Editing Song of the South (section)

== Production ==
=== Casting ===
In February 1941, Disney talked with [[Paul Robeson]] about him playing Uncle Remus, and the two remained in talks about the project for several years, but ultimately he was not cast. It is speculated that Robeson's politics made him too controversial for the role. Other actors considered included Rex Ingram.{{sfn|Korkis|2012|pp=21–6}} [[Clarence Muse]] lobbied for the role of Uncle Remus while consulting on the screenplay, but left the project due to Dalton Reymond's depiction of African-Americans in the original treatment.{{sfn|Korkis|2012|pp=67–74}}

[[James Baskett]] was cast as Uncle Remus after responding to an ad for providing the voice of a talking butterfly. Baskett is quoted as saying; "I thought that, maybe, they'd try me out to furnish the voice for one of Uncle Remus's animals." Upon review of his voice, Disney wanted to meet Baskett personally, and had him tested for the role of Uncle Remus. In addition to the role of Uncle Remus, Baskett also received the voice roles of the butterfly and Br'er Fox.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/baskett.html|title=James Baskett as Uncle Remus|publisher=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref> Baskett also filled in as the voice of [[Br'er Rabbit]] for [[Johnny Lee (actor)|Johnny Lee]] in the "Laughing Place" sequence after Lee was called away to do a [[United Service Organizations|USO]] tour.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/90871/song-of-the-south/#notes|title=Song of the South (1946) - Turner Classic Movies|website=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=February 1, 2023}}</ref> Disney told Baskett's sister Ruth that Baskett was "the best actor, I believe, to be discovered in years". After the film's release, Disney maintained contact with him. Disney also campaigned for Baskett to be given an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for his performance, saying that he had worked "almost wholly without direction" and had devised the characterization of Remus himself. Baskett won an honorary Oscar in 1948.{{sfn|Gabler|2006|p=438}} After Baskett's death, his widow wrote Disney and told him that he had been a "friend indeed and [we] certainly have been in need".{{sfn|Gabler|2006|pp=438–9}}

Also cast in the production were child actors [[Bobby Driscoll]], [[Luana Patten]], and Glenn Leedy (his only credited screen appearance). Driscoll was the first actor to be under a personal contract with the Disney studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/driscoll.html|title=Bobby Driscoll as Johnny|publisher=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref> Patten had been a professional model since age three, and caught the attention of Disney when she appeared on the cover of ''[[Woman's Home Companion]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/patten.html|title=Luana Patten as Ginny Favers|publisher=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref> Leedy was discovered on the playground of the [[Booker T. Washington]] school in [[Phoenix, Arizona]], by a talent scout from the Disney studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/leedy.html|title=Glenn Leedy as Toby|website=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref> [[Ruth Warrick]] and Erik Rolf, cast as Johnny's mother and father, had actually been married during filming, but divorced in 1946.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/warrick.html|title=Ruth Warrick as Sally|publisher=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/biographies/rolf.html|title=Eric Rolf as John|publisher=Song of the South.net|access-date=January 18, 2007}}</ref> [[Hattie McDaniel]] also appeared in the role of Aunt Tempe.

=== Filming ===
Production started under the title ''Uncle Remus''.{{sfn|Gabler|2006|p=437}} The budget was originally $1.35 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/stream/variety159-1945-09#page/n55/mode/1up|title=14 RKO Pictures to Exceed Million in Prod. Cost in Coming 'Year of Years'|magazine=Variety|date=September 12, 1945|page=12|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The animated segments of the film were directed by [[Wilfred Jackson]], while the live-action segments were directed by Harve Foster. Filming began in December 1944 in Phoenix, Arizona where the studio had constructed a plantation and cotton fields for outdoor scenes, and Disney left for the location to oversee what he called "atmospheric shots". Back in Hollywood, the live action scenes were filmed at the [[Samuel Goldwyn Studio]].{{sfn|Gabler|2006|p=436}}

On the final day of shooting, Jackson discovered that the scene in which Uncle Remus sings the film's signature song, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", had not been properly [[blocking (stage)|blocked]]. According to Jackson, "We all sat there in a circle with the dollars running out, and nobody came up with anything. Then Walt suggested that they shoot Baskett in close-up, cover the lights with cardboard save for a sliver of blue sky behind his head, and then remove the cardboard from the lights when he began singing so that he would seem to be entering a bright new world of animation. Like Walt's idea for [[Bambi#Production|Bambi on ice]], it made for one of the most memorable scenes in the film."{{sfn|Gabler|2006|p=437}}

=== Animation ===
[[File:Laughingplace.jpg|thumb|In a screenshot from the film, [[Br'er Rabbit]] takes [[Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear]] to his "[[The Laughing Place|laughing place]]"]]
There are three animated segments in the film (they total 25 minutes). The last few minutes of the film also combines animation with live-action. The three sequences were later shown as stand-alone cartoon features on television.
* ''Br'er Rabbit Runs Away'': (~8 minutes) Based on "[[Br'er Rabbit Earns a Dollar a Minute]]". Includes the song "[[Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah]]"
* ''Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby'': (~12 minutes) Based on "[[Tar-Baby]]". The segment is interrupted with a short live-action scene about two-thirds through. It features the song "How Do You Do?"
* ''Br'er Rabbit's Laughing Place'': (~5 minutes) Based on "[[The Laughing Place]]". The song "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" is featured.

=== Music ===
Nine songs are heard in the film, with four [[reprise]]s. Nearly all of the vocal performances are by the largely African-American cast, and the renowned all-Black [[Hall Johnson|Hall Johnson Choir]] sing four pieces: two versions of a [[Blues|blues number]] ("Let the Rain Pour Down"), one chain-reaction-style folk song<ref>Walt Disney's ''Song of the South'', 1946 Publicity Campaign Book, Distributed by RKO Pictures. Copyright Walt Disney Pictures, 1946. "The chain-reaction, endless song, of which American folk music is so plentiful [...] The number is 'Uncle Remus Said,' and it consists of a single, brief melody repeated as often as new lyrics come along."</ref> ("That's What Uncle Remus Said") and one [[Negro spiritual|spiritual]] ("All I Want").

The songs are, in film order, as follows:
* "Song of the South": Written by [[Sam Coslow]] and [[Arthur Johnston (composer)|Arthur Johnston]]; performed by the Disney Studio Choir
* "Uncle Remus Said": Written by Eliot Daniel, [[Hy Heath]], and [[Johnny Lange]]; performed by the Hall Johnson Choir
* "[[Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah]]": Written by [[Allie Wrubel]] and [[Ray Gilbert]]; performed by [[James Baskett]]
* "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah": (reprise) Performed by [[Bobby Driscoll]]
* "Who Wants to Live Like That?": Written by [[Ken Darby]] and Foster Carling; performed by James Baskett
* "Let the Rain Pour Down": (uptempo) Written by Ken Darby and Foster Carling; performed by the Hall Johnson Choir
* "How Do You Do?": Written by Robert MacGimsey; performed by [[Johnny Lee (actor)|Johnny Lee]] and James Baskett
* "How Do You Do?": (reprise) Performed by Bobby Driscoll and Glenn Leedy
* "Sooner or Later": Written by Charles Wolcott and Ray Gilbert; performed by [[Hattie McDaniel]].<ref>{{Gilliland |year=197X |show=16 |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1633234/m1/#track/5 }}</ref>
* "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place": Written by Allie Wrubel and Ray Gilbert; performed by James Baskett and [[Nick Stewart]]
* "Let the Rain Pour Down": (downtempo) Written by Ken Darby and Foster Carling; performed by the Hall Johnson Choir
* "All I Want": Traditional, new arrangement and lyrics by Ken Darby; performed by the Hall Johnson Choir
* "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah": (reprise) Performed by Bobby Driscoll, [[Luana Patten]], Glenn Leedy, Johnny Lee, and James Baskett
* "Song of the South": (reprise) Performed by the Disney Studio Choir

"Let the Rain Pour Down" is set to the melody of "[[Midnight Special (song)|Midnight Special]]", a traditional [[blues]] song popularized by [[Lead Belly]] (Huddie William Ledbetter). The song title "Look at the Sun" appeared in some early press books, though it is not in the film.<ref>{{cite web|title= Song of the South Song Lyrics|url=https://www.songofthesouth.net/movie/lyrics/index.html|access-date=October 18, 2018}}</ref> Ken Emerson, author of the book ''Doo-dah!: Stephen Foster And The Rise Of American Popular Culture'', believes that "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is influenced by the chorus of the pre-[[American Civil War|Civil War]] folk song "[[Zip Coon]]", which is today considered racist for its use of an African American stereotype.<ref name=Doo-dah!>{{cite book|last=Emerson|first=Ken|title=Doo-dah!: Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture|year=1997|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=New York|isbn=978-0684810102|page=[https://archive.org/details/doodahstephenfos0000unse/page/60 60]|url=https://archive.org/details/doodahstephenfos0000unse/page/60}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Blackface!|url=https://black-face.com/|publisher=black-face.com|access-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref>