Summer of Magic- "Dumbo"

Timothy Mouse excitedly explained to Dumbo upon realizing that the famous elephant can fly, "The very things that held you down are going to carry you up. and up, and up!" With this moment, along with countless other moments, Dumbo rightfully becomes one of the most charming and endearing classics in the Disney canon. Filled with beautiful animation and a lead character for the ages, Dumbo is a rare film that speaks to the hearts of children and adults alike. As challenging as it is entertaining, Dumbo deserves its place near the top of everyone's Disney movie rankings.

In such a short amount of time (Dumbo clocks in at a measly 63 minutes), you would figure that something would be missing, but that is certainly not the case as Walt Disney and company get right to the point and never let us down. The deft blend of emotion and hilarity is what makes Dumbo so classical. We are laughing hysterically during the first clown sequence and when Dumbo and Timothy meet the crows, but we also find ourselves on the verge of an emotional breakdown during the "Baby Mine" scene. Thus is the magic of Dumbo. There are no unnecessary scenes as every moment progresses the story and leaves the audience with an array of emotions.

The characters are superbly brought to life. Dumbo is a Disney marvel, instantly becoming a legend without even saying a word. From the moment the Stork unveils his presence to his mother to the final shot of the circus riding off into the sunset, Dumbo is a character that demands to be loved and adored for generations to come. Timothy Mouse is an excellent counterpart for Dumbo in the same way Jiminy Cricket is for Pinocchio. He is the ultimate encourager, fearlessly dedicated to Dumbo and his success. The crows appearing towards the end of the film are absolutely hilarious if you listen closely to their dialogue and song lyrics. Upon every viewing, I laugh harder and harder during that scene as their humor has grown as I have grown.

I could not write about Dumbo and not mention the iconic Pink Elephant sequence. While some may justifiably have a problem with such a scene, I think this scene is one of the hallmarks of Disney animation during the first Golden Age. The craftsmanship on display here from the animators is nothing short of extraordinary. Plus, it is the perfect way to bring us out of the emotional mess we are in after "Baby Mine." Dumbo is simply a gem. From start to finish, I just watch in amazement.

Rating: 10/10

Historical Significance: Following two financial losses with Pinocchio and Fantasia, Walt needed a film that would make money for the studio, which eventually lead to the shorter runtime for Dumbo. On a tight and scripted budget, Dumbo became the least expensive of all Disney's animated films as the film went on to gross more in its original release than Pinocchio and Fantasia combined. Also, this is the first Disney collaboration for Sterling Holloway and Verna Felton. Holloway voiced the Stork and Felton voiced the Elephant Matriarch. Holloway would go on to voice such iconic Disney characters as the Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland), Kaa (The Jungle Book), and Winnie the Pooh (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) while Felton would later voice the Fairy Godmother (Cinderella), Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), and Flora (Sleeping Beauty).

Behind the Scenes: Walt was originally not interested in making Dumbo. To spark his imagination, writers Joe Grant and Dick Huemer began to leave various parts of the film on Walt's desk every morning just to let him know what they were working on. One day, Walt reportedly ran into the story room with the daily Dumbo scene in hand and exclaimed, "This is great! What happens next?" From disinterest to highest praise, Walt would later state that Dumbo was his favorite film the studio ever produced.

Favorite Character: It has to be Dumbo. He just works into your heart and never leaves. He truly is a special Disney character because he really does it all, from making us laugh to making us cry. We
can sympathize with his struggles as we learn from his hardships and are therefore challenged in our own unique way. Through the eyes of this flying elephant, we are awakened to the potential cruelties that curse this world, and we are challenged to live our lives uniquely and not to conform to the society around us. And who said Disney films are just for kids?

Favorite Scene: As much as I love the Pink Elephant sequence, I have to go with the "Baby Mine" scene as my favorite. This is one of the greatest scenes in Disney history because of its power and its
simplicity. There is nothing melodramatic or bombastic about this scene. Instead, the emotion climax of the film, fittingly, occurs in a tender moment with Dumbo and his loving mother. When Mrs. Jumbo extends her truck to embrace Dumbo, I lose it every time.

Favorite Song: The crow's sarcastically entertaining finale, "When I See an Elephant Fly," is an awesome way to end such an incredible film. It's light, amusing, and
once again, it progresses the story as the crows finally help Timothy and Dumbo realize that Dumbo can actually fly. Plus, when Dumbo does finally take flight, we witness pure Disney magic right before our very eyes.

Miscues: As I wrote for Snow White, if you have a miscue for Dumbo, you have no soul.

Updated Ranking: Dumbo is a classic without question, but for today, Dumbo comes in behind Snow White and Pinocchio.

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2. Pinocchio
3. Dumbo
4. Fantasia

The first five films created by Disney are some of the greatest cinematic achievements in the history of Hollywood. Tomorrow, we'll see the fifth film from this legendary era of Disney animation as we watch Bambi!

-Cody Fleenor