Review of Dumbo (1941) by Justin O — 06 Dec 2011

I love Dumbo, its wonderfully sweet, funny, and sad. Some contemporary viewers have noted that some segments that are considered racist, I think they are minuscule and unimportant in the long run. I watched Dumbo as a kid and never understood that the people setting up the tent were supposed to be black workers.

..and the crows in this film are racial stereotypes from 60 years ago, and on top of which they are some of the smartest characters in the film. I didn't grow up going "that's how black people are," I grew up thinking they were birds.

That is neither here nor there, many of the characters a fun, and the segments are often exciting. Dumbo moves swiftly and doesn't really disappoint. In the end, despite its short length and alleged racism, I think Dumbo is a fantastic film to watch.