So here’s my philosophy on historical accuracy, especially when it comes to film:
Every film that is based or inspired by real-life historical figures is almost guaranteed to have some sort of artistic license being taken. Whether it’s all for the better depends on who you talk to. If done well, I can let the inaccuracies slide. If not, then the inaccuracies stand out even more.
A film like Pocahontas stands straight in the middle. On the one hand, the beautiful direction led by Eric Goldberg, as well as some gorgeous songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, truly leave a lasting impression–so much of an impression that I wouldn’t even call it my least favorite of the Disney Renaissance.
On the other hand, and this is a problem I’ve been having lately with films that take too many liberties on historical accuracy: if you’re going to take as many liberties as you can, why even make the film based or inspired by a historical figure in the first place?
It’s the same problem I had with something like The Greatest Showman: you can literally replace the names of P.T. Barnum, Charity, and other people that existed in real life, and the ideas you’re trying to present with would ultimately remain the same. With Pocahontas, you could literally replace the names of Pocahontas and John Smith with other names, keep the same powerful ideas of prejudice and racism, and you’d have a fascinating parable of how everyone should see the world.
But nope. It’s called Pocahontas. It apparently has to be called Pocahontas. And that’s where it gets unnecessarily murky for historians. We can tell great stories inspired by real-life figures without having to be about real-life figures.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the only problem Pocahontas suffers from. The story it does tell–despite having moments of startling beauty (which I’ll get to later)–doesn’t have as much excitement as it could have until the film’s third act. In fact, within its eighty-one minute running time, there are some scenes that don’t evolve the story at all. I love Meeko and Percy individually, and an argument could be made that they represent how humans can get along despite their differences, but they mostly come across as filler so the kids can continue to be entertained. In a way, it works, because when I was a kid, I enjoyed their banter. Now as an adult, I find it to be shoe-horned in and unnecessary.
Also, this is a weird criticism, but does anyone else notice in certain scenes that when Pocahontas says a line, everyone else begins their next line with her name? I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but it did strike me as odd.
With that said, there are some moments that I found utterly gorgeous, and paid tribute to the power of what cinema can do. Pocahontas and John Smith’s first meeting instantly comes to mind. All of it is done through visual storytelling as well as the beautiful music composed by Alan Menken. It has the kind of maturity and quietness that we rarely see in animation, let alone in ones created over at the Walt Disney Company. I also still remain awestruck by the backgrounds in this film, especially when it comes to the design of Grandmother Willow’s hideout. There’s one shot of Pocahontas simply just talking to Grandmother Willow, and all I could do was just appreciate as many leaves as possible that was painted behind both of them.
Some of the musical sequences are beautifully constructed, too. Nobody talks about “Mine, Mine, Mine” as much as other Disney songs, but personally, I think it’s one of my favorite songs found in any Disney film. All of that is attributed to the song’s climax–my favorite part of the song is when it crosses back and forth to see the perspectives of both John Smith and Governor Radcliffe. “Savages” is also a masterful depiction of how both sides of the coin can have hints of hatred found within their hearts, while Pocahontas herself stands solely in the middle between both of them. And “Colors of the Wind”? Need I say more? It’s “Colors of the Wind”. Disney music at its finest.
{Also gorgeous is “If I Never Knew You”, a duet sung by Pocahontas and John Smith that was deleted from the final cut due to it “being too long for audiences” or something like that. Truly ridiculous. Thankfully, you can hear the song in the end credits.}
Pocahontas also has one of the most emotionally resonant endings to any Disney film I’ve ever seen. With its stunning artwork, along with Alan Menken’s remarkable composition of “Farewell”, it could almost be its own short film. It’s one of the reasons that this film, despite its obvious problems, leaves a lasting impression for this Disney fan.
And…yeah, that’s really all I have to say about this. It may not have the profound impact that can be found in something like Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King, but it does leave an impact regardless.
Hmmm. What else is there to mention?
Oh yeah: the line “It suits you”, which is said by Pocahontas’ father, is also said twice by Moana’s father as well.
Hooray for original screenwriting!
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