Dumbo

I will never get how people still say that Bambi losing his mother is the worst in the classic disney films. For me it's Dumbos mother being imprisoned because she tries to protect her child. Yes, she's not dying, but it's still so very sad! And then we get this little adventure for Dumbo and his mousey companion. These two always remind me of Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket. The parade of the elephants - which Dumbo and Timothy Mouse are seeing when they're drunk (!) - is one of the craziest drug moments Disney ever did (probably only Alice in Wonderland can match it with it's weirdness). And it's so much fun to see Dumbo fly in the end and how he becomes a worldwide phenomenon after he got bullied around for such a long time.

Dumbo is a good movie with a reasonably well developed plot and a stellar voice cast. It is a very sweet, fun film for the whole family to enjoy, just running over an hour, it's quick and very easy to follow, but you will also find yourself very connected to these characters, the adorable elephant, the witty mouse, the charismatic crows, it's a great ride. However, the plot is slim, there is little story, we mainly follow Dumbo as he learns how to fly, but nothing really happens, in comparison to Disney's two films prior to this, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, development is thin. The film certainly should have focused on Dumbo's relationship with his mother, it was the only part that had any real depth or emotion, and I think it could have been very effective had it been scoped more. It's certainly not flawless, but Dumbo is a fun hour for the whole family, some unforgettable work by Disney.

A elephant who is ridiculed for his huge ears soon gains the ability to fly with them, making him a popular circus act.

Best Performance: Edward Brophy

This is the quintessential Disney cartoon: brief, engaging, and profound – storytelling at its finest. Where "Snow White" doesn't make the cut (begins with rapidly developing melodramatic plot, pauses for most of an hour to allow forest creatures and midgets to play cute, and wraps up quickly), "Dumbo" spins its wise lesson with elegant timing and charming characters. We all can use that magic feather once in a while.

The stork delivers a baby to an elephant at a travelling circus. His mother wants to call him Jumbo Jr but after seeing his very large ears the other elephants start disparagingly calling him Dumbo. His clumsiness soon gets himself and his mother into trouble. He befriends a mouse who manages to get him gigs in the circus but he wastes these breaks. Surely there's something that he can do?

A sweet, fun Disney classic. Some great, fantastical plot developments and scenes, all presented with great warmth. The bond between animals and their young is quite emotional and is wonderfully done.

Not all sweetness and light though. There are some harrowing dramatic moments, especially the bullying of poor Dumbo and the treatment of his mother. Ultimately this gives Dumbo something to overcome so is necessary to the plot.

The animation is brilliant and despite being made in 1941 the movie still looks great by modern standards.

Not perfect though. The story feels a bit basic and touch incomplete. While there's some decent themes on display (anti-bullying, finding your talents, don't judge a book by its cover) the end result doesn't feel very profound: the movie could have done with an emotional, thought-provoking wrap-up.

This is clearly one of the great animated features of all time. How it squeaks by with a mere 7.4 voter average while all sorts of contemporary crap does far better is a mystery and a tribute to the downward spiral in cinematic taste. DUMBO is my favorite of all the classic Disney films (a group which ends with JUNGLE BOOK, completed after Walt's death). Nothing since then has been able to recapture the magic. Walt may have been, according to some people, a fascist and an anti-Semite, but he was also a genius.

Things that make this movie great:

The animation (I used to work at a zoo, and while the real elephants did little talking or singing the animators captured their body language incredibly well.)

"Pink Elephants on Parade".

Effective but not over-the-top heartstring tugging.

The musical crow number ("When I See an Elephant Fly"). I'm disappointed to discover the voice actors (Including Cliff Edwards, "Ukelele Ike" and the voice of Jiminy Cricket) were white guys playing black --- I was hoping they were some cool unknown black combo --- but it's a terrific number anyway.

The 64 minute running time. It starts, tells it's simple story, then knows when the hell to get off the stage. I wish more film makers had that ability.