![]() ![]() It was a bit of meta voice casting in 1941 to have Timothy voiced by Edward Brophy, who had recently starred in Tod Browning’s circus critique “Freaks” (1932), but fans want to know: How do you remake “Dumbo” without Timothy? That’s like remaking “Pinocchio” without Jiminy Cricket. More importantly, the crucial sidekick of Timothy Q. Yes, the original Dumbo and his mother didn’t speak, but there were countless other talkers like the Stork, who was originally voiced by Sterling Holloway (“Winnie the Pooh”) but barely appears here as a silent homage. Unlike the cartoon, there are no anthropomorphic animals. After his protective mother is hauled away as a “mad elephant,” Dumbo must discover his ears’ hidden potential to make him a famous flying circus star in the hopes of earning enough money to someday be reunited with his long-lost mom. Once again, the pachyderm plot focuses on an adorable baby elephant named Jumbo Jr., whose oversized ears earn ridicule by circus crowds chanting “Dumbo” (the way he gets the moniker here is actually quite clever). This is probably why it’s getting such a massive makeover this weekend in Tim Burton’s new live-action remake of “Dumbo,” which eliminates too many of the beloved elements of the original classic for a relentlessly gloomy endeavor that’s way too sad for its intended child audience. The low-budget gamble worked, as “Dumbo” became the most profitable Disney film of the 1940s, such a cultural hit that Time magazine nearly dubbed Dumbo its “Mammal of the Year” until the attack on Pearl Harbor.Īnd yet, for all its success upon its release, “Dumbo” remains one of the more dated films of the early Disney canon, from its cell animation to its controversial Jim Crow flock. Thus, we got “Dumbo,” clocking in at a truncated 64 minutes and using watercolor backgrounds instead of the traditional oil paints. In 1941, Walt Disney was at a crossroads, breaking box office records with his first feature “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), but losing money on both “Pinocchio” (1940) and “Fantasia” (1940), which are now deemed classics but struggled on the brink of World War II.Īs a result, Disney set out to make his next project a simpler, cheaper effort in an attempt to recoup some money. ![]() WTOP's Jason Fraley reviews the live-action 'Dumbo' ( Jason Fraley) Business & Finance Click to expand menu.The movie has been locked in the Disney vault since the 1980s.īoardwalk Times strives to report the most accurate news about The Walt Disney Company and will continue to bring the best news to your feed.Įlizabeth Pfeiffer is a columnist for Boardwalk Times. ![]() Song of the South has not been included in Disney+. While this scene was still included, another film we reported on was correct. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.” Instead Disney added a line in their description of the film for the service: “This program is presented as originally created. The crow scene, known for its song “When I See an Elephant Fly” characterizes the crows in a way that points to the infamous Jim Crow Laws. We made the decision to post our findings. A source close to the situation had told us that the crow scene would be edited in the film for Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+. **UPDATE** It has come to our attention that we reported wrongly about the 1941 film Dumbo in regards to its placement in Disney+. The Walt Disney Company has declined to comment at this time. Jim Crow the crow even walks like the Jim Crow caricature used in the time period. The leader of the group is named Jim Crow, a reference to the racist laws that allowed segregation until 1965. In the film, Dumbo meets a group of crows who give him a feather to fly. The movie has been locked in the Disney vault since the 1980s.ĭumbo, on the other hand, while it was reimagined by Tim Burton in a film that debuted a few weeks ago, one scene from the original film did not make the cut. The issue with the movie is that Disney made a lie out of the plantation system: The African-Americans that work on the plantation are happy to serve their white masters. (The original Uncle Remus book by Joel Chandler Harris takes place after the Civil War.) There he meets Uncle Remus who teaches him lessons through stories about his animated counterpart, Brer Rabbit. Walt Disney’s 1946 movie Song of the South follows a young boy named Johnny who moves to his grandmother’s plantation in an era that looks like after the Civil War. Dumbo was just remade for a new generation! Why are they so problematic? Song of the South got Disney an Oscar for Best Song in 1948 and an E-ticket attraction. The Jim Crow scene in 1941’s Dumbo will also be edited out for the digital library that launches November 12. ![]() Song of the South will not be featured in Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, according to a source close to the situation. ![]()
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