South of the Border with Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948 [Hardcover]

J. B. Kaufman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2009

Millions of viewers have enjoyed Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros without realizing that these Disney films were produced for a specific diplomatic purpose: as part of an initiative to foster a spirit of friendly hemispheric unity by countering Nazi propaganda efforts in South America, so that all the Americas might stand together against the Axis powers. This effort, the Good Neighbor program, was initiated and guided by Nelson Rockefeller as head of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA), a new government post created by President Roosevelt in 1940. Beginning with the extraordinary research trip Disney undertook in 1941, leading a team comprising his top animators, artists, and writers from Mexico to Chile, renowned animation historian J. B. Kaufman reveals the story behind Disney's contribution to Rockefeller's program. Based on extraordinarily comprehensive archival research and richly illustrated with many images never before published, South of the Border with Disney is a fascinating study of an all-but-forgotten aspect of the American war effort that will inform and delight Disney fans, animation lovers, and World War II buffs everywhere.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 335 pages
• Publisher: Disney Editions (October 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423111931
• ISBN-13: 978-1423111931
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #536,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J.B. Kaufman is an author and film historian on the staff of the Walt Disney Family Foundation, and has published extensively on topics including Disney animation and American silent film. He is coauthor, with Russell Merritt, of two essential reference works on Disney animation history: Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney (1992; winner of the Kraszna-Krausz Award and the Society for Animation Studies' Norman McLaren-Evelyn Lambart Award, and chosen by The New York Times as a Notable Book of the Year), and Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series (2006). Kaufman was also a regular contributor to the Griffith Project at Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, the distinguished annual silent-film festival in Pordenone, Italy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Official American Representatives Need to Read This Book, October 29, 2009

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WCrandall (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: South of the Border with Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948 (Hardcover)

This book gave me a major surprise! How did Walt Disney keep countries of South America from going over to the Nazi's in World War Two? That's the question that sets this book apart from every other Disney book I have ever read. The answer is amazingly simple.
When Walt Disney visited the countries of South America he did one thing that I wish everyone else would do. He simply treated everybody the way that he himself wanted to be treated. In other words: "The Golden Rule." (Love your neighbor as yourself) And sure enough, his visit to those countries changed history. As such, I believe this book should be required reading for every politician and all students of political science. (Not to mention every Disney fan as well. The book covers the cartoons that resulted from the visit and covers the art of Mary Blair, Frank Thomas, and the others and as such, it's a tour de force in that way as well)

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disney Goes Latin, November 22, 2009

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H. F. Wiegand "dream writer" (Fairfield, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: South of the Border with Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948 (Hardcover)

"South of the Border with Disney" is a well-written, well-researched piece of work, profiling a specific era in the Studio's history that is rarely examined in any detail or depth. The book is full of fascinating details regarding the Good Neighbor program and Walt Disney's involvement with it. Many people today are dismissive of the films "Saludos Amigos" and "The Three Caballeros," as well as some of the other output from the Studio during that era. Some of it may be due to changing times and tastes, and to the fact that many modern Disney fans are not aware of the historical context of the films. This book offers valuable insights not only into the times but into the making of the films and the political tightrope that the Disney corporation had to walk in order to produce them. It's a fascinating look at an underrated period of amazing creativity, a worthy chapter in Disney history that has needed to be examined. I myself am an avid fan of Walt Disney's life, career, and output, and I learned much that I never knew before. If you are a Disney fan, or if you are interested in Latin America (or if you are a fan of both), this book is a great read.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for Disney fans., October 28, 2009

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Giovanni Abrate (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: South of the Border with Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948 (Hardcover)

A really great book: well documented, rich in rare photographs and great drawings. This is a "must" for any Walt Disney fan, an excellent supplement to Walt's best biographies (like Bob Thomas' "An American original", my personal favorite). I have always loved Walt Disney's Latin American films: "Saludos Amigos" and "The three caballeros" and this book offers a great deal of interesting background on their production and the creative influences from local Latin American artists. Highly recommended.