| Dumbo | |
|---|---|
 Original theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Supervising director
Sequence directors
|
| Story by | |
| Based on | Dumbo, the Flying Elephant by Helen Aberson Harold Pearl |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
| Music by | Frank Churchill Oliver Wallace |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 64 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $950,000[2] |
| Box office | >$1.3 million (est. United States/Canada rentals, 1941)[3] |
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated fantasy drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, and illustrated by Helen Durney for the prototype of a novelty toy ("Roll-a-Book").[4][5]
The main character is Jumbo Jr., an elephant who is ridiculed for his oversized ears and mockingly nicknamed "Dumbo", but in fact he is capable of flying by using his ears as wings. Throughout most of the film, his only true friend, aside from his mother, is a mouse named Timothy – a relationship parodying the stereotypical animosity between mice and elephants.
Produced to recoup the financial losses of both Pinocchio and Fantasia, Dumbo was a deliberate pursuit of simplicity and economy. At 64 minutes, it is one of the studio's shortest animated features. Sound was recorded conventionally using the RCA System. One voice was synthesized using the Sonovox system, but it too was recorded using the RCA System.
Dumbo was released on October 23, 1941, where it was met with critical acclaim for its story, humor, visuals, and music.[6] The film was later criticized for stereotyping of black people. Its accolades include an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically and aesthetically significant".[7]
In the years following its initial release, Dumbo remains popular ever since, with a popular theme park attraction, merchandise products, a television series, and a live-action adaptation being produced.
- ^ "Dumbo (1941)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Dumbo". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ Barrier 1999, p. 318.
- ^ Pace, Eric (April 10, 1999). "Helen A. Mayer, Dumbo's Creator, Dies at 91". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ Barrier, Michael (February 4, 2010). "The Mysterious Dumbo Roll-A-Book". MichaelBarrier.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ Barrier 2008, p. 176.
- ^ "2017 National Film Registry Is More Than a 'Field of Dreams'" (Press release). Library of Congress. December 13, 2017. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.