10 Huge Changes In The Live-Action Dumbo Remake
8. Feathers Are Actually Magic (Until They Aren't)
In the 1941 original, Timothy Mouse is well aware that the feather he gives Dumbo isn't really magical. He knows that Dumbo simply needs to believe in himself, and Jim Crow offers the feather as an easy psychological trick to help him do it. Since this all happens within the last ten minutes of the film, the deception is short-lived. Dumbo's very next flight teaches him that he can fly without the feather, and he soars off to greatness.
Tim Burton's Dumbo changes this up significantly. When the Farrier children discover that feathers seem to help Dumbo fly, they believe in the magic every bit as much as Dumbo does. They believe in the magic feathers so strongly that Milly even risks her life to ensure that Dumbo has a feather when the clown act goes awry and puts him in danger.
Near the end, Dumbo's feather is eaten by flame during a vital moment. When the Farrier children react in fear, their father bluntly informs them that magic feathers aren't a thing. This realization helps them grasp the film's message of self-confidence at the same time as its titular elephant.
Having the children believe in the magical feathers adds a significant layer of subtext to the film's message. Even Dumbo's biggest supporters have underestimated him without realizing it. They believed him capable of great things, but they didn't believe that he could achieve them on his own. Positive judgments are still judgments, and changing this seemingly small detail helps to drive that message home.