Disney Review Part 5: Dumbo (Patreon)

Walt Disney Project Part 5

Dumbo (1941)

By The Walt Disney Company

Disney’s animated classic Dumbo (1941) is the charming yet captivating tale of a young circus performing elephant with abnormally larger sized ears. The opening sequence is depiction usually missed by most viewers for the time as era is 1941, stage performance of Circus in Florida with storks dropping off newborn babies to various circus animals. The cinematic tale focuses on tough struggles of small elephant apart of the circus traveling show, who is bullied by others for his unusually large sized ears for a performing African Grey Elephant. However, the other stage performing elephants apart of the circus bully and belittle, as well as be cruel to the smallest new addition to the elephants. Luckily, main elephant protagonist had his mother’s love and affection to protect her little one. Unfortunately, circumstances of main small elephant protagonists journey is steered into a lonely journey, as the pair are separated and the mother of the main character is forced out of Dumbo’s life, and in turn like so many in life forced to grow up fast in a performing circus. The elephant is forced to endure the backdrop of abuse lonely existence without his mother there to shield him from the horrors, as realization of parents loves to fane the hardships of reality.

Through the hardships of struggles and endurance of Dumbo’s journey, our large ear mascot meets and Befriending a mouse named Timothy who stands in as Dumbo’s parent, our little pachyderm sets out to prove himself in the circus. However, unlike the circumstances of Jimmy Cricket symbiotic kinship of the mouse and elephant turns into nose dive of unwelcome circumstances and incident involves hints of depression and sadness from failing to impress the circus with his performance being swept up from them, by his large ears that results in Timothy and Dumbo getting into trouble by exhibiting characteristics of being drunk and finding themselves in a tree of all places. The opening scenes are met with cast of a flock of crows, whom aspire Dumbo, which were revealed by next cinematic entrance of group of avian crow characters Dandy “Jim” Crow, Fats, Deacon, Dopey, and Specks as needed authority figures main big eared elephant needed to grow as a character, as exploits of Dumbo found to give him purpose. The exploits of the small elephants accomplishments were recognized by next supporting cast of friendly crows who help Dumbo to spread his wings ‘figuratively,’ in  spiritual or moral way, and using his own larger ears to find he was special all along, and to find his mother to reunite. The classic Disney movie gives us the premise of dark tale, or a lost elephant of turmoil and allowing the elephant to soar into our hearts with major exploit of zero to hero by the end of the movie to really tug on your heart strings.

Part 1: The Review

The Walt Disney Company of 1941 literally struck gold creating this hundred percent original story, with little budget that soared at theater box offices outdoing the past two failures of Disney Studios of 1940s releases of Pinocchio and Fantasia. The animated story of Dumbo (1941) was the fourth animated film released, that captures the enduring moments of a mother & child’s, and dealing with loss and heartache of parents love and admiration, as well as how to deal with that grief in a way. As this year Walt Disney himself, was struck by the chords of tragedy with the loss his own mother, Flora Call Disney in 1938. Shortly two years before the subsequent failures of both Pinocchio and Fantasia 1940. Moreover, creator himself blamed his circumstances of bombing of movies performance to his mother’s death, while harboring self hatred because the loss of his own solid foundation as his own mother. The Disney Classic Dumbo (1941) and eventually Bambi (1942) are core examples of symbiotic parent or guardian role of main protagonist. Unlike, the sad spun circumstances of Walt Disney’s own life, Dumbo figuratively had a less tragic circumstance that was about loss of aspect of separation, rather than circumstances of death, like Bambi (1942) and various other main casts of future titles decades to emerge. The tale of Dumbo we get a happier take on this concept as Jumbo, our main protagonist’s elephant mother. Jumbo fairs better as she doesn't pass away but is put in jail after attacking a child, who bullies Dumbo, and she isn't liberated, until Dumbo’s talents are revered by the world.

The 1941 tale of Dumbo’s is by far, strongest of pre-war films introduced to box offices. Introduction to an original story, and the response was phenomenal grand slam. Dumbo’s tale of the small elephant with heart as big as his ears, which was a lovely performance, that personally I would not change a thing. Though other films relied on interactions of dialogue with main protagonist, Dumbo focused on capturing you with animation and responses, as well as bodily reactions to others or situations. Forwardly, I honestly appreciate that appeal and feel unlike Snow White 1939, which Dumbo took the take in first blue ribbon of recognition, which made previous Snow White (1939) Disney Film feel second hand unlike style of this release two years later. Though Dumbo steered more hearts and chords with a powerful message, and originality it was the animation just gave of sense of talking without any words needed.

Adherently the Walt Disney Classic of Dumbo 1941, by far animation wise makes a huge impact by going beyond illustrations but also stand alone story telling aspect. The main protagonist is mute throughout the telling of this tale, and act as important factor in telling the events of grief and tragedy through the eyes of an outcast story of poor Dumbo on a personal journey. The rendering of dynamic actions portrayed of stylistic animation of this classic tale by Disney depends on story board and brilliant drive of concept reactions to establish bold character in this saga. Exhibition of this feat was the near own form acting of focus on surroundings and facial features of Dumbos reactions, or stylistic of using huge ears to hide the characters embarrassment of emotions and even the movement or reaction timing, as an audience feels watching the show, which you could say is a circus performance in itself to get a clue of Dumbo’s mindset off visual interpretation.

Multiple scenarios in the Disney Classic story illustrates with Dumbo, and comparably personal favorite character acting moments are Ratigan from the Great Mouse Detectives (1986), just how he moves you can tell this guy is sly and cannot be trusted. However, same principle applied for Dumbo, since he doesn't talk, its important you can get a feel for him through how he moves and acts. Dumbo is timid and curious; we see this through how he reacts to certain situations. The small protagonists also is cleverly illustrated movements of a well animal, as the curious nature of Dumbo is portrayed as multiple levels of endearment, suspense, excitement and comparable to that of a anxious child as their nose moves rapidly showing sniffing around. Dumbo in this illustration is granted notion of new to life, (technically i guess he was born yesterday) pure simple curiosity unaware of the dangers. The unfathomed curiosity of small child, through the eyes of the elephant’s surroundings which were cleverly depicted in story, as easily readable from the happiness of seeing the children attending the circus to Timothy, and even clowns. Prior mentioned it’s the use of facial and well larger ears in this story that stand Dumbo out from various other protagonists as large ears help build dynamic response in this scenario. Moreover, few chemistry bits of Timothy gives the viewers deeper impact and figuratively a voice for Dumbo in the story, emulating their thoughts and feelings in a manner of speaking without the illusion of Dumbo needing voice or construct of talking. He’s somber, missing his mother. His ears droop and he doesn't even look at Timothy the mouse as he washes our little heartbroken elephant. This Disney tale orchestrates ‘Actions louder than words,’ kind of ambiance in this classic tale, which honestly makes Walt Disney Classic of Dumbo just work in multiple ways.

Though multiple films of the early Walt Disney Studios misfortunes and controversies of early decades classics was very much prevalent in 1941’s Dumbo. As the topic of Classic Animation of Dumbo, it can’t be avoided but controversies of inspiration of the supportive crow characters, Dandy (Jim) Crow, Fats, Deacon, Dopey, and Specks, and each have their own unique design. Which ironically with not so favorable stereotype inspiration for characters, it was the group friendly crows got their inspiration from members of African American gangs of the 1940s, as well as examples pointed out by Jim’s use of jive. However, catalyst of debacles that separate the issue from other problematic films during these times that really made the crows problematic is the voice actor for Jim Crow (yes…that is his name) is Cliff Edwards, who also voices Jiminy Cricket. Cliff Edwards was a white actor/singer, and were he might have been hired for his singing, acting skills and his history with the company; this doesn’t excuse his very over the top stereotypical portrayal of members of African American Community. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned in Fantasia (1940), and group of crows were later concept design was influenced by local area of Los Angeles, California choir members upon research who voiced the other roles. Moreover, this doesn’t excuse Disney’s actions, but found the tidbit research curious feature digging into the research for this Disney movie. By no means does this make their portrayal any better, but knowing Jim was played by actor or voice concept of non-minority should be known. However, I can say Disney has done great strives to better their image and hire actors/actresses of color/sexual orientations to play characters, and comparably shows how far as a society in a good direction we have come even if its little progress to achieve someday even more fantastical approaches of accurate storytelling.

Part 2: Cultural impact

Walt Disney Studios Classic, Dumbo (1940) beyond the controversy was a brilliant whimsical film with impactful song collections, and breathtaking artistic animations. Dumbo was one of the films; I had to dust off the shelf to review and had not seen for over decade. This tender classic captured not only my heart, but ample people and advent Disney phonetics alike, as this happens to be a personal favorite of my own Mother’s collection. The heart strings really showed when the song, ‘Baby Mine;’ started playing, I swear that bowl of onions wasn’t there originally, and no your crying. However, the rendition of the song did make me text my mother and give her a big hug next time I saw her again visiting, as I recall even my older sister had a plush of the lovable Dumbo she declared, Bumbo. The amount of research into this Disney Journey and how much of an impact as a whole the movie franchises can influence your dynamic, by the littlest of things.

Gathering feedback, a notable song feature was ‘Pink Elephants on Parade;’ and the hallucination scene that old Disney scary concept revered well, while accompanied a notable track to make your hairs stand on edge. Though the Crows are problematic, I did enjoyed their designs, as well as animations of the film, while Timothy’s role felt more bolder than Jimmy’s concept in Pinocchio (1940), and how he becomes a kind of father figure for Dumbo. As the impact of the animation and trippy effects of movies whimsical charm, it wasn’t without greater impact of in my own concept of fluid animations, like addressed in previous Fantasia you can really see the rippled inspiration of fluidity and just smooth transitions. So my final tally of the Disney Classic Dumbo (1941), I dubbed 9 / 10 on my personnel metric scale.

Author’s Note: My apologies for this review coming out a week later than the last ones. I was having trouble writing this one. Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi all come out one right after the other, and the History is so tightly woven here that I ended up writing it all into Fantasia. I'm afraid Bambi (1942) might get the same treatment once I get to it.