Some movies age brilliantly, with time only enhancing their appeal. Others have stood the test of time less well, with modern viewers horrified at some jokes and drama. Here are our top 18 movies with scenes we wish we could forget.
Soul Man
When Mark Watson (C. Thomas Howell) finds that his father won’t pay for him to attend Harvard and he can’t get a student loan, he decides to apply for a scholarship. Unfortunately, the only one available is for African-Americans, leading him to “disguise” himself with blackface makeup. This was controversial then, and the premise did not age well.
300
300 tells the epic tale of the Spartans fighting an invading army of 300,000 Persian soldiers. It remains a classic movie, but the stylized nature of it meant we were getting a very simplified version of history. Critics pointed out that it polarized the war into a good vs. evil battle, portraying the Persians as monstrous and the white Spartans as heroes.
Aladdin
Despite never losing popularity, Disney’s Aladdin has a problematic portrayal of the Middle East. Crafted from the perspective of white society, it casts some characters as being part of a barbaric or backward culture and perpetuates damaging stereotypes.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective stars Jim Carrey as the titular character, an animal detective hired to find a dolphin mascot. The ending reveals that the main antagonist is transgender, a fact that disgusts Ventura. This discovery is played for laughs, with transgender people being mocked and transphobic characters applauded.
The Love Guru
The rom-com The Love Guru sees Mike Myers write and star in a movie about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ attempts to win the Stanley Cup. With them floundering, the titular guru, Pitka, is called to help them get back to the top. Many of the jokes relied on stereotypes of Indian culture, with viewers concerned the movie was mocking both this and Hinduism.
Me, Myself & Irene
The slapstick black comedy movie Me, Myself & Irene tells the story of Rhode Island state trooper Charlie Baileygates (Jim Carrey), who experiences a psychotic breakdown that results in a personality disorder. The movie was strongly criticized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which highlighted its inaccuracies and offensiveness to people struggling with mental illness.
West Side Story
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, West Side Story is a musical romantic drama about teenage gangs vying for control in New York City. Although it is critically acclaimed, the Puerto Rican characters from the Sharks are heavily influenced by racist stereotypes, and white actors take the key roles.
True Lies
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, True Lies tells about his struggle to hide his job as a spy from his wife. When she gets fed up with him constantly disappearing, Harry uses government resources to track her down and terrorize her in a cruel turn of events. The movie was also criticized for its reliance on the stereotype of Arabs being terrorists.
Revenge of the Nerds
Set at the fictional Adams College, Revenge of the Nerds sees Lewis Skolnick (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert Lowe (Anthony Edwards) failing to rush the fraternities. After joining a national black fraternity, they battle the Alpha Betas. Notable for a scene where they sneak into the girls’ locker room to photograph them, this comedy also relies heavily on racist stereotypes.
Gone with the Wind
A staple of Hollywood cinema, Gone with the Wind is a historical romance set in the American South during Reconstruction. Despite its enduring popularity, its romanticized view of the South and sympathy towards slave owners can be distasteful for modern audiences. Even when it was released, it was met with controversy.
The Party
A fish-out-of-water comedy, The Party stars Peter Sellers as Hrundi V. Bakshi, an Indian actor accidentally invited to a major Hollywood party and constantly making mistakes due to ignorance of the Western world. Painting a racially insensitive caricature, The Party leans on stereotypes and bad accents to get laughs.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
The buddy comedy movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry has two male New York City firefighters getting married to ensure Larry’s children will still get a life insurance payout if he dies. Released at a time when gay couples couldn’t marry, Chuck & Larry come across as insensitive at best and offensive at worst.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
The classic rom-com Breakfast at Tiffany’s stars Audrey Hepburn in one of her most famous roles as Holly Golightly, a cafe society girl who meets and falls for Paul Varjak (George Peppard), a struggling writer. The movie is controversial due to the Asian character Mr. Yunioshi, who Mickey Rooney plays in Yellowface.
The Toy
Unemployed writer Jack Brown (Richard Pryor) has had to work as a janitor in a department store to make ends meet. When the rich owner’s son is taken on a shopping trip and told he can have anything, he buys Jack. Despite being told he can’t own people, he persists until he gets his way in what is an uncomfortable story for most viewers.
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry stars Clint Eastwood in the title role as a cop tired of criminals getting away with their actions. He uses a more vigilante-style approach to justice, which is controversial in itself. But the movie also portrays various ethnic groups negatively, particularly Latinos.
The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai is an action drama movie about army veteran Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), who joins a samurai group. From there, the movie follows something of a white savior narrative, with Nathan quickly winning a battle against the Imperial Army.
Pocahontas
The Disney movie Pocahontas focuses on the titular character and her romance with John Smith, including her saving his life. It has been strongly criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of events, distorting real Native American history. There’s little evidence that the life-saving event ever occurred and even less to suggest a romantic relationship.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The second installment in the Indiana Jones franchise, The Temple of Doom, is set in a village in India, where Jones must find a mystical stone to save the children from a cult. It faced significant backlash even when it was first released for its portrayal of Indians as either evil or needing help from a white hero.
