Walt Disney’s Dumbo (1941) is a great animation film that deals with discrimination, self esteem, the importance of family and friendship. In the opening sequence, a stork delivers a baby elephant to Mrs. Jumbo, a veteran of the tough circus world. All the other elephants ridicule the newborn Jumbo for his gigantic ears. He is dubbed "Dumbo" and is shut out. After his mother has been locked up in a jaillike wagon for protecting him, Dumbo is all alone. Heartbreaking is the scene scene when Dumbo’s mother in chains rocks him with her trunk from beyond the bars. Dumbo is relegated to the circus’ clown acts. It is up to his only friend, Timothy Q Mouse, to assist the little elephant to achieve his full potential. Dumbo learns that he can fly and becomes a star.
At just 60 mins, Dumbo is short and sweet. But it also contains some of Disney’s best visual poetry. The style is elegant, vivid, and occasionally grotesque in ways that recall not only classic circus posters but also Paul Cadmus paintings and vintage `New Yorker’ cover art, as one of the IMDb reviewers observes. Dumbo certainly has a hint of nostalgia. The film presents a rosy-hued portrait of old America but in the middle is a simple, tender story about acceptance and mother love. Dumbo and his mother are both mute which means that their entire characters are created through their body language. You see all the emotions Dumbo is passing through. Mrs Jumbo rearing up and destroying the big top to protect her little son from taunting kids is an incredible scene. These performances are true triumphs of animation. The entire opening sequence, till the gossipy elephants start talking, plays out without words, and its like the best silent films: simply beautiful.The other characters, both good and bad, are painted with broad, memorable strokes. The songs and score are flawless, and the show-stopping, nightmarish pink elephant sequence is brilliant. One of the most inventive animation sequences ever. I’ve watched Dumbo maybe a hundred times, together with my mentally handicapped son. The film still thrills us no matter how many times we have seen it.
Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.
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