13 Oscar -winning films which are offensive according to today's standards
Before the 97th Academy Awards this Sunday, it is time to call these dishonorable mentions.
Before looking at the 97th annual Academy Prize This Sunday, March 2, which will be broadcast on ABC and Stream for the first time on Hulu, what would you say about a little history lesson?
Of course, the evening is supposed to celebrate the revolutionary performances and the cinematographic achievements of the films released in 2024, including Emilia P Érez, which received 13 nominations, t he brutalist, And Wicked (both with 10 nominations). And this year's host, Conan O’Brien , will surely make laughs.
However, what is not so funny is the fact that the Oscars have crowned winning films in the past which no longer deserve their golden statues. These best image winners and acclaimed classics have problematic representations of race, sex and cultural stereotypes which would not fly if they were released today. From casting laundry to lime to sexist tropes and obsolete humor, the 12 films winning the following Oscar - from 1931 to 2018 - serve as a brutal reminder of the way societal standards have changed over time, and how there is still work to do in the industry and beyond to have a more inclusive and thoughtful narration.
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1 Cimarron (1931)
Cimarron brought back the Oscar for the best film (then known as the exceptional production) in 1931, which makes it the first Western film to do so. The film has certainly provided an escape While the great depression tormented the Americans, but these days, its representation of blacks and natives would not fly.
Based on Edna Ferber novel of the same name, the film represents clear racism Towards blacks, according to a magazine by Worthy Podcast. The character of Isaiah ( Eugene Jackson ) Takes its weight, because it is often used as a comic relief and associated with racial stereotypes. In terms of representation of indigenous peoples, the film also uses insults that Strengthen stereotypes On the natives who are wild and "incapable of civilization", Jonathan Perez Underlined in a 2010 review. In addition, the native characters are played by white actors.
Perez noted that even if the film is intended to promote equality - the main character, Yancey Cravat ( Richard Dix ), "Accepts all people" - it is difficult for this message to fall on racist nuances.
"I think that in 1931, the filmmakers wanted to do justice to the novel by Edna Ferber, but there is a reason why when the books are transformed into a film, this is called an adaptation," wrote Perez. "In the end, I think Cimarron is better seen as a window on the attitudes of filmmakers in 1931, rather than a classic who will lose forever."
2 Swing Time (1936)
Overall, the best music of 1937 and the best winner of the original song, Swing time, Do not create too much problem, but a problematic scene would not be good with modern viewers.
In tribute to Black Tap Dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson , the character of John "Lucky" Garnett ( Fred Astute ), Blackface donations. Consequently, the scene "appears on the Choches and unnecessarily racist , " Kevin O’Rourke wrote in an article for the Michigan quarterly review .
"We could argue that the performance of the black surface of the thirties and the forties (and earlier) are so far in the past and a product of their time beyond the judgment, but I would not agree," continued O’Rourke. "I prefer that artists' assessments are done with the knowledge of their warts and everything."
O’Rourke also noted that he had "raised" Fred Astaire and specifically appreciated his films with Rogers ginger , this is what makes the Blackface scene in Swing time "Personally overwhelming and intellectually perplexed."
"The Blackface Astaire Porte is such an incredible disappointment, and because - as if we learn our heroes - it complicates the vision of Astaire as a brilliant star, largely loved by the scene and the film whose dance has delighted millions of people, [Astaire] was certainly these things, but it also participated in and perpetuated a harmful tradition of the racist race," wrote O’Rourke. "The Blackface ASTAIRE PORTS Swing time , whatever his intentions or the time he wore it, Mars, and will continue to Mar, his inheritance. »»
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As Gone with the wind And Breakfast at Tiffany ,, Swing time was part of an effort in 2021 by Turner Classic Films (TCM) entitled " Classic cropped . "The purpose of the series was to discuss films with problematic elements rather than reject them immediately and cancel them as a whole.
"We know millions of people like these films," said the host TCM Jacqueline Stewart said to New York Post . "We don't say" that's what you should feel Psycho , or "that's what you should feel Gone with the wind . "We just try to model ways of having longer and deeper conversations and not only cut it to" I love this film "." I hate this film. "There is so much space between the two."
3 The Good Earth (1938)
We have traveled a long way since 1938, when this controversial film was celebrated at the 10th Oscars. Good land was standing for five oscars, with Luise Rainer Sharing the best actress's trophy for her leading role in O-Lan. The film was based on Pearl S. Buck Award -winning novel Pulitzer On a group of farmers in China. However, Rainer is not Chinese, and either co-star either, Paul Muni .
Performance is " Classic example of Yellowface , " Vanity underlines. On a sadder note, the role could have gone to the Chinese-American actor Anna May Wong , which has done several screen tests. MGM producer Albert Lewin , who threw the film, wrote that although Wong "deserves consideration", it "does not seem beautiful enough" to play the role. Instead, he was offered the role of the Lotus courtesan, who plays in another stereotype.
"I will be happy to take the test, but I will not play the role," Wong said to MGM at the time. "If you let me play O -Lan, I will be very happy. But you ask me - with Chinese blood - to make the only antipathetic role in the image, with an American distribution representing Chinese characters."
4 As much with the wind (1939)
It is one of the most emblematic films of all time, but Gone with the wind is also considered one of the most problematic. The 1939 film won eight Oscars, including the best film and the best support actress for Hattie McDaniel - who has become the first winner of black Oscars, by The New York Times . These days, however, the film is strongly criticized for its romanticization of the Southern Antbellum and for the representations that many consider racist.
The film was available to broadcast on HBO Max in 2020, but it was withdrawn in June after the critics expressed their opposition. John Ridley , who won the best scenario suitable for 12 years of slave In 2014, called for deletion in a Los Angeles Times OP-ED, arguing that "when it is not Ignore the horrors of slavery , [The film] only pauses to perpetuate some of the most painful stereotypes of people of color. »»
Ridley also stressed that there was no warning for the film, that HBO Max added when he reintroduced the film on the platform a few weeks later. The streamer has also included two videos described Gone with the wind "The historical context" is The guardian reported.
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5 Breakfast at Tiffany (1961)
Although it is a classic beloved by generations of Rom-Com fans, Breakfast at Tiffany which was nominated for five Oscars and won two - would probably have had some changes if it was made today.
"Romantic comedy is problematic in that it reflects harmful societal prejudice which prevail in the 60s" " Lauren Koong written in a 2023 Critique from the film. "Although we can recognize that it is a product of your time, it is almost impossible to go beyond these biases if we continue to place this film on a pedestal."
She underlines "racism and discriminatory stereotypes of that time", in particular by Holly Golightly ( Audrey Hepburn ) neighbor, i.y. Yunioshi, who was represented by a white actor Mickey Rooney in yellow makeup.
"His character is made to be comic relief, but comedy is at the expense of his race - he speaks with a heavy accent and uses exaggerated facial expressions," wrote Koong. "This illustrates how little Hollywood had little for authentic representations of people of color. Not only does this representation strengthen negative stereotypes, but it is also dehumanizing, as Yunioshi becomes a caricature."
Koong also highlighted the gender roles in the film, while Holly ends up "falling into his neighbor's arms" rather than standing on his two feet.
6 American Beauty (1999)
In 2000, American beauty marked five Oscar wins, including the best film. The film follows the average father Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey , as he is obsessed with his teenage daughter ( Birch ) Friend Angela ( MENA SUVARI ).
Although the character of Suvari is considered confident and sexually aware, there is a clear imbalance of power. Although Lester does not end up having sex with the Angela minor, it is completely thrown aside and ultimately serves as a "vehicle" to facilitate a revelation to dester Mid-life crisis , according to a criticism from Screen Queens.
For its part, Suvari spoke of its representation American beauty During an interview in July 2022 with The guardian , stressing that she knew she was there to be attractive.
“I identified myself with Angela. I knew how to play this role, because I was so educated in it. "Oh, you want me to be Sexually attractive ? "It's over," she told The Outlet. "I felt unavailable in another way, but I knew how to play this card."
These days, film viewers can establish a link with the real allegations Against Spacey, which, in 2017, was accused of having made sexual advances against the actor Anthony Rapp When he was 14 years old. As People Reported, Spacey said he did not remember the meeting but had offered his apologies. After subsequent allegations of sexual misconduct was leveled against the actor, his representative said that he was looking for treatment, by People . In July 2023, a jury in England Spacey acquitted Nine accusations against him, including seven chiefs of sexual assault.
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7 Crash (2005)
One of the best winners of the best films is the years 2005 Accident . The film is a representation of racial relations in Los Angeles, with big names like Thandiwe Newton ,, Matt Dillon ,, Don cheadle , And Sandra Bullock . It was Originally rented To be progressive, but the film has aged badly, some say. Co-written and produced by Paul Haggis , of Baby of a million dollars fame, Accident is now criticized for the stereotypes it represents and the way it calls on "white guilt".
"If anything, Accident is too delicate - so heavy that, during her race for almost two hours, the story she tries to tell barely is even important, " TIRHAKAH Love wrote for the level in 2020, Think about the movie 15 years after his release. "The ease with which Haggis stereotype and plans his characters speaks of the most paranoid sensitivity of the Americans."
While the film had a range of "representation on the screen", which was new for 2005, LOVE underlines that only white characters evolve. A key example would be the character of Dillon, the officer Ryan, who can put aside his racist attitude to save the character of Newton after a car accident.
"" Accident Place the burden of [cultural] harmony [cultural] on non -white people and - more violently - on black women, "wrote Love." This can reflect life in the most brutal way, but against the hardness of a white -amption backdrop, it stands out exactly as the opposite of the progressive "kumbaya".
8 Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Rags-to-Riches Slumdog millionaire follows a young Indian named Jamal ( Dev Patel ) While he is a competitor Who wants to be a millionaire? . In a little cinematographic magic, each question asked him concerns his own life experiences, which are then shown in flashbacks. Everyone loves a story of oppressed, so the public loved the film at the time, but even then, it had its fair share of detractors, and its reputation has not improved since.
In a 2018 play for the agitation, writer Soham Gadre noted that the film was Not well received in India , where he is settled, and he was criticized for having exploited "poor districts" in the country.
"Of course, this film is popular in America, they love to watch poverty in other countries," said Gadre his father saying after watching the film.
Gadre, an Indian who grew up in the United States, also stressed that if the film was "vaguely based" Q&R , a novel by the Indian author Vikas Swarup , the script was written by the white screenwriter Simon Beautiful and produced by the white filmmaker Danny Boyle . Gadre has accused the two men of having created an "third world amusement park" for viewers and playing poverty "for a dramatic effect".
9 The Blind Side (2009)
When The blind side was released for the first time, Sandra Bullock was rented by criticisms for her performance by the southern mother of nonsense Leigh Ann Tuohy , for which she caught the Academy Award for best actress. However, this is another film that criticisms put in the “white Savior” category.
The film follows Michael Oher ( Quinton Aaron ), which is adopted by the Tuohy family before becoming a star football player.
"Everything about T The blind side gives the impression that did not have the opportunity Without the Tuohys and, although they undeniably contributed to its success, it was not useless without them. "" Alicia Adejobi wrote in an opinion article in 2023 for Metro . "It's almost as if the character was stupid to raise the Tuohys."
Adejobi also highlighted stereotypes on Oher's history, especially when he will see his biological mother and "meets a violent black gang". As Adejobi said, the scene painted "blacks in a bad light to justify why living with the white family was the best choice".
Although it had to be a true story of well-being, the real situation became a little more tangled in August 2023. Oher has filed a prosecution Against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, alleging that they had filed a guardianship which kept millions of dollars - and never really adopted it. The Tuohys vehemently denied the allegations and said that Oher had tried to extort $ 15 million. According to the Latest reports , the trial is still in progress.
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10 Help (2011)
When Help struck theaters in 2011, lovers of Kathryn Stockett Book of the same name faded in cinema To see the 1960s, Jackson, Mississippi, brought to life. NPR has pleased his " sting Fortunately stamped by the performance of the overall distribution - in particular Octavia Spencer , who won the best support actress Oscar for her role as Spitfire Maid Minny Jackson.
In 2020, the film had a resurgence, with many well -intentioned Streaming viewers Help On Netflix in the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement, USA today reported. While many of these viewers thought that the film was educational, the critics stressed that the book was written by a white woman, the film was directed by a white man, and overall, the film is most focused on the prospects of white characters.
"Not to say that the film is not entertaining and can have other advantages, but if I had to choose a film that helps us to understand where [blacks] are today and what problems we face, it would not be the one I choose", " Darnell Hunt , director of Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies of the UCLA, said USA Today. "One of the problems with films like Help is that they are safely settled in the distant past which leaves the present. It is almost as if: "Oh my God, see how horrible things were at the time and look how far we came today." Which, of course, is not true. ""
Viola Davis , who played as Aibileen Clark and obtained an Oscar appointment for the best actress, even said that she regretted being part of the film.
"I have already done roles that I regretted ? I have, and Help is on this list, ”she said The New York Times In 2018. Davis continued explaining that his feelings had nothing to do with his experience on the set or the distribution and the team, but with the characters in the film.
"I thought that at the end of the day, it was not the voice of maid," she said. "I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They are my grandmother. They are my mother. And I know that if you make a film where the whole premise is, I want to know what it is to work for whites and to bring children in 1963, I want to hear what you really think. I have never heard that during the film."
11 Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
While Dallas Buyers Club did not bring the best photo home, Jared Leto won the best support actor for his radius representation in the 2013 film. Even at the time, Leto taking the role was considered controversial by many - as he played a transgender woman , while being a cisgenre man himself.
Some criticisms said that even if Leto's performance was "worthy of an Oscar", the role should have been offered to a trans actor . The problem has been the subject of multiple studies on stereotypes and representations of sex communities In consumer films.
Similar discussions surfaced around 1991 the best winner in the film Silence of Lamb , which has long been accused of transphobia due to the obsession of Buffalo Bill to keep and wear the clothes of his victim of his wife. While the film tries to emphasize this Buffalo Bill is not transgender —The Lecter hannibal even said - Critics noted that representation and association in the mind of the public are what matters, by Vox.
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12 Green Book (2018)
The film and winner of the best film 2018 Green paper has not really "aged" because he is a fairly recent winner. However, the film sparked major criticism when it was released - and a little more than five years later, it is a little more difficult to imagine that it wins the same recognition.
The film follows the black concert pianist Don Shirley ( Mahershala Ali ) And its driver and bodyguard Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga ( Viggo Mortensen ) While they travel to the deep south in 1962. Although co-series (and Tony's real son) Nick Vallelonga said the film was to be on friendship And people gathered, others disputed Green paper , calling a white savior film.
Instead of focusing on The Nègre Automobilist Green Paper , the guide for black travelers that the film was named, the film " Racism with a spoon In white, " Monique judge asserted in a review for the root.
"I continue to go around the racism of Lip because it confuses me that in 2018 Hollywood is still in the field not only humanize racists But let racists like lips tell stories about blacks, " Brooke Obie wrote in a criticism of Blavity. "Because Green Book It's not just Dr. Shirley through Lip's eyes. These are also daily and non -productive blacks that Lip and Dr. Shirley meet on their trip. ""
However, in his review, Judge argued that the film was always "to see for everyone", especially for performances, which earned Ali the victory of the best support actor.
"" Green paper is not there to teach lessons. This is not to end racism. This is not there to increase the guilt of whites, "wrote the judge." It is worth seeing for those (white) who may need an introduction to racism. It is worth seeing just for Mahershala Ali. It is worth seeing for the great hard act of Viggo Mortensen. It is worth seeing because nothing has changed. Like Mahershala Ali told me when I interviewed him about the film, "discrimination is much smarter now". »»
13 The whale (2023)
While Brendan Fraser Oscar -winning performance in The whale was widely praised as its official "return", the film was accused of having perpetuated harmful stereotypes on fat. He also used prostheses to exaggerate the weight of the protagonist rather than throwing an actor with lived experience. (The film won an Oscar in 2023 for "the best success in makeup and hairstyle".)
Critics argued That the film looked at a "narrative of pity", depicting the character of Fraser, Charlie, as a tragic figure whose weight was a symbol of self -destruction rather than in a nuanced part of his identity.
Others He also challenged the representation of Charlie's eating habits, suggesting that she played in fatphobic tropes rather than promoting empathy.
Actors, as Daniel Franzse of Wicked girls Fame, director openly criticized Darren Aronofsky Choice of casting.
"To finally have a chance to be in a prestigious film that could be nominated at the price, where stories about people who look like us? People . "So, when they go on many times and throw someone like Brendan Fraser, me and the other big queer guys, we say to ourselves:" What is ...? "We can't take it!"
"Why go up there and wear a big suit to play a queer man at 400 lb?" Franzese added.
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