Bambi

The outbreak of World War II caused a majority of the films released in the Golden Era to bomb at the box office, this one didn’t even manage to get its production costs back. For me, knowing that this one was a box office bomb has never bothered me. There’s nothing explicitly wrong with Bambi, I just find it the most anemic of this period’s films, both thematically and emotionally.

Much of Bambi is just watching cute little baby animals interact with their idyllic forest, learning the ways of life, and discovering the natural ebb and flow of things. That’s about it when it comes to plot mechanics and narrative thrust. It plays out as a series of dynamite moments wedged into between heavily sentimental glimpses of forest life. Bambi’s relationship with his mother is touching, and her off screen death is still an emotional gut-punch, but the film never finds the balance between its cutesy majority and dark call of the wild denouement.

Critics at the time were split, with many proclaiming that the lack of fantasy elements and heavy dose of nature conservation were detracting points. I disagree with this sentiment, as I find Disney’s penchant for taking a left turn after the previous film’s right to be one of the highlights of watching the Golden Era. Dropping fantasy for a “realistic” look at wildlife isn’t a bad choice, and Disney would go on to make numerous films with animal protagonists. It’s more that the film sticks a few memorable characters, some gorgeous animation, and beautiful backgrounds into a narrative that’s slight to the point of being a wet tissue.

Nothing very interesting is worked towards in Bambi. It is only as interesting as any given scene. The heavy influence of his time as a child makes a certain amount of sense given that it is technically a children’s entertainment vehicle. Older Bambi, Thumper, and Flower just aren’t as interesting to watch as when they’re learning to walk, talk, and interact with the world around them. The film rouses itself for the horrific intrusion of man upon the forest, an unseen terror that only announces itself through gunshots and the sweeping hell fire.

Not everything is a total loss when the character’s hit puberty and start falling in love, though. Bambi and Faline’s reunion is cutesy to the point of causing cavities, but the more impressionistic fight scene he was with another buck is exciting. The forest becomes expressionistic, and their bodies black stains highlighted by streaks of yellow and blue. I will give Bambi this, even when the narrative falls far short of engaging, it’s always beautiful to look at.

This wouldn’t be the first time Disney created a film of beautiful aesthetics and forget to include an equally strong narrative, and it would be far from the last. But the level of detail is astounding. The awkward prance of the young deer is well studied and animated flawlessly. Numerous scenes of terror are effectively edited together, precision timed to crank up the fear of the characters, and audience by extension. A frantic group of forest animals running away from the presence of hunters, announced by Bambi’s stumbling upon their camp and an increasingly panicked bird’s fateful decision to fly away, is particularly effective. This scene slowly unfolds into the climatic forest fire, as memorable a vision of all-consuming hell as “Night on Bald Mountain.”

I could never say Bambi isn't very good, because it is, but it's missing that extra spark. After the thematic might of Dumbo, Bambi plays as a group of unfocused sequences, many of them marvelous, looking for an anchor. But, my god, is it beautiful to watch. The oil backgrounds give the film a distinct look from the others, the character animation is top-notch, and certain moments are among the best of the period.