Dumbo- “The ninth wonder of the universe!”
While Dumbo is classic Disney fare, it was not one of
the movies I grew up on… however I have always enjoyed a spin on Dumbo at
Disneyland!
Dumbo is a simple tale (produced with a small budget
in Disney’s leaner years) with great heart. The story opens with
deliveries by a flock of storks. One of
the storks delivers a beautiful baby elephant to Mrs. Jumbo (a performing circus
elephant) who could not be more pleased and names her babe Jumbo Jr. The
baby elephant’s unnaturally large ears, however, earn him the moniker of
Dumbo. The story follows Dumbo’s journey from ridicule to greatness, from
clown to stardom. The oversized ears that everyone laughed at turnout to
be Dumbo’s greatest asset- they allow him to fly, to soar above his critics and
mockers. What makes him different makes him great.
Interestingly enough, Dumbo actually doesn’t say a word
throughout the entire film. (This is the
only Disney film in which a title character does not have a single line of
dialogue.) This makes his sidekick very important. And once again,
I found myself thoroughly enamored with the sidekick – the one and only,
Timothy Q. Mouse. He’s cute, funny and has a heart of gold. You
have to believe in Disney magic when you consider that he’s made me downright
fond of a cricket and two mice. That would never happen in real
life. Any creature of the creepy, crawly variety and I are NOT
friends. But alas, I digress…
The music of Dumbo once again shines through as a
testament to the greatness of Disney. My favorite songs were “Look Out for
Mr. Stork” and “When I See an Elephant Fly.” (I love me some puns!)
Fun Fact: Cliff Edwards sings both “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio
and “When I See an Elephant Fly” from Dumbo. The Casey Jr. Circus
Train number was also very fun though beware its propensity for getting stuck
in one’s head. Hands down, the most poignant moment of the movie has to
be when Mrs. Jumbo sings “Baby Mine” to Dumbo from solitary confinement.
Dumbo was a
wonderful foray into Disney past. I love
that time has not made the movie irrelevant or ridiculous. In fact, it’s as heart-warming and lovely as
ever.
The very things that held ya down are gonna carry ya up, and up, and
up!
Coming Up Next Week: Bambi
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