Dumbo (1941)



Supervising Director: Ben Sharpsteen
Starring: Edward Brophy (uncredited)

Honors:

To say Walt Disney Pictures takes a step back in excellence would be misleading, because taking a step back in quality still far surpasses what any other animation studio in the world could do in 1941. Yet for Walt Disney standards this picture takes a step back in animation quality, but continues to produce what is considered an all-time classic animated feature film. A humble picture about a baby circus elephant, Dumbo was a “stop gap” picture made on the cheap to help bring in revenue for a studio that was hurting from their previous prestige picture box office shortcomings. Although it takes steps back from the masterpiece works from the prior animation marvels, this film touched the cores of audiences with a heart of love between mother and child.

Dumbo is an animated feature about an innocent child circus elephant whose oversized ears, an aspect that made him the center of ridicule, turn into a secret talent that makes him literally rise above everyone that teased him. The newest bundle of joy added to the pack of circus elephants is little Jumbo Jr. whose oversized ears bring him many taunts from fellow circus animals and human onlookers, giving him the cruel new nickname of “Dumbo.” When his mother, Mrs. Jumbo, loses her tempter in protection of Dumbo she is separated from her child. Alone, shaken, and still attempting to understand the world surrounding him Dumbo’s only friend is a streetwise mouse named Timothy (voiced by Edward Brophy), who acts as mentor and protector for the innocent elephant. With the help of Timothy Dumbo learns of his ears’ aerodynamic qualities, and with a gentle push of confidence turns little Dumbo into the massive celebrity where he and his Mother would live far more comfortable lives.

The feature, and a short feature at that running just over an hour in length, is an episodic tale that takes audiences on a journey reminding viewers of the innocence of childhood and the coming of age to discover one’s own talents. Dumbo is a tender children’s movie with true heart containing moments that can make parents weep. Its dual perspectives manifests the world through the eyes of a child, and at the same time from a parent, making this humble film powerfully impactful for viewers depending on when  they watch it at certain points in their lives. As a child this picture can manifest how one builds confidence and grow to become something great, while for parents it stirs up the feeling of being protective for their little ones from the cruel world that lies beyond their embrace.

In this world of semi-anthropomorphic animals that can talk to each other we are shown something very human, a love between a mother and child, as well as the inherent spitefulness from others simply for small things that make one unique from everyone else. This film through the spectrum of bright colors and silly characters creates emotions and experiences that near everyone can relate to in their lives as one grew up to discover the world’s ugliness. The more mature audiences can relate to the horrors of a parent that is at times unable to protect their children from the harm that will ultimately come to their children at some point as they grow and learn.

Dumbo for Walt Disney Pictures was a result of a period at the company forever changed the studio that had revolutionized the animation industry in part to change in the world and within the studio walls. Losing much of the lucrative European markets due to the outbreak of World War II Disney took upon great loses at the box office, a Walt understood that he needed to produce a low cost picture to release with a better hope of higher profits despite his ever high standards from his products. Walt Disney was a quality-first producer and his smash premiere hit with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs he continued to dream larger with Pinocchio and his more artfully produced picture Fantasia. Sadly World War II cut off many profit opportunities overseas and his later two pictures released to loses.

Disney saw that he needed money to help save the leaking ship that was his studio as the war was going to continue to hurt his box office numbers. Disney chose Dumbo as his next feature to be made quickly and cheaply to somewhat grasp for the low hanging fruit of the American movie market, appealing to those that enjoyed the animation of their short subjects mixed with the heart of their feature films.

Under the supervision of director Ben Sharpsteen Dumbo was produced with most the studio’s short subject animators working a quick pace. The idea was to get the picture produced quickly to get out into theaters as soon as possible drumming up finances to keep the studio afloat. Following the styles of the shorts costs of this feature was cut down from the likes of Snow White or Pinocchio to be the cheapest feature of the studio’s then quartet of films. Instead of oil based paints, water colors were used for background layouts. Fewer in-between animation cells were made for the film. Details were cut down as characters and background were more general, once again, like their short subjects. This is not to say that Dumbo was not well animated, as Disney’s animated cartoons far outdid their nearest competition. However, Disney has manifested that they were capable of finer detailed animation, but had chosen to do less which plays well for this talking animal picture.

The studio’s second substantial hiccup in production was an animators’ strike. Walt Disney enjoyed the comradery among his studio employees and relished the work that he and his staff produced, seeing work as a form of achievement and not as much as toiling labor for the enjoyment of padding his personal pocketbook. However Walt’s employees were interested in organizing, much like the rest of Hollywood at the time, which Walt was very much against. Upset over Disney’s unwillingness to listen to his workforce the animators went on strike which deeply effected how Walt felt about his employees. It was a painful several weeks for Walt as he tried to keep the studio working with those willing to pass through the picket lines, as it left Walt greatly jaded and disheartened as if his own children disowned him.

Despite finally coming to a peace with the striking animators and Walt’s control over all of his studio’s future, his presence among his workforce would be a bit more separated as the studio lost the “family feel” that he so loved. Walt came out of the strike stressed and angry, ultimately leading to a near nervous breakdown years later. Legend has it that the clowns in Dumbo caricatured his striking animators, possibly physically, but more verbally as they look to “hit the boss for a raise.”

Dumbo with Timothy Mouse.
Much like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or the short subjects the voice cast of Dumbo would be uncredited for the feature. However the cast would contain a short list of wonderful, but seldom known talents in motion pictures. With Dumbo as well as his mother being primarily mute characters it would be the ancillary or supporting cast of characters that would provide the dialoged. Timothy Mouse, who is somewhat the Jiminy Cricket of this feature, was voiced by Edward Brophy, a comedic actor whose days go back to working alongside of Buster Keaton and whose small stature and distinct voice made him relate to the small sized mouse. The voice of Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio would be heard, but most would not know it, as Cliff Edwards appears at the lead member of the crows that provide Dumbo the “magic feather” that helps him fly. Verna Felton would be a voice talent used by Disney for years appearing as the ostentatious, motherly elephant that is the self-appointed leader of all the pachyderms at this circus.

As Disney completed Dumbo and readied it for release distributor RKO voiced their unhappiness with the film’s length, which was a mere 64 minutes. Demanding the addition of more content to the feature or the editing down the product to make it a short subject Disney stood its ground that Dumbo was a feature film. RKO eventually relented.

Dumbo opened to largely favorable reviews, with critics noting the familiar animation, solid story, and colorful characters as positives. The biggest negative would be the running time with certain audiences. With its low cost and strong box office numbers Dumbo was the highest grossing Disney picture in all of the 1940s, a decade of struggle for the studio greatly hindered by the war. The feature would be honored with an Academy Award for Best Score in a musical picture and years later in 1947, after the conclusion of the war, as the film ran during the 2nd Cannes Film Festival were it was awarded Best Animation Design.

The controversial crows.
Like many earlier Disney feature films Dumbo comes with its bit of controversy. Aside from the animators’ strike which is possibly poked at the feature itself, movie viewers see Dumbo as a film with bit of political incorrectness. Near the end of the feature Dumbo and Timothy meet a group of crows that at first poke fun at the contrasting duo before aiding our heroes. It is noted that these crows are caricatures of African Americans, primarily through the way they speak. The leader, played by Cliff Edwards, is commonly referred to a “Jim Crow,” a direct reference to the racial segregation laws used after the Civil War and into the 20th century. Although to audiences of the 1940s these characters did not offend many, after all they end up as helpful friends of Dumbo, later years audiences had voiced their displeasure of Disney’s characters here. Unlike what Disney had done to themselves with Song of the South or the segment in Fantasia featuring an African-American caricature, where the company had removed these produces in self-censorship years later, Dumbo has been kept intact.  Perhaps this was done so because of the character’s importance to the story and the extremely short run time.

The film’s sequence commonly referred to “Pink elephants on parade,” where a drunken Dumbo hallucinates psychedelic images of elephants dancing and performing various over-stylizing actions is a scene that appears to be well out of place in the feature. Although the piece as a standalone segment is fascinating and creative piece of animation, it stands out of place compared to the rest of the feature. However, years later certain audiences would become fond of using recreational mind altering drugs while viewing this segment to add to effect of the drugs, becoming somewhat an underground favorite segment in Disney lore.

Through time Dumbo has been considered a Disney classic, although a second rate classic. Dumbo has a presence in all of Disney’s Magic Kingdom themes parks a simple children’s spinner ride, but other than the aspect of a flying elephant few know much else of the story. Dumbo would be, along with 1951’s Alice in Wonderland the first Disney animated features to play of television, once again probably because of its run time, as well as one of the first to be released on home video. Dumbo would be a memorable character, but a forgotten film as a whole. Disney still uses the cute image of the flying elephant to carry on the appearance of family entertainment, but the film is overlooked for it actual creativity which is always worth a second look.





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