DUMBO 🤩

Certain films, songs, plays, jewelry, memorabilia, sounds, smells, or places have the power to trigger a meaningful flashback. I am not talking about PTSD, but rather how a person can be gently whisked away briefly from the present. We can understand and relate to this when we smell an apple pie baking or cinnamon rolls in the oven. Maybe it’s the sound of the ocean breaking along the shoreline or visiting a special street that holds the past. Some people will hear the first opening notes of a song and become lost in thought. These reactions are normal. It is a very human way of tying together our lives while being immersed in humbling, sad, and joyful images at the same time. 

I have many triggers that are woven around and through my life with my daughter, Ilisa Rae. She died too young. When we look back, we don’t often think about how special some moments will be in the future. None of us has a clue as to which ones will stand out throughout our lives. We are powerless about this concept, and it doesn’t always happen as planned. I experienced one of these in 2000. 

Ilisa Rae was a singer. She expressed her love for people and life through music. She had a beautiful, expressive voice. When she was a senior in high school, she was the president of the Thespian Society at the school where I taught. I was the Thespian sponsor. It was the night of our big banquet that we held every year to initiate new members and say goodbye to the ones graduating. Trophies and awards were on the program. Parents and administration were present. It was a big deal… a rite of passage. 

The evening had gone smoothly. My daughter was a great MC. Then, just before we ended the night, she stood at the podium and said she had a gift for me. She wanted to sing a song to me… in honor of me. I didn’t know what she would sing or how I would react in front of close to two hundred people. She said she wanted to sing BABY MINE from the movie DUMBO because it was special to the both of us. I sang it to her as a child, and here she was, all grown up, singing it to me. She stood so close to me and sang. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Mine included. All eyes were watching us, but I only saw my sweet child.  It felt like time stood still. She died ten years later. I had not listened to that song or revisited the film until the day before Mother’s Day. I knew it was time to remember, see, and hear her again. I am triggered, but in a treasured, glorious way. 

Dumbo was a masterpiece. It was created in 1941. It was Disney’s fourth animated film and the one that was the most financially successful for the studio, bringing in 2.5 million dollars. This was huge since it was the shortest feature film (64 minutes) and the first to win an Oscar for Musical Score. It was the only Disney film where the lead never utters a word. 

DUMBO is a conundrum for many today. It is a movie filled with stereotypes that deal with race, making fair wages, backstabbing gossip, and discrimination. The ears are merely a tool. “Lots of people with big ears are famous.” The crows are of black heritage. It is a response to the repugnance of the phrase “Jim Crow.” The clowns are the studio animators going through a harsh strike, trying to make a decent living. The tongue-wagging pachyderms were all the people who hold a person back by being judgmental. DUMBO truly is a deep movie beyond being a beloved children’s story. 

Walt Disney did not want to make DUMBO. He had to be convinced by the animators. It took time for him to come around, and in later interviews, he admitted it was one of his favorites. He especially loved THE ELEPHANT’S PARADE production number. He thought it was perfect to have pink elephants and bubbles for alcohol. The animators used many cels from FANTASIA to save money. Actually, the original cels from DUMBO are the rarest of all to find. Disney also had several real elephants brought into the animators’ offices so they could capture their movement and essence correctly. 

What makes DUMBO so memorable is not the antics of all the animals, but rather the genius way to showcase a mother’s love. Babies and moms are not so different among all species. This was evident over and over in most of the frames. Watching DUMBO’s expressive blue eyes and facial expressions was a sheer delight, and Mrs. Jumbo should be elected Mom of the Year. Friendship was also a key issue, as was believing in oneself. Everyone should have a mouse for a friend (Except those afraid of mice!). And I am sure most moms would choose a stork instead of labor pains. Sterling Holloway could have delivered my children any day of the week.  As a side note, this was Holloway’s first film, and he worked at Disney Studios for 35 years. 

DUMBO is a cherished classic. It packs so much content, vibrant musical numbers, and caring characters into a short running time. It fills your soul with images of love and wonderment. I will never forget Mrs. Jumbo wrapping DUMBO’s ears around his body while cradling and rocking him, nor will I ever forget the sight of DUMBO and his tiny friend walking tail to trunk. This stunning, simple yet complicated film leaves beautiful snapshots…or triggers that stay within our hearts. I hold mine forever. 

DUMBO is available on Disney+.