Disney takes liberties with the 17th-century legend, but “Pocahontas” is certainly true to current pedagogy. The British are ill shaven and greedy for gold, while the Indians, led by Chief Powha-tan (Russell Means), are gentle and wise, know all about nature, have family values and have even invented lacrosse. Look, up until now, Disney’s most memorable American Indian was Princess Tiger Lily; the company owes them one.
Alan Menken’s music is inflated, and Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics are stilted; but this is a gorgeous-looking movie with a star worth cheering for. Assertive, fearless and the first great athlete among Disney heroines, Pocahontas doesn’t hesitate a moment to risk her life for Smith and world peace. And as a 6-year-old New York-er put it, heading out of a “Pocahontas” screening with a blissful look on her face, “Finally, I got to see a movie where the girl has black hair.”
