Song of the South1946Song of the South
1946
Young Johnny is brought to his grandmother's Georgia plantation just as his parents separate, and he decides to run away. He's befriended by Uncle Remus, whose animated tales of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear help a lonely boy face his troubles.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
An old storyteller's tales help a lonely boy through his parents' separation, and the family is restored at the end. Uncle Remus is the wisest and kindest figure in the story, and the Br'er Rabbit tales are classic American folk storytelling.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Set on a Georgia plantation after the Civil War, with an idealized picture of Black life and dialect that is why Disney withholds the film, so parents will want to explain the history. A bull badly injures Johnny, and his parents' separation is resolved by the end.
Song of the South (1946)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Johnny want to run away?
- Which Br'er Rabbit tale was your favorite, and why?
- Why were some of the grown-ups unfair to Uncle Remus?
- How did Johnny's family come back together?
Content advisory
IMDb parents guide: mild cartoon slapstick; a boy badly hurt by a bull; pipe smoking.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
No official US disc release
Edition link coming soon.
Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.