We all know the story. A wooden puppet wants to be a real boy. But he must prove himself brave, truthful, and unselfish in order to obtain that wish.

As an old movie, it does have a lot of memorable moments, including those that wouldn’t fly by today. Below are those that stand out to me the most.

1: How the animals are very, very personified

They understand human language perfectly. They also act like humans. But except for Honest John and some of the boys on Pleasure Island after they turn into donkeys, none of them speak.

These include Figaro the cat, Cleo the fish, and the fish in the sea. I know it’s a cartoon. But it still feels strange.

2: There are no girls on Pleasure Island 

I noticed this a while ago. So did someone in a YouTube comment.

I don’t know if this was intended to be sexist. But in 1940, women still didn’t have the same rights as men, although they did take over their jobs during WWII. 

One theory, according to Fandom, states that the scene might have been all-boys because boys could be more troublesome than girls. However, there are girls on Pleasure Island in the 2022 remake of this movie.

3: Jiminy Cricket acted strangely at times

This includes when he stared at the toy playing music when Gepetto played around with Pinocchio before he came to life, and when he sang along with it. But I think it’s just me who finds him strange at times. No other article considered him weird.

4: There is a lot of smoking and some drinking in this movie

Today, that kind of content would not have gotten the film its G-rating. However, back in 1940, smoking was considered cool, and its dangers hadn’t been discovered yet. So, it wouldn’t have been considered unsuitable for a family-friendly flick.

As for the drinking age, people have to be 21 in the US, even in 1940. Some states lowered it to 18 in the 70s. But I guess that wasn’t considered inappropriate, either.

5: There is a little bit of profanity 

Yes, you read that correctly. It was another term for a donkey. But, once again, that might not have been inappropriate at the time.

6: Pinocchio could talk and breathe underwater

As someone who used to imitate movies and TV shows as a child, I think this sets a poor example. Yes, it’s a cartoon. But even cartoons should only be unrealistic to a certain degree. Otherwise, it’s too much.

Kids, please don’t try this in real life.

Conclusion 

Because Pinocchio is an old movie, a lot of its content would not be okay today. In fact, the moments listed above are what make the film just okay for me. 

What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments if you’d like.