10 Scandals Disney REALLY Wants You To Forget

10. Song Of The South

A movie so controversial that Disney has never released it on home video in the USA, Song of the South paints a picture-perfect portrayal of America’s Deep South during the post-Civil War years in which freed slaves live in perfect harmony with their former masters which was just a tad historically inaccurate to say the least. In reality, it was less zip-a-dee-doo-dah more hotbed of Ku Klux Klan activity.

It’s tempting to view the 1946 film as a product of its far less progressive times but even back then when black people weren’t even allowed to attend the same movie theatres as white people, it was hugely controversial with both the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) and many media outlets criticising its misrepresentation of history and Uncle Tom-like stereotypes.

Even rumoured racist Walt Disney himself had misgivings prior to its release and hired left-wing Jewish screenwriter Maurice Rapf in an attempt to make Song of the South less Uncle Tom-ish while Disney publicist Vern Caldwell warned its producer Perce Pearce the film would likely spark controversy. We can’t even place the blame on outdated ignorance – Disney knew exactly what Song of the South was and chose to release it regardless.