'Known for its racism': Netflix blasted for synopsis of beloved Hollywood classic

Netflix quickly found itself in a deep hole on Wednesday as reactions to one of its movie descriptions quickly spiraled out of control.

A viral post from Tuesday afternoon picked up a lot of steam for its content, and in less than 24 hours it had been seen by millions of users on X.

'The most amazing synopsis of all time.'

Going, going, 'Gone'

The post in question is about the 1939 classic film "Gone with the Wind," which takes place at the end of slavery in the United States in the 1860s.

"The Netflix description of Gone With The Wind is the most amazing synopsis of all time," the X post states.

On its website, Netflix lists the movie as "Romantic, Epic," and "Critically Acclaimed," but it also sends a different message to viewers about its content.

"A 1939 American Civil War epic known for its racism," the description says, despite being rated "G" for general audiences, meaning all ages.

Then, Netflix directs viewers to look into Black Lives Matter for more information.

"To learn more about Black lives in America, search 'Black Lives Matter,'" it reads.

Blaze News can confirm Netflix's website still featured the description at the time of this writing.

RELATED: Disney warns viewers 'The Muppet Show' is 'offensive content' that has a 'harmful impact'

Image by Blaze News via Netflix.com (screenshot)

Rotten tomatoes

Reactions were swift, reaching millions of viewers across the globe.

"Needs to change," X owner Elon Musk said early on Wednesday. That post was seen by more than 1.5 million users.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) reacted to the description more than once, saying both times, "This is RIDICULOUS."

At the same time, "Gone with the Wind" is treated far more gently on IMDB, where it sports an 8.2/10 rating. There, the movie is described as a "turbulent romance" that takes place "during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods."

There is no direct claim that it is a racist movie, however.

Disclaimers written through the eyes of progressives for modern audiences is not new for streaming platforms; Disney+ was raked over the coals several times in recent years for how it was treating its classic content.

This included beloved cartoons like "Pinocchio," "Dumbo," "Fantasia," "Lady and the Tramp," "The Aristocats," and "The Jungle Book," which received the following warning: "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions."

RELATED: Disney Plus streaming platform includes trigger warnings for 'Pinocchio,' 'Lady and the Tramp,' and more. The warning is for 'outdated cultural depictions.'

Perpetual do-gooders

Not even the Muppets were safe from the perpetual do-gooders at Disney either. In 2021, the company went into a diatribe in the description for "The Muppet Show" that featured claims like, "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures."

It continued, "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now."

Disney also acknowledged its "harmful impact" but urged audiences to "learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together."

Even classic PlayStation game "Tomb Raider" got similar treatment in 2024, when a re-release warned about "offensive depictions of people and cultures rooted in racial and ethnic prejudices."

Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.

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