Dumbo

As a young child, “Dumbo” was just another Disney movie that was fun to watch. Then one night, my brother and I watched it and I saw it in a different light. We cried and felt so good at the payoff at the end. These days, I see the story of “Dumbo” as the most simple underdog story ever told. It has so much heart and is experimental as well. It had a purpose back when it was made and released but with that purpose long ago in the past, the film has become celebrated. Its story, characters and animation set this film apart from the other films that Disney made at the time. However when you consider its impact, “Dumbo” becomes just as important as those first few animated films that today still dominate all animated movies.

“Dumbo” was made quickly and economical unlike “Snow White”. “Pinocchio” and “Fantasia” lost money mostly because World War II had cut off much of the income expected from Europe and so “Dumbo” was an attempt to generate lost income. Instead of demanding perfection in every element of the film, the story was given the most attention while the rest of the film was made frugally. It was an intelligent idea that worked. Ironically, the simplicity of the project allowed the fantastic “Elephants on Parade” to be created. Also, attention was given to the animated performances of the characters. We love Dumbo because he can represent anyone who is outcast. Amazing that back in those days, the studio made a feature where the main character is mute for the whole show. Disney had mute characters in the past such as Pluto, Dopey & Gideon and would continue to bring us classic characters who don't speak but Dumbo is the protagonist in a full-length animated movie. The only other star character from animation that comes close to Dumbo is WALL-E. We the audience find his ears cute just like Timothy Mouse does and this contrasts most other characters in the film who laugh at Dumbo’s ears. As a result, we feel more sympathetic for Dumbo. Mothers understand Mrs. Jumbo’s love for Dumbo and are touched by what happens to her. These emotions of the audience come together during the song “Baby Mine” when we find one of best scenes in movie history between a mother and child. Mrs. Jumbo can’t even see her child as her trunk reaches out to touch Dumbo. The facial animation of Dumbo in the subsequent shot is perfect in that we see him experience happiness, love, sadness and anguish within only 10 seconds of screen time. Because Dumbo doesn’t talk, it only makes sense that he has a friend like Timothy who does a lot of talking. We like him because he represents us: he likes Dumbo’s ears and helps him unconditionally.

The story is completely relatable because of our imperfection as human beings and how we desire to overcome them. This underdog story is not about overcoming a dominating opponent but rather, it is about overcoming indifference. Everyone except for his mother mocks Dumbo and we experience a few scenes that are very touching between him and her. This makes Mrs. Jumbo’s imprisonment for protecting Dumbo a dramatic plot point. Dumbo has no one. A friend comes along and creates hope by formulating a plan to make Dumbo a star and thereby get his mother released. As luck would have it, Dumbo’s ears get in the way and things get worse. Despite Timothy’s optimism in the scene where he is brushing Dumbo, the music and Dumbo tears make the scene tough to watch without heartbreak and this also sets the audience up for the aforementioned scene between Dumbo and his mother. Timothy’s lecture to the crows is also touching as you see the change of mind that the crows undergo. Also in this speech, the spirit of the whole movie is encompassed and the audience is reminded of everything leading up to the current scene. The film’s happy ending is all the more joyful as a result when we see Dumbo overcome his hardships using the very ears that held him back.

There are other parts of the film and its history that I feel I need to mention because for me, they make “Dumbo” more entertaining. The Oscar winning score in this film does its job in emoting love, hardship and triumph. “Dumbo” also depicts and preserves the glory days of the circus. I remember going to the circus as a child and today, you never hear about the circus coming to town anymore (at least not the kind of circus portrayed in this film). Dumbo was to be on the cover of Time Magazine until Pearl Harbor happened a few months after the film was released. “Dumbo” and “Bambi” became the last full-bodied features made by Disney until “Cinderella” in 1950 because of WWII. I remember feeling uneasy as a kid watching Timothy’s shadow as he enters the tent of the ringmaster and then I found out what the animators were referencing. It is the iconic scene in the German silent horror film “Nosferatu” when we only see the Count’s shadow and it is a film that I saw in university. Shortly after seeing that movie, I bought “Dumbo” on DVD and that is how I was informed that the shadow was a reference to “Nosferatu”. The animators apparently were showing off their knowledge of film and expressionism by copying that shot. I find it interesting how even as a youngster; I sensed the relevance of that shadow.

Because “Dumbo” makes me cry, I try to watch it all the way through and at night when I can focus on the experience. I tend to do this with other movies that make me cry. “Dumbo” for the most part has simplicity and that is the key to its success. The characters and relationships are understandable and the story is a straightforward underdog tale. Attention to detail on other elements of the film were sacrificed to save money but not the story. As a result, "Dumbo" is just as powerful emotionally as other Disney films from that time period. The animation is basic when compared to past Disney films and the acting of the characters takes center stage as well as the “Pink Elephants” sequence. Because of how beloved this film is, “Dumbo” can be labeled alongside the other Disney films of that era and rightfully so. It is my favorite film from 1941.

4.5 Stars