Originally Posted By familyguy <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://variety.com/2014/biz/awards/meryl-streep-blasts-walt-disney-at-national-board-of-review-dinner-1201035989/">http://variety.com/2014/biz/aw...1035989/</a> Such a sweetheart she is....
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan While most men in that era certainly wouldn't meet the modern day expectation of how to treat women in a fair and equal way, it's worth noting that his go-to lead designer for many years was Mary Blair. That makes going back to the 1938 letter a bit selective and unfair. Walt had a temper and could be vindictive, there are plenty of stories about that. But I don't think he was presented as a flawless saint in the movie.
Originally Posted By ecdc This whole story strikes me as...odd. Can we please not oversimplify it this once and not draw a line in the sand and choose up sides, either Meryl Streep is right and Walt was a monster, or Streep is a horrible woman for distorting the record? Meryl Streep is right, and Walt Disney was a decent man who was a product of his time. They aren't mutually exclusive.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I don't think so either. Walt was really, when you think about it, a small part of the movie. They didn't really show much of him at all aside from the times when he was obviously trying to be Mr Perfect to sway Travers to sign the rights over. We never really got to see much of the "real Walt" in the film.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance My post was responding to this... "Walt had a temper and could be vindictive, there are plenty of stories about that. But I don't think he was presented as a flawless saint in the movie. "
Originally Posted By Tikiduck I think Diane Miller would have begged to differ from the comments Ms. Streep made. Having never met the man, and going on minute snippets of information hardly qualifies her to pass judgement. Yes, we know Walt could be a jerk, but what makes Streep such an authority on the matter? Why does she feel the need to publicly condemn him?
Originally Posted By ecdc >>what makes Streep such an authority on the matter?<< The fact that she's a woman in a male-dominated industry? Like I said, I think Walt Disney was a good man and a creative genius. But I respect the desire to want to stand up and note that a Disney produced film that completely rewrites the history of one woman's experience with the Disney company isn't the whole story. Since when did becoming pointing out a public figure's flaws become a grievous sin? I admire Martin Luther King, Jr more than I admire anyone else, but I don't fly off the handle when someone notes his shortcomings.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>Well, pardon me all to Hell!<< What!?! People disagreeing on the internet? What's next!
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Did she have anything to add about Alec Baldwin (co-star) and what future generations will think about him? Taken out of context I have no idea what meryl streep was trying to accomplish...but the money I might have budgeted to see her new film will only open the opportunity to see something Disney related.
Originally Posted By doombuggy So she's not a fan of the man...eh. And like Kar2oonman said kind of funny she had to go way back to 1938 but didn't bother to mention he changed his ways later. I've come across a few people when I tell them I'm a Disney geek they go in to a rant about Walt and the company. I tell them ok calm down not every ones a fan and that's cool but it's nothing to get huffy about.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Did she have anything to add about Alec Baldwin (co-star) and what future generations will think about him?> If she had been presenting an award for a movie having to do with the life of Alec Baldwin, perhaps she would have. I also think post 3 is on the money.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Anyone who knows anything about Walt Disney understands that the man, like most of us humans, was very complex. So I find it strange that she chose this particular occasion to put Walt Disney on blast for whatever shortcomings he may have had. I honestly can't tell from the report at the link if she was making a personal attack on Walt or executing some sort of stealthy swipe at the film's screenwriters for portraying the female lead as a terrifying monster crazy person and Walt as an eccentric, but lovable, businessman.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I'm sure Walt was a real jerk in ways... many creative geniuses are. According to what I've read Steve Jobs was a real PITA too. Won't keep me from spending money on either Disney or Apple products. I'm spending because I like their creativity; whether they were nice guys or not is largely irrelevant.
Originally Posted By oc_dean It's easy to get up in front of a podium .. and make a broad stroke of black or white about a person. But in reality .. .us humans .. whether you are a president or a poor person living on the streets ... We are various shades of gray.
