Dumbo (1941)
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A ridiculed elephant with oversized ears discovers he has the unique ability to fly.
The story
In Florida, a circus prepares for its next tour. When a baby elephant named Jumbo Jr. is delivered to the troupe, he is mocked by the other elephants for his oversized ears. Despite the ridicule, his mother, Mrs. Jumbo, protects him. However, the circus management eventually separates the pair, and Dumbo is relegated to a side show. To help him, a mouse named Timothy becomes his only friend. Together, they navigate the challenges of circus life as Dumbo struggles to find his place and acceptance while dealing with the consequences of his unique appearance.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being separated from his mother, Mrs. Jumbo, by the circus ringmaster, Dumbo is mocked by other elephants and relegated to a clown act. He befriends a mouse named Timothy, who tries to make him a star. After a series of mishaps, Dumbo and Timothy end up in a vat of champagne and hallucinate pink elephants. They are later found by a group of crows who give Dumbo a 'magic feather' to help him fly. During a circus performance, Dumbo successfully takes flight, using his ears as wings. He gains fame and fortune, and the circus is reunited with his mother. The film concludes with Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo traveling together on the Casey Jr. train, while the crows wave them goodbye.
- First release year
- 1941
- Runtime (minutes)
- 64
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ben Sharpsteen; Norman Ferguson; Wilfred Jackson; Bill Roberts; Jack Kinney; Samuel Armstrong
- Writers
- Joe Grant · story; Dick Huemer · story; Helen Aberson · storyline; Harold Pearl · storyline
- Cast and characters
- Edward Brophy · Timothy Q. Mouse; Verna Felton · Elephant Matriarch; Mrs. Jumbo; Cliff Edwards · Dandy Crow; Herman Bing · the ringmaster; Sterling Holloway · Mr. Stork; Margaret Wright · Casey Junior; Hall Johnson · Deacon Crow; James Baskett · Fats Crow
- Genres
- animated; musical; fantasy
- Themes
- overcoming prejudice; mother-son bond; finding self-confidence
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; heartwarming
- Setting
- A traveling circus in Florida and on the road.
- Premise and plot tags
- animal characters; circus; fantasy
- Source material / true-story basis
- a children's story written by Helen Aberson-Mayer and Harold Pearl, with illustrations by Helen Durney
- Franchise connections
- Dumbo
- Content notes
- outdated cultural depictions
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for its story, humor, visuals, and music, though it was later criticized for stereotyping of black people.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 96 · scale: 100 · review count: 11
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Scoring of a Musical Picture · win
- Production trivia
- One of the studio's shortest animated features.; The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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