Jim Hill: From the Archives
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Now that the film's protagonists were adults Katzenberg insisted that Pocahontas and John Smith have an adult romance. This meant passionate kisses in front of large sweeping vistas and meaningful glances against richly detailed backgrounds.

(c) Disney

Of course, to make room for all this adult stuff (ie: Oscar bait), Jeffrey had to cut back on Pocahontas' cute little forest friends. The first to go was a talking turkey that was supposed to be the Indian princess's confidant. This character, then known as Redfeather, was voiced by John Candy and animated by Nick Ranieri.

Redfeather was originally supposed to have provided much of the comic relief for Pocahontas. Candy came into his recording sessions for the film and, in addition to delivering his scripted lines like a pro, improvised a lot of new, funny material for his character right on the spot. Had Redfeather actually survived to make it into the finished film, Pocahontas probably would have been a lot more fun to watch.

But a talking turkey didn't fit into Jeffrey's vision of an Academy Award-winning animated film. No talking animals did. Under Katzenberg's radical revision of the film, Redfeather became Deadfeather - disappearing completely from the film. In his place came Meeko, the non-talking raccoon and Flit, the mostly-silent hummingbird.

The irony here is that by trying to create a movie that was sure to win a "Best Picture" nomination, Jeffrey profoundly weakened the finished product. He ended up with an animated film that was too serious for kids yet too lightweight for adults. In the end Pocahontas was an artistic failure - a cartoon that meant well, rather than entertained. People were impressed by its beautiful art direction and somber tone, but rarely got caught up in the action. The film got respectful reviews but did less than half the business Lion King had done the previous summer. In the end, Pocahontas was that rarest of cartoons: well intended, but not much fun to watch.

The real tragedy here is that not too long after John Candy's character got cut from the film John passed away. The heavyset comedian died in his sleep in March 1994 while on location shooting a comic western in Mexico. Some of Candy's last work - perhaps his best work - is preserved on those Redfeather recording sessions for Pocahontas. Too bad we're never going to get to hear them.

Did I mention that some of these stories are really depressing?

And, while it would be nice to report that Jeffrey Katzenberg learned from the mistakes he made on Pocahontas, anyone who saw Dreamworks' premiere animated feature The Prince of Egypt, knows that Jeffrey's still up to his old tricks. It wasn't enough that the new studio's first traditional animated film be entertaining. It also had to be important.

Somewhere along the line, Katzenberg has gotten his priorities a little screwed up. Yes, it's nice when movies - particularly animated movies - win awards. But a movie's first goal should be to entertain. Not enlighten. Not inform. But entertain.

Stop chasing after awards, Jeffrey. If you make the most entertaining film possible, don't worry, the awards will find you. On the other hand, if your main purpose for making a movie is win praise and awards, you'll probably get neither.

Just a tip from a guy who likes turkey.

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-- Jim Hill

-- Posted April 3, 2001
-- Originally published on another website in April 2000