Song of the South (1946)
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A young boy visiting his grandmother's plantation finds solace and wisdom in the folk tales of an elderly worker.
The story
Seven-year-old Johnny travels to his grandmother's plantation in Georgia for an extended stay. While there, he befriends Uncle Remus, an elderly worker who shares traditional African-American folktales about the adventures of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear. Through these stories, Johnny learns how to navigate the challenges of his new environment. The film blends live-action and animation to depict the bond between the boy and the storyteller as they navigate life on the plantation during the Reconstruction era.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Johnny arrives at his grandmother's plantation and learns his father is staying in Atlanta, leading him to briefly wander off alone. He is found by Uncle Remus, who tells him the tale of Br'er Rabbit to help him cope. Johnny also befriends a local girl, Ginny, and a boy named Toby. After a series of mishaps involving a puppy and a ruined dress, a misunderstanding leads to a rift between Johnny and Uncle Remus. When Remus prepares to leave for Atlanta, a distressed Johnny tries to reach him but is injured by a bull. Just as his father returns and the situation becomes dire, Uncle Remus arrives to comfort the boy with more stories. In the final sequence, the animated characters from the tales appear in the real world to join the children and Uncle Remus as they walk into the sunset.
- First release year
- 1946
- Runtime (minutes)
- 94
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Harve Foster; Wilfred Jackson
- Cast and characters
- Ruth Warrick · Sally; Lucile Watson · Grandmother; Hattie McDaniel · Aunt Tempe; James Baskett · Uncle Remus; Bobby Driscoll · Johnny; Luana Patten · Ginny Favers; Glenn Leedy · Toby
- Genres
- musical; animated; live action
- Themes
- friendship; folklore; coming of age
- Tone and mood
- sentimental; whimsical
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; animated; historical; folklore
- Source material / true-story basis
- Uncle Remus stories as adapted by Joel Chandler Harris
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews; while some praised the animation and music, others criticized its length and portrayal of African Americans. It has remained a subject of significant controversy regarding its racial depictions.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 54 · scale: 100 · review count: 6
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Song · 1948 · won
- Production trivia
- The film's title was changed from Uncle Remus to Song of the South in May 1944.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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