Abstract
This chapter analyses Disney’s two Dumbo films, the 1941 animated film directed by Ben Sharpsteen and the 2019 live-action remake directed by Tim Burton. The discussion focuses on the intersectional identity of the protagonist as child, animal and disabled person, taking into account contextualising aspects from the cultural and social history of popular entertainment. It also considers the ways in which both Dumbo films address controversial aspects of labour in the entertainment sector. Sharpsteen’s film paints an ambiguous picture of contemporary circus culture, referring to key moments in the prior history of entertainment culture that were pivotal in its development. Burton’s film is set even earlier, in the period shortly after World War I, an era that can be regarded as a period of radical transformation for traditional popular entertainment. Not only does the film represent that historical reality, it also responds to aspects of the political agenda in the early twenty-first century.
Tomkowiak, Ingrid