111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DigAPony: Except Freedom Writers was based on a true story. That actually happened. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Gruwell" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Gruwell</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784041 Wed, 15 May 2013 17:23:21 +0000 daniellemybelle 784041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, another one... this is another Disney movie, but The Song of the South. It's a great movie and I loved it as a kid... but kiiiinda problematic. They don't even sell it in the US anymore. Honestly I don't think it's THAT bad, at least compared to other Disney movies. However, there is obviously a history with African-Americans here in the US that's a little different than other ethnicities, so I guess that's why. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-784001 Wed, 15 May 2013 17:06:23 +0000 DigAPony 784001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first thoughts were old Disney movies and The Help, as PPs have mentioned.</p> <p>I also HATED the movie Freedom Writers with Hillary Swank--any movie where it's like, "Look at this smart white person, here to "save" the minorities!" is totally off-putting to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist/page/2#post-783951 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:32:50 +0000 mrs. 64 783951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love musicals when I was little. Two of my favorites were South Pacific and The King and I. I have rewatched both as an adult and.... yikes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783950 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:32:29 +0000 MrsSCB 783950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Well, I can say I wasn't impressed by the preview I saw! But personally I don't really see any difference between this and having a white person play a black person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783941 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:27:51 +0000 mrbee 783941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I meant without...</p> <p>I don't think I can evaluate their casting decisions until I see the movie. That said, I remember similar sentiments being expressed around Eric McCormack's casting in Will &amp; Grace... and after watching the series, I think those concerns were misplaced. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783920 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:17:41 +0000 MrsSCB 783920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Hmm, I originally read your statement above as it never would have been made "without" Depp's involvement, which sounded like a justification for having him play the role. But now I see you said it never would have been made "with" his involvement, which is confusing me...</p> <p>@zippylef: Well, good to hear they at least did some things right! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783900 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:10:07 +0000 loveisstrange 783900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: i actually read an article about the movie and they had an advisor in the movie who is Comanche. They tried to be culturally and historically accurate with the character. They even had the advisor do Native American blessinfs and things on the set. So... At least they tried to be more racially sensitive about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783897 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:09:20 +0000 mrbee 783897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Not sure what you're referring to? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783888 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:06:40 +0000 MrsSCB 783888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I don't really know the details of funding/executive producing for it, but I don't really see that as a justification for doing something that offends a lot of people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783887 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:05:59 +0000 Modern Daisy 783887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know, I always think of Breakfast at Tiffany's when I think of racist movies. It does kind of ruin an otherwise great movie, I don't know why they had Mickey Rooney act that way.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783884 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:05:12 +0000 mrsjazz 783884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: @meredithNYC: I didn't see the movie, "The Help" because I thought it was going to be much like the book which I thought was racist. But I hear the book wasn't the same as the movie so maybe I'll watch it.</p> <p>I have no idea what I'm going to do about Disney movies. Some of the movies on the list I forgot about and I never thought about how racist they were when I watched them as a child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783883 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:05:04 +0000 mrbee 783883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: The movie never would have been made with Johnny Depp's involvement though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783880 Wed, 15 May 2013 16:02:24 +0000 .twist. 783880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: @zippylef: haha I agree with both of you! I am part metis but have never actually said it unless people ask. I just thought it was funny!! :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783878 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:59:55 +0000 loveisstrange 783878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: @MrsSCB: I actually agree. I was surprised at the casting. I have Native American roots but I wld never call myself Native American. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783871 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:56:40 +0000 MrsSCB 783871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: Ha well, technically so do I, but I don't self-identify as an American Indian. It just would have been nice to see a native character portrayed by someone with true native roots, if that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783867 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:54:31 +0000 .twist. 783867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: haha, FWIW, I believe Johnny Depp has some native american roots. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783860 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:52:19 +0000 MrsSCB 783860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just saw a preview for the Lone Ranger movie coming out soon, and I felt very annoyed that Johnny Depp is playing Tonto. I get that he's super famous and all, but they really couldn't find a single American Indian to play the character? Also the Last Airbender casting white actors instead of Asian. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783840 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:46:07 +0000 loveisstrange 783840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JerricaBenton: They got lost in EAST St Louis and as someone from St Louis... I'd day it's not that far off. East St Louis is ravaged by gang violence and has never really recovered from it's history of race riots.</p> <p>I do think that there are a lot of racial undertones in a lot of movies BUT I have to say I disagree with quite a few movies on the list linked in the original post. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783793 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:32:27 +0000 daniellemybelle 783793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: @Mrsbells: The song is how Lincoln freed the slaves, but "whats-her-name" (haha!) is dressed up in a totally offensive pickaninny outfit with big lips and braids in her hair :( And Bing Crosby is dressed up as black Abe Lincoln...?! Does not compute, haha!</p> <p>Having said that, I do kind of give it a pass, because it's from the 1940s. A lot of movies from that era had some element of racism! It's a product of it's time. Aladdin on the other hand, for example, was made in the 1990s... I feel like the stereotypes on display there are not as excusable. The bad guys have Arab accents but the good guys have American accents...?! What is that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783741 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:16:37 +0000 meredithNYC 783741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mjane: Thanks! I was hoping I explained myself clearly as it's sometimes difficult for me to articulate my feelings on this particular subject. I guess I am just more interested in the subtle ways that the entertainment industry handles race. I mean, obviously we've moved beyond the overt -i.e., blackface - but there are still issues that need to be addressed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783740 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:16:30 +0000 mrbee 783740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meredithNYC: Yah it's definitely a narrative thread that keeps turning up over and over... along with a bunch of related ones around race. For me, it comes down to the story itself. If it's a great story, then I can be very forgiving. If not, then I'm pretty merciless! </p> <p>On that note, I thought The Blind Side was an excellent book and a decent movie. I thought Avatar was just horrible on every level, other than the 3D. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783737 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:16:11 +0000 dagret 783737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: in February they do Lincoln's birthday. Bing Crosby slathers him and whats-her-name in shoe polish so that Fred Astaire can't see that she's working at the Inn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/movies-that-are-kinda-racist#post-783725 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:10:21 +0000 meredithNYC 783725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: I would agree with that, too. For what it's worth, I actually enjoy watching the film. I love the actresses and it's a perfect lazy-day-feel-like-watching-a-movie type of film. I just have complicated feelings about it. </p>