10 Huge Changes In The Live-Action Dumbo Remake
3. Dumbo's Not The Only One With A Handicap
Milly is presented with something of a metaphorical handicap in the sense of wanting a future that her society doesn't encourage, but Holt mirrors Dumbo in a much more direct fashion. Both share physical handicaps, albeit of very different sorts. While Dumbo trips over excess earlobe, Holt finds himself with a dearth of arms.
Not only do both characters have physical handicaps, they both struggle with a perceived lack of value. Others find it difficult to accept their physical impediments. Medici's attempt to hide Dumbo's ears under a bonnet feels much like his attempt to hide Holt's missing arm with a poorly made prosthetic.
As with Dumbo and the other characters, this leads to a lesson in self-confidence. Holt may not learn to fly, but it's near the end of the film - right after getting rid of his prosthetic arm - that he pulls off an arguably more impressive gravity-defying achievement. To facilitate Dumbo's escape from Dreamland, Holt must cut through the top of the big top with a knife. This first requires him to scale the side of the tent, using nothing but his one remaining arm.
The remake's focus on human characters works on a few levels, but Holt's inclusion is one of the strongest. He's a type of hero that handicapped children don't always get to see in A-list films. Children whose handicaps didn't grant them the power of flight can look up to Holt as the true inspiration of the movie. As a handicapped veteran, Holt may reach a few adults in the audience as well.