This is one of the famous "Censored 11"--Looney Toons cartoons that were pulled from circulation in the late 1960s because they were considered racially offensive.
I have seen the 11 films and found this one among the least offensive of the cartoons, though what is and isn't offensive is awfully subjective--one person might see it and have a fit and another may not. Some of the 11 are offensive to anyone who isn't a total jerk--this one, however, is debatable.
What may offend some is the depiction of cannibals (though how do you depict them well?!). They all look very stereotypical--with big lips and some with bracelets on their necks (though as one astute reviewer pointed out, this is from Burma--no where near cannibal country). One of them also looks a bit like Steppin Fetchit but with huge lips. Considering that these were among the only images of Black Americans on TV for many years, I could see someone being offended by this. Today, with a more diverse lineup on television, this cartoon might even pass unnoticed if shown, but who can tell?
My problem with the film isn't so much because of the racist qualities but because of the overall lack of quality in the cartoon. The bottom line is that it just isn't funny and I doubt if anyone will miss this or the vast majority of cartoons from the 1930s--an era when the toons just weren't that good compared to the 40s and 50s. Sure, there are many exceptions, but in general the cartoons were big on being cute but seldom had laughs or interesting characters. Friz Freleng-directed shorts of the 1930s just don't hold a candle to his edgier and funnier films such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Roadrunner cartoons of the studio's golden age. And this is one Freleng short you probably won't mind skipping.
My advice is that this and all the Censored 11 cartoons should not be shown on broadcast television unless they are shown with some sort of prologue that could explain the context and reasons they offend. Having them continue to be available on the internet (when you can find them) isn't a bad thing, however, as I am loathe to ban any sort of speech and it is an unfortunate but important part of our history. And if we eliminate EVERYTHING that might offend from our history, then we are left with,...well,...nothing!
I have seen the 11 films and found this one among the least offensive of the cartoons, though what is and isn't offensive is awfully subjective--one person might see it and have a fit and another may not. Some of the 11 are offensive to anyone who isn't a total jerk--this one, however, is debatable.
What may offend some is the depiction of cannibals (though how do you depict them well?!). They all look very stereotypical--with big lips and some with bracelets on their necks (though as one astute reviewer pointed out, this is from Burma--no where near cannibal country). One of them also looks a bit like Steppin Fetchit but with huge lips. Considering that these were among the only images of Black Americans on TV for many years, I could see someone being offended by this. Today, with a more diverse lineup on television, this cartoon might even pass unnoticed if shown, but who can tell?
My problem with the film isn't so much because of the racist qualities but because of the overall lack of quality in the cartoon. The bottom line is that it just isn't funny and I doubt if anyone will miss this or the vast majority of cartoons from the 1930s--an era when the toons just weren't that good compared to the 40s and 50s. Sure, there are many exceptions, but in general the cartoons were big on being cute but seldom had laughs or interesting characters. Friz Freleng-directed shorts of the 1930s just don't hold a candle to his edgier and funnier films such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Roadrunner cartoons of the studio's golden age. And this is one Freleng short you probably won't mind skipping.
My advice is that this and all the Censored 11 cartoons should not be shown on broadcast television unless they are shown with some sort of prologue that could explain the context and reasons they offend. Having them continue to be available on the internet (when you can find them) isn't a bad thing, however, as I am loathe to ban any sort of speech and it is an unfortunate but important part of our history. And if we eliminate EVERYTHING that might offend from our history, then we are left with,...well,...nothing!