We continue our endeavor to watch every movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios by analyzing the company’s fourth animated feature, Dumbo. Released in 1941, Dumbo was based on a children’s book written by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl. Similar to the former animated films produced by the studio, Disney and his staff wanted to bring the story of Dumbo to life by putting it on the big screen, giving people a more lively and vivid interpretation of the tale while also showcasing the artistic talents of the Disney animators. In order to go into more detail about Dumbo, let’s begin this post by analyzing the different facets of the movie that make it significant.
Analysis
One of the most notable aspects of this film is Dumbo as a character. When he first appears on screen, it is evident that the baby elephant has an adorable appearance with his small body, bright blue eyes, and sweet smile. The other elephants also view Dumbo as a precious baby, calling him cute and saying he looks like an angel. Unfortunately, their compliments cease when they discover that Dumbo has abnormally large ears. The elephants deem the ears to be unusual, causing them to make fun of Dumbo for his unique appearance. While the elephants view their remarks as good-natured and harmless, Dumbo’s mother, Mrs. Jumbo, jumps to her son’s defense by keeping him away from the other elephants so he can no longer hear their insults. Even though the elephants genuinely believe they are not saying anything offensive toward Dumbo, their comments are hurtful because they demean his physical appearance. Mrs. Jumbo recognizes the nature of these remarks which motivates her to keep her son close and shower him with love and affection.
The relationship between Dumbo and his mother is depicted as being very loving and playful. Mrs. Jumbo’s nurturing demeanor encourages Dumbo to run around and jokingly tease his mother without needing to worry about anyone judging the size of his ears. Sadly, Dumbo and his mother are separated from each other when Mrs. Jumbo attacks a group of boys after they insult Dumbo’s ears and constantly try to grab them. Since Mrs. Jumbo deeply cares about her son, it makes sense that she would do anything to protect him, however, her efforts to defend Dumbo, are interpreted as deranged behavior, leading her to be locked up and separated from her child.
The story takes on a more depressing tone when Dumbo is separated from his mother since he has lost the only individual who did not belittle him based on his physicality. The insults from the other elephants take on a crueler tone after Mrs. Jumbo’s confinement due to their resolve to blame Dumbo as the reason why his mother was locked away. This decision leads them to view Dumbo as a disgrace who deserves to be excluded so they ignore him, making the baby elephant feel more miserable. Watching the other elephants shun Dumbo solidified my dislike for them because they seem to be ignorant of the fact that Dumbo is a small child who cannot fully comprehend why he is being rejected. Furthermore, Dumbo is being excluded for his ears, a physical feature he is incapable of altering, meaning the other elephants are insulting him for something beyond his control. These factors make the elephants’ affronts towards Dumbo more disheartening to watch since he is being poorly treated for unjust reasons. Luckily, Dumbo’s mistreatment catches the attention of a character who views his ears in a more positive light, Timothy Q. Mouse.
After watching the other elephants berate Dumbo, it was very satisfying to see Timothy approach the elephants and scare them. By causing the elephants to panic at his small form, Timothy is able to put them in their place. I found it quite clever that he was able to take advantage of his tiny stature to scare them after they persistently bullied Dumbo who is also regarded as being little. I also thought it was admirable when Timothy went after Dumbo and took the time to compliment him on his ears, calling them beautiful and even trying to come up with an act for Dumbo to show them off. This desire is able to become a reality when Dumbo and Timothy hear the ringmaster announce his plan to create a pyramid out of all the adult elephants in the circus and he needs a big climax for the end of the act, creating the perfect opportunity for Dumbo to stand out.
When Dumbo is finally given the chance to draw more positive attention to himself, he is expected to do something that Timothy believes will be relatively simple. He will fulfill the role of being the act’s climax by jumping off a springboard and landing on top of the pyramid made of elephants, making him appear brave and heroic. Unfortunately, despite Timothy’s efforts to give Dumbo a successful performance, the baby elephant trips over his ears and crashes into the pyramid, causing all of the elephants to fall and destroy the circus tent. This moment made me feel really sad for Dumbo. Until the incident with the pyramid, he was relentlessly insulted because of the size of his ears, and when he was given an opportunity to gain a better reputation, his ears prevented him from obtaining this achievement. To make matters worse, the circus staff decided to make Dumbo a clown, causing him to lose even more respect from the other elephants since they view the occupation as shameful and degrading.
In addition to the judgment Dumbo receives from the circus elephants, he also has to deal with the stress of participating in the clowns’ act which consists of him standing on top of a platform that is meant to look like a burning building. The height of the platform and the overpowering flames terrify Dumbo. It is also clear that the comedic tone of the performance makes him upset because he continues to be laughed at, an action he is beginning to view with more negativity. After the show is over, Timothy tries to console Dumbo by telling him he is a success but the baby elephant cannot stop crying because he is not satisfied with his occupation at the circus and how it connects with the constant ridicule he has received when he first joined the company. Fortunately after a tender meeting with his mother and becoming intoxicated (both scenes I will cover in more detail in the music section I promise!), Dumbo is presented with another opportunity to potentially change his image.
After spending the previous night inebriated, Dumbo and Timothy awaken to find themselves in a tree where they meet a group of crows. On the subject of the crows, I believe it is important to discuss why their involvement in the movie is problematic. I did not feel comfortable explaining the reasons why the crows are viewed as demeaning without doing some research and I found an insightful article on the Walt Disney Company website that details some of the offensive undertones found in their older films, including the crows in Dumbo. According to the article, the presence of the crows is disrespectful because they, “pay homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations” (Source located at the end of the post). By knowing this information, it is clear that the crows’ inclusion in the movie can be seen as very hurtful since they are meant to be reminiscent of minstrel shows, an event that belittles African Americans and embraces negative stereotypes associated with their race. Their involvement in the film was wrong when it was released in theaters and it is still wrong to this day. However, they do play a pivotal role in the story that cannot be ignored, which is giving Dumbo a magic feather that is supposed to make him fly. They also encourage Dumbo to test the feather, and sure enough, Dumbo can use his ears to soar through the sky, proving the ears are capable of doing something extraordinary. While I do not support what the crows represent, it was nice to watch them motivate Dumbo to view his ears more positively after having them be the source of his oppression for most of the film. With this newly found confidence, Dumbo is ready to show everyone that his ears are exceptional and not a source of amusement.
When Dumbo and Timothy return to the circus, they decide that Dumbo will participate in the clown act, but this time he will incorporate his ability to fly into the routine. As Dumbo makes his descent, the magic feather slips free from his trunk causing Dumbo to panic. Thankfully Timothy is able to convince Dumbo that he can still fly, prompting him to open up his ears and fly around the circus tent. This part of the movie is Dumbo’s moment of triumph which is gratifying to watch since his ears are finally being recognized as remarkable and worthy of being celebrated. This event also allows Dumbo to be promoted, giving him the authority to free his mother and the respect of his peers at the circus, granting the baby elephant the acceptance he desperately craved and a satisfying conclusion to the film.
Now that we have analyzed the story of Dumbo, let’s talk about the songs that appear in this animated feature.
Music
“Look Out for Mr. Stork” is a nice, simple song that exhibits the fabled concept of babies being delivered by storks to their parents. I really liked how the lyrics discuss the determination the storks have to transport each baby to their new families. I also enjoyed watching the storks drop off all the baby animals to their parents during the instrumental portion of the song. Overall, a fun and cute piece of music, that serves as a great introduction to the movie’s story.
“Casey Junior” is a jolly little tune that describes the circus train, Casey Junior, and how he is able to give people joy by being the one who transfers the circus to different locations. In general, I found this song to be very catchy and I like how it made Casey Junior more memorable as a character.
“Song of the Roustabouts” is an unfavorable addition to the movie’s soundtrack due to its offensive lyrics and imagery. The people who sing this song are Black circus workers and throughout the number, they say offensive things about themselves such as, “We don’t know when we get our pay and when we do, we throw our pay away” and, “Grab that rope, you hairy ape.” The circus workers are also faceless which makes their portrayal in the movie more disrespectful since the animators chose to give them few identifying features and have their only purpose be to do hard labor for the circus. This scene in the movie made me feel uncomfortable and I think the story of the film would have been better if this song was not included.
On a lighter note, “Baby Mine” is an amazing song that beautifully illustrates the close bond between Dumbo and his mother. I felt a strong urge to cry when I watched Dumbo burst into tears and cling to his mother while the song began to play. The lyrics also seem to reflect Mrs. Jumbo’s mindset since they describe a baby being teased and how others would view him more positively if they took the time to understand him, similar to how Mrs. Jumbo views Dumbo. For these reasons, I believe “Baby Mine” is the most impactful song in the movie and the lyrics do a brilliant job at embodying a mother’s love for her child.
I do not have much to comment on for “The Clown Song” since it is so short. The number is pretty catchy and the lyrics are straightforward. However, I do not like how the motive of the song is for the clowns to profit off Dumbo by proposing a plan that will put the elephant in danger. So I guess I will say that while this song adequately serves its purpose in the film’s story, it is not my favorite number in the soundtrack nor is it very memorable.
“Pink Elephants on Parade” is an interesting musical sequence. It has a lot of trippy imagery which is fitting since this scene is supposed to reflect Dumbo’s tipsy mindset after he accidentally drank alcohol. Unfortunately, while I find the imagery in the musical number to be impressive, I am not the biggest fan of this song. Since Dumbo is a baby elephant, I did not enjoy watching him get drunk and have hallucinations. This song also felt like a weird tonal shift because “Baby Mine” takes place only a few minutes before “Pink Elephants on Parade,” causing us to view Dumbo’s touching reunion with his mother and his unintentional intoxication in a short amount of time. I can recognize how much work and talent went into making this section of the movie and I believe that it deserves to be regarded as a dazzling display of artistry. Sadly, I did not enjoy this section of the film very much so I do not view this song with the admiration it probably deserves.
As I have previously mentioned, I do not like what the crows represent in the movie since they are supposed to replicate racist stereotypes. I will concede that I found their song, “When I See an Elephant Fly” to be a unique addition to the film given the lively tone of the number. The song is pretty catchy and easily gets stuck in your head, making it hard to forget. I also like how the number emphasizes how impossible it should be for an elephant to fly, highlighting Dumbo’s ability to fly as something truly special. These qualities make the song a memorable part of the movie. Unfortunately, it was created with the motivation to disrespect African Americans and that makes it difficult for me to view this song with any sense of enjoyment.
Now that we have discussed all of the songs, let’s get to the final ratings and rankings of Dumbo.
Rating
Characters: 7/10 🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
I found most of the protagonists in this movie to be very endearing. Dumbo is one of the most adorable Disney characters I have ever seen on screen and his sweet personality was one of the most captivating parts of the film for me. Mrs. Jumbo is a loving and nurturing character, making her bond with Dumbo very heartwarming, and their familial relationship believable and genuine. Timothy is another thoughtful and compassionate character who does his best to make Dumbo feel better about himself, making him an ideal friend for the baby elephant to rely on. In regards to the other characters in the movie, I did not find them to be as likable as Dumbo, Mrs. Jumbo, or Timothy. The circus elephants do a great job at being the film’s main antagonists since their main purpose in the movie is to make Dumbo feel bad about his appearance. However, I found the circus elephants to be annoying and I would often feel frustrated whenever they were on screen so they are definitely one of the reasons why I took off a few points for the character rating. The circus staff also do an adequate job at fulfilling their respective roles in the film but they did not stick out to me as much as the movie’s primary characters. Lastly, the crows are able to play an important part in the movie by assisting Dumbo in learning how to fly, but their discriminatory symbolism sours their impact on the animated feature. In general, Dumbo has a handful of appealing and lovable characters so I have decided to give a relatively high rating but I am deducting a few points based on the characters I found to be boring or intolerable.
Story: 8/10 🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
I found Dumbo’s story to be pretty engaging. Dumbo spends most of the movie trying to overcome the negative assumptions based on the size of his ears and when the movie ends with him using his ears to take flight, the film’s conclusion feels very satisfying. The story is also very simple given the movie’s short run time but I believe this quality is able to benefit the movie because it allows the story to be straightforward and focus on Dumbo’s desire for acceptance. Overall, I really like how the story’s simplicity allows the movie to flow smoothly and provides a clear storyline with an enjoyable ending. Therefore, I believe the story deserves a high rating. However, as I have mentioned earlier in the post, there were a few scenes that I did not particularly care for, (i.e. the pink elephants segment) so I decided to take off a few points.
Music: 6/10 🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
It took me a while to settle on a rating for the music and I am still wondering if I am being too harsh. I love “Baby Mine” and I think “Look Out for Mr. Stork” and “Casey Junior” are sweet and cherry numbers. Unfortunately, I do not view the other half of the soundtrack with the same fondness. “The Clown Song” is the shortest number in the film and did not stand out to me nearly as much as the other songs. “Pink Elephants on Parade” has impressive imagery and I can tell that a lot of work went into the animation for this segment but I feel like the movie had the potential to flow more smoothly without this particular number. “Song of the Roustabouts” and “When I See an Elephant Fly” were made with the intention of being racist and their involvement in the movie is insensitive. For these reasons, the music will receive a lower rating
Ranking
I will now conclude this post, with my final ranking of Dumbo. This movie was an enjoyable watch and its endearing story makes it a nice addition to Disney’s collection of animated features. I found it more entertaining than Fantasia but I decided to rank it below Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs due to their stories being more layered and complex. Stay tuned for the next blog post when I review Bambi!
- Pinocchio
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Dumbo
- Fantasia
Source
“Stories Matter – the Walt Disney Company.” Stories Matter – The Walt Disney Company, https://storiesmatter.thewaltdisneycompany.com/ Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.