MovieChat Forums > The Green Pastures (1936) Discussion > Scenes cut?

Scenes cut?

posted 18 years ago by Remote-2
11 replies | jump to latest

I believe I saw this film in the 70's before I was 10. Even though my upbringing in Europe had virtually zero connection to placement of the story, I reckon this movie shaped my childhood vision of 'heaven' as much as anything else; and it was magical.

A few years ago I found a copy at my local rental store and recaptured all those memories. The politically incorrect subtext/setting had no bearing on the beauty of the movie.

But alas, keeping in mind that my memory is doubtful from all those years ago; one of the things I remembered was a scene in heaven where they dropped chickens into a machine and instantly out popped fried chicken. In our 'enlightened' age this would be deemed offensive on many accounts, but on my untainted mind it was all just part of heaven.

But what I find offensive now is that when I watched the rental this scene was not there? So either I remembered the wrong scene completely, or the movie was censored. In fact, I got the feeling that much of the movie had been censored?

So if anyone knows what the deal is please let me know? I wonder if I buy the latest DVD will it have been censored? Or am I mistaken in my memory entirely?

[–] tom-1536 18 years ago

I believe your memory is perhaps faulty, sir. I'm most likely very much older that you (72) and I remember seeing this film in a theatre on a Saturday morning when I was about 9 or ten years old. I don't recall even remotely a scene about machine-made fried chicken. I've since seen Green Pastures on television quite a number of times and don't recall it from those times either.

It's such a great motion picture, even though my politically correct friends are horrified by it's "stereotypical" image of black people. However, as I am (again, advanced age comes to my rescue...) a good bit older than all of them, I vividly remember blacks speaking exactly like they do in this film. It's neither right nor wrong... it just is!

Anyway, it's a tribure to people like Rex Ingram (who also played Jim in Huckleberry Finn w/ Mickey Rooney) and Oscar Polk (who played "Pork" in Gone With The Wind) and of course, Eddie Anderson, who was Jack Benny's Rochester.

They played their roles with great talent, but also with very great dignity.

Thomas J.

[–] pynkpanther 17 years ago

"It's such a great motion picture, even though my politically correct friends are horrified by it's "stereotypical" image of black people. However, as I am (again, advanced age comes to my rescue...) a good bit older than all of them, I vividly remember blacks speaking exactly like they do in this film. It's neither right nor wrong... it just is!"

unfortunately, we didn't get to see that the vernacular was regional and not ethnic-specific so, of course, we always had black people speaking in this manner in films and absolutely no white people doing the same. this was horrifically stereotypical and, if you really want to know how much so, simply ask a black person how they feel about the movie. i doubt the movie gives them the warm fuzzy memories that you express. in the meantime, let's not forget how these fine thespians had to "dumb down" their manner of speaking in order to even work in film. none of them spoke this way.

[–] cpetr13 17 years ago

There is nothing particularly racist abou6t 5this movie--all the characters had dignity and were treated with respect. What many people seem to be unable to comprehend is that this is the bible as seen through a CHILD'S eyes--the way the kids in the wraparound interpreted what the preacher was saying.

There are many movies in which racism is obvious and deplorable; this is not one of them.

As for "dumbing down"; evidently you are unaware of the hundreds of "hick" pictures and characters that otherwise erudite white actors had to pretend to be morons in. And this even continued on tv--look at the Green Acres/Petticoat Junction/Beverly Hillbillies, for example.

The bottom line is that these were all working actors who were making money at their craft and were entertaining people. Perhaps the humor is a bit strained and unflattering, but look at what gays have put up with since the beginning of the film industry right on up to that Adam Sandler crapfest that just opened.

[–] brendangcarroll 18 years ago

The scene you recall is from a different movie entirely, a Busby Berkeley musical entitled WONDER BAR which starred Al Jolson. It had a closing number of excecrable bad taste set in a negro heaven - called "Gooin to Hebben on a Mule". The fried chicken machine featured in this number, in a setting of Heaven not dissimilar to GREEN PASTURES.

[–] thelefthandedgun 18 years ago

that sounds about right,because i to do not remember any such scene in green pastures.........................so i guess in the al jolson one he was black face???

[–] brendangcarroll 18 years ago

Yes Al was black face...the number was created especially for him. It is so bad, it was omitted from the recent BUSBY BERKELEY DVD collection!

[–] freesharon 18 years ago

Thanks for answering a question I hadn't even gotten around to asking. I'm trying to find the original sources for all the movie clips Dianne Keaton used in her 80s era documentary "Heaven" and only recently found The Green Pastures. Now you have sourced one of the other unforgettable images for me. Many Thanks!

[–] freesharon 17 years ago

I'm bumping this because I really would like to find other movies used in Heaven and folks who know this movie might well have knowledge of others that clips were pulled from or even might have been pulled from. Old stuff with scens of heaven and hell. Thanks.

[–] bradford-1 13 years ago

I happened to see an uncut version of WONDER BAR at a revival theater. Even white folks were booing and hissing that "Goin' to Hebben on a Mule" tripe!

"We're fighting for this woman's honor, which is more than she ever did."

[–] zeggman 12 years ago

Even white folks? Huh. Imagine that.

[–] bradford-1 12 years ago

Yeah, EVEN WHITE FOLKS. Usually, at a revival theater, when I see an old film with the "cullud" stereotypes in them, white people in the audience are usually guffawing and yocking it up. Blacks are usually melting into their chairs.

"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"