Gone With the Wind dropped for being racially unjust
The classic US film Gone With The Wind has been removed from HBO’s streaming platform due to mass protests worldwide against racism.
The Oscar-winning US Civil War epic was released in 1939 and remains the highest-grossing movie of all time.
However, its depiction of happy slaves and heroic slaveholders has garnered criticism.
“’Gone With The Wind’ is a product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society,” an HBO Max spokesperson said in a statement.
“These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible.”
“12 Years A Slave” writer John Ridley said in a Los Angeles Times op-ed Monday that “Gone with the Wind” must be removed as it “doesn’t just ‘fall short’ with regard to representation” but ignores the horrors of slavery and perpetuates “some of the most painful stereotypes of people of colour.”
The film will return to the streaming platform at a later date, along with a discussion of its historical context.
No edits will be made “because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.”
“If we are to create a more just, equitable and inclusive future, we must first acknowledge and understand our history.”
It comes after Netflix has pulled British comedy series The Mighty Boosh and The League of Gentlemen for their use of blackface.
Netflix also removed four popular Chris Lilley shows from its platform, which were We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High, Angry Boys and Jonah From Tonga.
Netflix and Chris Lilley are yet to comment.