So many of our old movies have elements that grate against racial sensitivities. So when we encounter some that don't, it is worth noting.
The general setup of the gang is that there a couple girls, and a collection of boy types. All of these boys are designed to have comic characteristics, and over a variety of episodes each is made fun of equally. One of these boys is Buckwheat, a black boy.
He's just a member of the gang. In this episode, the four core boys are singing at Darla's house until late. So they have to stay. All four (wearing Darla's extra nightgowns) crowd into the bed with Darla's dad. Let this sink in a minute: a black kid in this situation with no notice at all of his race. In 1937!
Two minor events in this episode could be considered stereotypical. Buckwheat is the one who's scared of the dark. And when they open the refrigerator and discover watermelon, he says "I like that." But he takes a couple bites and it is the fat kid, Porky that eats it all. And when the real scare happens (the dad in a bear rug) all the kids are equally bugeyed.
At the very end, the boys leave to go home. The last word is that the dad is crazy and a very strange word, he's "pixelated." That and the racial enlightenment made me think this was a modern film.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
The general setup of the gang is that there a couple girls, and a collection of boy types. All of these boys are designed to have comic characteristics, and over a variety of episodes each is made fun of equally. One of these boys is Buckwheat, a black boy.
He's just a member of the gang. In this episode, the four core boys are singing at Darla's house until late. So they have to stay. All four (wearing Darla's extra nightgowns) crowd into the bed with Darla's dad. Let this sink in a minute: a black kid in this situation with no notice at all of his race. In 1937!
Two minor events in this episode could be considered stereotypical. Buckwheat is the one who's scared of the dark. And when they open the refrigerator and discover watermelon, he says "I like that." But he takes a couple bites and it is the fat kid, Porky that eats it all. And when the real scare happens (the dad in a bear rug) all the kids are equally bugeyed.
At the very end, the boys leave to go home. The last word is that the dad is crazy and a very strange word, he's "pixelated." That and the racial enlightenment made me think this was a modern film.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.