Ending of Animal Farm (1954 animated adaptation)

[ChicagoRonin]

The 1954 British animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm changed the ending, losing the original pessimistic warning of fascism. However, viewed from today, it's now a warning to fascists.

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[Goodheart]

1. My memory of the ending in the book

has human dignitaries coming to visit the pig leaders, and the other animals looking into their meeting couldn't tell them apart. Ends there.

I'm not sure I like this version. Better to have left it as a cautionary tale to freedom lovers than as a warning to fascists.

[ChicagoRonin]

2. Personally I agree

The book's original ending is stronger. But I was rewatching the old film and it struck me in light of the protests in Iran and China and Ukranian resistance to Russia.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. The book (and the CIA-financed film) are about Soviet communism, not fascism

The animal revolution starts with ideas of equality and overthrowing the old autocratic regime, but a faction takes power, squabbles (Napoleon expelling Snowball is Stalin making Trotsky an enemy of the people) and becomes as authoritarian as the old farmer/Czar. It doesn't have fascist features like harking back to "nationalist" glory, or scapegoating entire groups (though individuals are attacked).

[Just A Box Of Rain]

4. Scapegoating entire groups and even subjecting them to genocides

isn't a condition that's been limited to the fascist variant of authoritarian/totalitarian populism.

Animal House was, as you suggest, a critique of Stalinist communism.