By Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media
Confession time: I know plenty of people love it, but I don't really care for Breakfast at Tiffany's. Sure, Audrey Hepburn is all kinds of fabulous. But her character, Holly Golightly, drives me nuts, and there's no getting around the fact that, in this day and age, costar Mickey Rooney's extremely stereotyped performance as Holly's Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi, is beyond painful.
Storytellers have always relied on stereotypes as a shorthand way of explaining characters. But as we all know, stereotypes are a delicate matter. They can bolster negative perceptions, justify prejudice and reinforce unsympathetic views about particular groups.
And it's not that modern movies don't have their share of stereotypical characters (Jar-Jar Binks, anyone?). It's just that the classic movies hold a special place in our memories, and in our eagerness to share these films with our kids, we sometimes forget that they served up plenty of old-fashioned attitudes. What might once have seemed socially acceptable (or funny) is now the kind of thing that's likely to make you cringe -- and wonder how to explain it to your kids.
If your kids are old enough to understand, you can use outdated stereotypes as teachable moments. But if they're not, you might want to hold off on watching these movies for now. (And if you end up blindsided by a stereotypical character you didn't see coming, these tips might help.)
- Annie (1982): Daddy Warbucks' mysterious, inexplicably mystical bodyguard is named Punjab, which is a stereotypical reference to the Indian state and its people. And he's not even played by an actor of Indian descent.
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