After 32 animated feature films under their belt, the Disney Company decided to try something new for their next release – a cartoon based upon real historical figures. Granted, they would take plenty of artistic license with the characters in Pocahontas, and change a few historical events significantly in their depiction of the legendary figure, but the result was a film that did its best to not only entertain, but also capture the vanishing Native American culture in color, sound and tradition.

Released in 1995, Pocahontas tells the story of the rebellious and free-spirited Powhatan girl who finds herself pressured to marry Kocoum, the bravest of the braves in her tribe. The problem is, the warrior is just a little too serious and, well, boring for her tastes. Much more interesting is the group of newly arrived Europeans, led by the greedy Governor Ratcliffe. Particularly of interest to Pocahontas is the blond hunk, John Smith, who is likewise drawn to her sensitivity to nature, as well as her stunning good looks, of course.

Her dreams of spending time with European visitor are quickly shot down by her protective father - who forbids the two lovebirds from seeing each other. After all, Smith is an invader, a savage. Pocahontas turns to the spirit of an elderly “Grandmother Tree” who is a little more understanding of her feelings than dear old dad. But all is still not well. A series of misunderstandings between the two groups, fueled by the dishonorable Ratcliffe, is about to spark a war and Pocahontas is the only person capable of bringing peace between the adversaries.

It was inevitable that a film about Native American culture would spark controversy and there was plenty surrounding Pocahontas. Although Disney did their best to portray the subject matter sensitively, even going so far as to hire numerous cultural consultants, there was no escaping the fact that many historical facts were blatantly altered. For one thing, the real Pocahontas was only 11 or 12 when John Smith arrived, not a mature woman. Also, depictions of John Smith don't quite resemble someone quite as dashing as Disney would have liked people to believe. There is also, of course, no mention of the little fact that Pocahontas was eventually kidnapped by English men and converted to Christianity.

All in all, it did little to slow Pocahontas at the box-office. With a cast that included Mel Gibson as John Smith, David Ogden Stiers (M*A*S*H) as Ratcliffe, and Christian Bale as Thomas, not to mention another moving score provided courtesy of Alan Menkin, along with Stephen Shwartz, Pocahontas managed to hold its own quite well in theaters. One of the songs, “The Color of the Wind,” performed by Vanessa Williams would win an Oscar as would the film’s score. All in all, Pocahontas brought in a respectable $347 million worldwide. Not exactly Lion King numbers, but certainly not shabby. A direct-to-video sequel was released in 1998, titled Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.