A Message of Tough Love

Back in 1942 there is no television or videotapes, either. Simple things like Tinker Toys and marbles amuse you, as well as picture books of farm animals. You live in a typical child’s world of fantasy, unaware of the rumors of world war, and are terribly excited to be taken into town for an air-conditioned picture on the big screen. It’s Bambi, reportedly Walt Disney’s favorite of his animated pictures, with a simple message kids can understand. A fantasy in that animals talk just like you and me, yet it is a realistic and poignant look at a fawn growing up in the wild.

“A prince is born in the thicket!” all the forest creatures exclaim to each other as they flew, hopped and scurried to the birthing place. The little guy is curled up beside his mother, but he wakes up with his big, brown eyes in wonder of this new world full of strange creatures. I can imagine my own eyes popping open when the owl hoots into my face! When Bambi tries out his skinny legs and falls, I laugh, reminded of how ponies and calves are the same way.

As Bambi makes friends with Thumper, a young male rabbit, and Flower, the skunk in the flowers, I don’t once think Flower is ‘queer’ or has a homosexual love of Bambi. Kids back in 1942, as well as those today, do not think of things like that. I love this part of the movie, lost in the beauty of the landscape and in the fun the animals have with the changing seasons. There is a couple of scares when they have to run from man or stay still, without even seeing them or their guns. Walt is showing us how frightened animals are of man and he is right in doing this. Are the animals…or birds…supposed to be instead stupid and easy targets for hunters? That would lessen their guilt in taking the animals’ lives, to be sure.

Consistently this movie gives nobility to Bambi who must struggle through a long, cold winter with his mother until she is shot while they are fleeing hunters and he must go on with his father, the great stag of the forest. In the spring, when he and his friends fall in love (become twitterpated as crusty bachelor Owl calls it), Bambi goes from being a shy fawn to a young stag ready to fight off a stag and vicious dogs who are after his girl. He is showing his worthiness of Faline, the doe, and of being the heir to the throne.

His troubles aren’t over yet, though. Fire from a hunter’s unattended campfire spreads quickly like the fingers of death through the forest and Bambi is rescued from its clutches by his father. Frantically they try to outrun the fire as it topples trees around them and claws at them. When Bambi and his father manage to swim out to the island and appear from out of the smoke, Faline leaps to meet the prince. They touch noses and in a few months twins are born to her. Where is Bambi, I wonder? Then we see him up on a high mountain ledge with his father. Suddenly Bambi is alone as his father retires his crown. Bambi is now king of the forest! (lions need not apply)

Final Thoughts

This movie has been analyzed to death. Some people want to blame it for problems of today, as if the movie indoctrinated kids to hate guns and gun owners. You know, I don’t even remember watching the movie as a kid and I still hate guns. Old Yeller probably made more of an impact on my child’s mind. I actually saw a boy with a gun use it on his beloved, but rabid dog.

I can’t say the music was totally enthralling, but then again I don’t enjoy a lot of music from that era or that kids enjoy. While there is tragedy and scary moments in Bambi, it is sensitively done with a balance of lighthearted fun. Very young children will want to be held tight during the movie, especially when Bambi’s mother dies. If this movie is anything besides a heroic children’s flick, it is an encouraging pre-war movie, where the forest fire is the war, and everyone survives (except mother in a battle before the spread of war). It is definitely not a movie for your child to miss because you’re afraid it will influence their choices on gun control in the far future.

The message I, and kids of any era, get from Bambi, I believe, is that love can be tough, but it will help you struggle through the bad times, so hang in there. You will be rewarded.