This week, on our series Disney Decades, we jump right into the most interesting and tumultuous decade yet: the 1940s. The Disney Company is struggling to stay on top with the high cost of animation and the declining foreign market due to World War II. After the smashing success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, films like Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi don’t quite generate the money that it cost to fund them.
Walt feels attacked when his “family” tries to unionize, causing him to fire one of his most valued animators. Also, the U.S. government seizes part of the Disney Studio to house troops after the Pearl Harbor attack. Disney makes propaganda and morale boosting films during this time. Personally, Walt can’t catch a break either. His father dies while he’s away in South America.
Despite the hardships Walt and his company face, Disney continues to receive recognition for the innovative nature of his films. Of these, the most notable is the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award at the Oscars. This award is only given on occasion to people who demonstrate consistently high quality in film making.
Walt also finds himself embroiled in a bit of controversy after releasing Song of the South, the only movie in the Disney vault to never be released.
Trains become a main focal point in Walt’s life after going to a train show. More importantly, the seed for a theme park is planted. The decade wraps up on a high note. The Disney Company wins yet another Oscar, this time for a nature documentary.
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