Your article moved me to tears several times and I had to replay Ms. McDaniel’s acceptance speech 3 times times before I could keep my eyes clear for the whole response. What a fantastic actress she was.

I, too, have high hopes Mo’Nique is successful in bringing the life and career of Hattie McDaniel to the screen.

But there’s one Hattie McDaniel performance that is still locked away from public viewing – and that needs to be corrected. Disney’s 1946 Song of the South saw her portraying Aunt Tempy in another excellent performance. She even gets to sing in this role.

Thank you for writing this article.

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Thanx!

CineMaven.

My family had talked about Hattie and her wonderful performances all the time I was growing up. I had only got to see her a couple of times, at that point, on movies that had made it to television.
I remember the first time I had watched her was in “SHOW BOAT”, “GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE” and “THE GREAT LIE”. All I knew, is that there was ‘not enough’ of this very talented lady in the films
and when she was on the screen..she seemed to draw your attention toward her..and the rest of the actors were just not that important, as long as I was watching her on the screen.

I came from a white family in ‘southern’ Utah..and I figured I would never get to see the film that all the family had talked about and the great performance that Hattie Mc Daniel gave in GWTW. But as a teenager, in the mid 1950′s…my dream of seeing her performance finally came true, because GWTW had been re-released and so I finally got my chance to see her in her Oscar winning role as Mammy.

From then..and on…I always looked for more of her films to explore and enjoy. She was a credit to her craft. My dream was to become an actor and I, too, fell into that area of being a character actor and I did pursue my dream. Have been a professional stage musical/comedy actor for the past 43 years and am still doing shows to this day.

I bring this up…because it was watching great supporting actors
like Ms. Mc Daniel..that made me realize some very important things in the acting trade. I always remembered that you did not have to be ‘the lead’ to steal a scene. In fact, you didn’t even have to be saying lines..and the scene could still go toward you.
Look at Hattie as Mammy in GWTW..There were times when she was not saying a word…but with ‘one look’ could ‘make’ the scene HERS! She did it in many/most of her films. Yes..the words helped to make her character work..but they were not always needed…and you have to be darn good, to have that happen.

I liked LOUISE BEAVERS too..but did not find it the same with her roles as it was with Hattie’s, as far as achieving this kind of acting. Hattie was A PRO..when it came to this…and whether you are a man or a woman, finding your place in the acting establishment, you learn..TO LEARN..from BOTH men and women who did it long before you…and did it WELL.

I am also now a collector of old radio shows, such as SUSPENSE, THE WHISTLER, THE JACK BENNY SHOW and my all time favorite AMOS ‘N ANDY. I still do not have all of their shows, but I do have two with Hattie as their guest. I don’t know how many times I have played the episode where HATTIE is out to get a MAN and she comes to use Andy and the King Fish’s escort service. YOU didn’t have to SEE her..you only had to HEAR her voice and you could picture the whole story.

HATTIE MC DANIEL was an inspiration to many of us..in many different ways. These are some of the ways she inspired me..as an actor..and a devoted fan of movie classics.

Thanks for reading this..
Errol

The film probably came to me at a disadvantage because by the time I finally saw it (on the big screen) I had been told by so many people that it was the greatest film ever, while all I really liked was what I mentioned above. These days, the story of the making of the film fascinates me more, but I still enjoy watching it (I now have the Blu-Ray collector’s set.).

Also Errol, as far as a film depicting the way slaves are treated: have you heard of a little film called AMISTAD?

In “The Male Animal” suddenly notorious professor Henry Fonda is trying to avoid the press. He answers the phone attempting to emulate his maid’s voice declaiming that the professor ain’t at home. Standing above him, Hattie gives him that look of disdain and disapproval. Fonda responds with an embarrassed, sheepish, apologetic look. She shakes her head and leaves him in his misery. I love it!

To Both..Moirafinne and Klondike: If I feel like responding on a critic..I will do so. Like Al Lowe…I agree that you changed your situation on the movie, once you were confronted with these things that some of us disliked. AND ONCE AGAIN…You can dislike GWTW all you want…but it will outlast you and I and anyone on here. It has proven itself. CASE CLOSED as far as I am concerned.

If you don’t wish me to comment on your blog anymore, then please let me know. I am a movie lover and have been around for a very long time. I just ‘wish’ this piece on Ms. Mc Daniel had not started out on the negative side and maybe none of these responses coming in, would have ever have happened.