What 1941 Disney animated film features a baby circus elephant? The answer is Dumbo.
Produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures on October 23, 1941, Dumbo follows Jumbo Jr., a newborn elephant whose unusually large ears make him the target of ridicule. The other elephants mockingly call him “Dumbo,” while his mother, Mrs. Jumbo, remains his strongest protector.
Dumbo is separated from his mother after she defends him from cruel spectators. With help from Timothy Q. Mouse, he eventually discovers that his ears can help him fly. The film’s famous “magic feather” is not truly magical; it gives Dumbo the confidence to use an ability he already possesses.
The film was intentionally shorter and less expensive than Disney’s earlier features Pinocchio and Fantasia. At about 64 minutes, it remains one of Disney’s shortest animated classics. It won an Academy Award for its musical score, and the Library of Congress selected it for the National Film Registry in 2017.