Dumbo (October 23, 1941)

This is one of the shortest theatrical Disney Animated film clocking in at 64 minutes. It was also made surprisingly cheaply for this time as an attempt to recoup the losses from Fantasia. This allowed it to become a box office success. Dumbo tells the tale of a baby elephant named Dumbo born with giant ears and living at a traveling circus in Florida with his mother, Jumbo. His goal is thusly to reunite with his mother. This story is simple and sweet, but it is meanders along at such a slow pace that the movie loses interest at various points throughout. The animation is still technically impressive and visual stunning, though you can tell it is not at the same level as Disney’s previous films, and the soundtrack is lovely (though the iconic “pink elephant” soap bubble drug musical sequence is more odd and borderline scary than endearing) as well with gorgeous vocals.- particularly during the song “When I See an Elephant Fly”. There is a controversy in the depiction of the circus workers being exclusively black, however, but it is a relatively minor part that I did notice as a child, but adults will. The rest of the characters, sans Timothy the mouse, are very bland. Even the titular Dumbo is boring (although he is sickeningly cute). He is the only character that does not talk which does not help build a personality. Overall while undeniably cute and charming, Dumbo is an uninteresting affair that, luckily, only lasts an hour as any longer (like the 2019 remake l found out) would be more unbearable aimless wandering through the movie’s pointless plot.

Final Rating: 4/10