Charley's Black Magic

Content warning:

Contains racist characterisation (blackface)

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Charley's Black Magic

1949
Sound
8m

Cartoon propaganda short sweetens the pill of postwar coal prices by promising jam tomorrow.

With coal prices rising and harsh winters in recent memory, postwar Britain was understandably grumpy. The irascible Charley featured in a series of cartoon propaganda shorts communicating many new policies of Clement Atlee's Labour government, which promised a brighter future ahead. Charley was always quickly turned around with the promise of better days ahead, but postwar austerity was still a bitter pill for many to swallow.

But the film is marred by the grossly racist caricature that serves as Charley's guide and teacher: a crass representation of the spirit of coal that is very clearly inspired by 'blackface' minstrel performances. The offence is compounded by the character repeatedly addressing Charley as 'master'. The film is included here not just as a record of its subject, but as evidence that this kind of racist characterisation was not uncommon even in official filmmaking at this time - and for long after.

Cartoon featuring the character Charley, explaining the reason for the high price of coal. Charley sits by the fire as cold weather is announced. The coal man makes a delivery and Charley is shocked by the bill, asking himself why the price is so how. A smoke cloud forms into a kind of spirit that picks Charley up and shows him how the price affects exports, and therefore goods in store, and then how the industry will be modernised to bring bills down in the long term.

Animation Goes to Work

For those with an official message to get across, animation is the perfect messenger

Animation has an almost magical ability to charm and captivate. And those same qualities also make it a strikingly effective communication tool. It grabs attention, speaks to all ages, and can distil complex messages into simple and appealing visual metaphors. For government or other august bodies, cartoon antics have often been the perfect jam to sweeten the pill of official communications, whether to explain sweeping change or impart health and safety messages. And for the inventive animator, even the most utilitarian brief is no barrier to the most outlandish of treatments.