Dumbo: L'elefante volante

Dumbo is a sweet family film set in a colorful traveling circus, blending a heartfelt moral story with profound themes of acceptance and self-esteem. The story follows Dumbo, a baby elephant ostracized for his enormous ears, who is forcibly separated from his loving mother, Mrs. Jumbo. Despite the hardships, Dumbo finds a loyal friend and mentor in Timothy Q. Mouse, who helps guide him toward personal transformation.

Dumbo embodies the figure of the outsider, someone judged solely by physical appearance. Over the course of his journey, Dumbo transforms his greatest difference into his greatest strength, teaching us valuable lessons about embracing our uniqueness and never dismissing someone as a friend because of their differences.

Timothy Q. Mouse plays a pivotal role in Dumbo's transformation. His unwavering loyalty and belief in Dumbo highlight how friendship can be a guiding light in the darkest moments. Timothy helps Dumbo discover the power of his ears and shows him that he doesn't need a "magic feather" to fly. This moment symbolizes an essential lesson about self-confidence: the magic was within him all along.

Though the film carries sweet and uplifting messages, it doesn't shy away from heavier themes, such as bullying and the search for inner beauty. For children, these themes are clear, but adults will appreciate a deeper story about courage and self-belief, culminating in a satisfying climax filled with personal triumphs and a touch of well-earned revenge against those who underestimated the little elephant.

Visually, the film is simple but effective. Minimalistic backgrounds ensure that the characters take center stage, with expressive eyes and movements conveying a surprising range of emotions. Even in its lighter moments, like the famous drunken sequence triggered by a tub of water, Dumbo retains its charm and warmth.

In conclusion, Dumbo is much more than a Disney classic; it is a timeless story about overcoming differences, finding strength within, and the transformative power of true friendship.

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.

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.

One of Disney's best known and loved films. About a baby elephant born in the tough world of the circus who is ridiculed and shut out because of his large ears. Comforted by his mother until she attacks a trainer and is penned up in a jaillike wagon, Dumbo eventually learns that he can fly and becomes a star. A great film that deals with discrimination, self esteem, the importance of family and friendship. Features a great score which it won an oscar for and a nomination for song, the beautiful "Baby Mine" . The pink elephants scene is a classic. Wonderfully done, arguably Disney's best on a scale of one to ten...10

As a kid, I would watch over and over several Disney features: Pinnochio, Peter Pan, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, and Dumbo. When I come back to those films now, I recognize that they are all marvelous films and gave Walt Disney much deserved success. It's truly sad how far Disney has fallen. All kids' flicks now are awful. I revisited Dumbo, by the way, on the same night that I first watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, destined to be one of the most successful films of all time. It is execrable, and it is simply pathetic how bad films like it are nowadays. I say, bring your kids back to Dumbo, Pinnochio, Bambi, and the like. They may not be as harmless as the kind of movie Disney and others shove out today. You shouldn't be afraid of your children showing emotion. I can remember more than anything being profoundly affected by the "Baby Mine" number from Dumbo, where he visits his imprisoned mother. Films like these will mould your children's emotional stability instead of keeping them at a safe distance and selling them toys.