Just watched this on a special on political incorrectness. This cartoon spoofs Gone with the Wind with many anachronisms like a radio during the Civil War era or Paul Revere warning of the British! One of the characters sounds like Elmer Fudd but his permanent form isn't used yet. There's also the stereotypical depiction of various people of color either as domestics or the way they're drawn. If one doesn't let that bother them (like it didn't me) then one should be amused by some of the gags depicted, like I was. So on that note, I say Confederate Honey is worth a look.
8 Reviews
Controversial Elmer Fudd short
Tweekums2 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This Elmer Fudd short is clearly spoofing 'Gone with the Wind' with Elmer playing Ned Cutler a gentleman who has caught the eye of Crimson O'Hairoil. One day he is about to ask her a question, she and the viewer, assumes he plans to propose. However war is declared so he departs to do his bit for his country while Crimson waits for him to return. We also see something of the life of people in the state including, controversial in this day and age, the depictions of black slaves picking cotton and one acting as a horse parking attendant.
This short isn't banned but I'm not surprised that it is no longer shown on television due to the depiction of the slaves; one in particular is depicted as being very lazy... if it hand just been a lazy farm hand it would have been funny but the racial overtones of making the character a black slave are obvious. Not all the gags involving black characters seemed offensive to be though; the sight of one parking Ned's horse in the way one might park a car was quite funny. There are enough funny moments to make this worth watching; including the final moment when we learn what Ned wanted to ask Crimson; just remember that some scenes may cause offence.
This short isn't banned but I'm not surprised that it is no longer shown on television due to the depiction of the slaves; one in particular is depicted as being very lazy... if it hand just been a lazy farm hand it would have been funny but the racial overtones of making the character a black slave are obvious. Not all the gags involving black characters seemed offensive to be though; the sight of one parking Ned's horse in the way one might park a car was quite funny. There are enough funny moments to make this worth watching; including the final moment when we learn what Ned wanted to ask Crimson; just remember that some scenes may cause offence.
It's just not all that funny.
planktonrules15 February 2014
"Confederate Honey" has apparently been pulled out of circulation by Warner Brothers because they are concerned it might offend Black-Americans. While I can understand why, this is a rare case when removing it isn't all that bad because the film isn't among the studios better cartoons of the era.
"Confederate Honey" is supposed to be a send-off of the recent film, "Gone With the Wind". The problem is that it isn't that funny and apart from a few items (such as the lady being named "Crimson" instead of "Scarlet"), it seems to bear only a very minor similarity to the film. The biggest similarity are the happy slaves--a 1930s and 40s creation that just didn't jibe with the facts--and this is probably why it's not in circulation. If you must see it, this and many other banned films are available to watch or download for free at archive.org.
"Confederate Honey" is supposed to be a send-off of the recent film, "Gone With the Wind". The problem is that it isn't that funny and apart from a few items (such as the lady being named "Crimson" instead of "Scarlet"), it seems to bear only a very minor similarity to the film. The biggest similarity are the happy slaves--a 1930s and 40s creation that just didn't jibe with the facts--and this is probably why it's not in circulation. If you must see it, this and many other banned films are available to watch or download for free at archive.org.
One of WB's best
Coolguy-721 November 2001
My opinions on this short are different than those of the previous poster. I didn't find this cartoon to be racist at all. In cartoons, everything is a caricature of something, but there are just some liberals out there who think the animators were being racist. They don't seem to have enough sense to realize that it was made at a time when black caricatures in films were common.
This is my favorite Elmer Fudd short. It's one of those cartoons where he isn't starring with Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck. This cartoon was a humorous parody of "Gone with the Wind," with Elmer Fudd playing Ned Cutler (Rhett Butler in the real movie).
This is my favorite Elmer Fudd short. It's one of those cartoons where he isn't starring with Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck. This cartoon was a humorous parody of "Gone with the Wind," with Elmer Fudd playing Ned Cutler (Rhett Butler in the real movie).
Call him "Egghead" or "Elmer Fudd" or "Ned Butler," but whatever his name it's clear . . .
oscaralbert13 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
. . . that the Leading Man of CONFEDERATE HONEY (and actual title character) from Warner Bros.' always prophetic Animated Shorts Seers division (aka, The Looney Tuners) is none other than Red Commie KGB U.S. Strong Man Vlad "The Mad Russian" Putin's Puppet, Don Juan Rump. Warner Bros. fully exploited its Extremely Early Warning Cartoonists to alert We Americans of the (Then) Far Future of our impending Calamities, Catastrophes, Cataclysms, and Apocalypti. With CONFEREATE HONEY, they open with Rump Surrogate alleged "Attorney General" Beauregard Sessions (formerly of the KKK) auctioning off the U.S. Bill of Rights. "Sold-out Americans!" he concludes his auctioneer patter. Warner follows up this with a montage giving a blow-by-blow account of the Deplorable 2016 Rigged-by-Russia election, featuring several cameos by KGB spy (slated to become American Third Lady) Melancholia Rump. However, once Putin's coup is complete, Melancholia rejects the pathetic Rump's plea for her to park her derriere at America's once-hallowed White House, stamping Rump's forehead "Revoked!" This is Warner's way of informing America that IF we were ever foolish enough to let someone like Stalin or Putin have his way with us, THEN that moldy anarchistic Racist Suicide Pact Parchment from the 1700s would HAVE TO BE REPEALED AND REPLACED at a Constitutional Convention, resulting in the assets forfeiture and deportation of ALL the enablers of the permanently-banned Putin's Party, along with the banning of the Job-Killing Corporate Mafia, in order to rid America of the interchangeable Three C's promoted by Lucifer: Conservatism, Communism, and Capitalism!
Details Like Slavery Drag the Plot
erichyoung30 August 2001
Yes, details of why the Civil War happened are just too heavy for a cartoon, especially in 1940. I guess it just wouldn't be funny to have any shred of history in this cartoon. Fair enough. But why must anyone other than mainstream people be a caricature? Yes, all Blacks in this cartoon are the typical stereotypes.
I've seen every religious and racial group lampooned in cartoons. But what you get here is the extra irony for Blacks.
I've seen every religious and racial group lampooned in cartoons. But what you get here is the extra irony for Blacks.
Does your tobacco taste different today?
lee_eisenberg18 September 2008
OK, so Friz Freleng's "Confederate Honey" contains stereotypical depictions of slaves. The people behind the cartoon didn't mean any hostility towards African-Americans; it was just that they didn't know any other images. This over-the-top parody of "Gone with the Wind" casts an early Elmer Fudd as opportunistic Red Cutler, trying to win the heart of southern belle Crimson O'Hairoil during the Civil War. Seeing the sort of gags that the cartoon contains, it surprises me that Tex Avery didn't direct it.
It's worth noting that this is the early incarnation of the cartoon world's most famous hunter. He evolved from a character named Egghead, whose appearance changed over the course of about two years. In 1940, they permanently turned him into Elmer Fudd (the name had first come up in "A Feud There Was", with Egghead as a peacemaker named that), but he still looked like Egghead. "A Wild Hare" introduced not only Elmer's recognizable form, but also Bugs Bunny's recognizable form.
Anyway, a really funny one.
PS: The scene with "The British are coming!" appears to have been lifted from Chuck Jones's "Old Glory".
It's worth noting that this is the early incarnation of the cartoon world's most famous hunter. He evolved from a character named Egghead, whose appearance changed over the course of about two years. In 1940, they permanently turned him into Elmer Fudd (the name had first come up in "A Feud There Was", with Egghead as a peacemaker named that), but he still looked like Egghead. "A Wild Hare" introduced not only Elmer's recognizable form, but also Bugs Bunny's recognizable form.
Anyway, a really funny one.
PS: The scene with "The British are coming!" appears to have been lifted from Chuck Jones's "Old Glory".
Gone Out The Window
tedg12 August 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers herein.
Many of the cartoons from this era were built around making fun of specific popular items: books, movies and such. The whole idea was to show everything in the most ridiculous light.
Some of these, like this one (and scores of others) tread on matters of race. Either they deal with WWII Asians, or Blacks of some ilk. They are all now in `collections of shame' in various institutions, and deemed unsuitable for viewing. Racist.
In the States, racism is the big taboo, so these are considered too offensive to watch because of the role of blacks, their minstrel-like appearance and the resulting stereotypical behavior. Never mind that in many cases the non-Blacks are portrayed in much the same way - ostensibly because as oppressors a spoof of themselves cannot be oppressive.
This particular instance makes fun of a film (then fresh) rather than society at large and is in a special category, which to my mind puts it on the acceptable side of that great dividing line. Its the film that's racist, this most popular film in history. Pointing that out humorously seems to me in the best tradition of the Waylons, and that's a good thing.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
Many of the cartoons from this era were built around making fun of specific popular items: books, movies and such. The whole idea was to show everything in the most ridiculous light.
Some of these, like this one (and scores of others) tread on matters of race. Either they deal with WWII Asians, or Blacks of some ilk. They are all now in `collections of shame' in various institutions, and deemed unsuitable for viewing. Racist.
In the States, racism is the big taboo, so these are considered too offensive to watch because of the role of blacks, their minstrel-like appearance and the resulting stereotypical behavior. Never mind that in many cases the non-Blacks are portrayed in much the same way - ostensibly because as oppressors a spoof of themselves cannot be oppressive.
This particular instance makes fun of a film (then fresh) rather than society at large and is in a special category, which to my mind puts it on the acceptable side of that great dividing line. Its the film that's racist, this most popular film in history. Pointing that out humorously seems to me in the best tradition of the Waylons, and that's a good thing.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
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