The titular character of Walt Disney's Dumbo (1941) is mute, but his mannerisms and charm expressed through the work of Disney's exceptional animators and artists speak volumes. The movie Dumbo follows the emotional journey of the titular elephant with his extra-large ears, as he learns to overcome public ridicule and ostracization from circus attendees to his fellow elephants while trying to reunite with his loving mother. While the story and its pacing are brisk and easy-to-follow, Dumbo gloriously rises to the occasion despite the relatively short runtime. The timing of this film's release could not be better as less than two months after its October 23rd, 1941 premiere in New York City, the United States would enter World War II. Like every tale about underdogs, this film has more than meets the eye, both technically and artistically.
Dumbo and Timothy Q. Mouse (voiced by Edward Brophy) are some of the best-animated characters in the entire movie. Dumbo, with his curious and wide eyes, makes him one of the most visually appealing figures ever put on film. His ears, which substitute for a blanket and his flying wings, bring a childlike innocence and vulnerability to his personality. Timothy's street-smart yet happy-go-lucky and always-loyal companion role gives Dumbo a shoulder to cry on and also an active life cheerleader, which kids, from both past and present, can relate to and imitate.
Not only does this film succeed from storytelling and character standpoints, but it is also a triumph of simple yet highly effective animation. This film's animation work is relatively simplistic compared to that seen in the expensive failures of Pinocchio (1940) and Fantasia (1940). Said simplicity applies to the character designs, which rely on human caricatures and solid shapes, which are evident compared to the movies as mentioned earlier. However, this film's animation utilizes several of Disney's twelve principles of animation exceptionally well, specifically the use of squash and stretch, anticipation, and slow in and slow out. The movements of Casey Jr. (voiced by Margaret Wright), the anthropomorphic steam locomotive heading the circus train, showcase those principles when he travels up the mountain chugging, "I think I can, I think I can." This film's art design and colors range from bold yet inviting, dark but not bleak, and psychedelic yet not entirely frightening. Stylistically, the filmmakers were not afraid to incorporate some surrealist elements, best exemplified by the "Pink Elephants on Parade" sequence. However, this sequence adds to Dumbo's character, like the elephant heads making up the limbs of a freakish creature, which further illustrates Dumbo's subconscious fears about being considered a freak by the others, which brings me to the music.
Not only are the musical score and the original songs incredibly catchy and lively, but they always drive the story forward in terms of atmosphere, worldbuilding, and character growth. For instance, the iconic song "When I See an Elephant Fly" epitomizes the film's theme about Dumbo overcoming ridicule and humiliation. When the crows provide the "magic feather", Timothy thanks them, and Dumbo uses it. Still, when he loses it after diving from a high platform, Timothy convinces him that the feather is just an ordinary feather. As they plummet towards the ground, Dumbo suddenly begins flying around the circus tent, to everyone's amazement. The fact that Disney attempted to remove the crows and their scenes from this movie for its digital release on Disney+ out of concern for receiving backlash for its use of outdated racial stereotypes for the crows, while understandable, exposes the current company's shortsightedness in terms of addressing the film's numerous racial stereotypes. If that is the case, then the African American workers and their work song, "Song of the Roustabouts", as well as the eccentric caricature of an Italian ringleader, are all possible candidates for being censored as well.
Despite its unavoidable use of racial and ethnic caricatures, Dumbo is an all-around win in terms of a simple yet heartfelt story, likable characters, animation, memorable music, and a thematic relevance with its World War II audience about underdogs coming out triumphant despite their tribulations. In terms of its place in the "Classic Disney" framework, Dumbo fits in perfectly with Walt Disney's ideas about the everyday man overcoming the odds and reaching for the sky. For modern audiences, Dumbo is a timeless classic of Disney's storytelling at its finest.
Comments