Bambi (1942)

Bambi is a 1942 American animated drama film produced by Walt Disney and based on book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Felix Salten.

One day, a doe gives a birth to a fawn, Bambi. He is also called a young prince because he will take his dad’s position as a Great Prince of the Forest, to guard the woodland animals against the danger of hunters.

Bambi quickly becomes a friend with rabbit Thumper, who teaches him to walk, jump and speak, a skunk named Flower and a female fawn Faline, but Bambi is most attached to his mother. She answers all his questions and she also warned him about the dangers of life as a forest creature. One day out in a meadow, Bambi sees The Great Prince but doesn’t know he is his father. During the scene when everyone rushed out to hide from a “Man” Bambi gets separated from his mum but gets safely escorted back to her by his dad, just before the Man fires a gun.

Soon after that, the winter comes. Bambi and his friend Thumper play along in the snow while Flower hibernates till spring. Winter is not easy for all forest animals, and one day Bambi and his mother must go and find food. Unfortunately, Man shows up again, Bambi runs with his mum but she got shot and killed, and poor Bambi is left all alone. Who didn’t  cry during the scene when small Bambi is running around and calling his mum? Thankfully his dad The Great Prince is showing up to take care of his abandoned son.

In the spring Bambi is back as a young stag his friend are young adults as well. They are warned by the Owl that they will fall in love soon. Thumper and Flower both find their love first, Bambi discovers that Faline is a beautiful doe now. He also discovers he has a rival Ronno, a belligerent older stag. During the battle between Bambi and Ronno, Bambi managed to defeat him and earns the rights to Faline affections.

When Bambi is awakened by the smell of smoke, and discovers a hunter camp, he is warned by his father that Man has returned and they must move deeper in the woods. He gets separated from Faline, and finds her cornered by Man’s hunting dogs, which he manages to ward off, and the animals manage to reach to shelter.

The following spring Faline gives birth to twins under Bambi’s watchful eye and his all forest friends.

Did you know…?

1.      The film received three Academy Awards nominations? : Best Sound, Best Song and Original Music Score.

2.      Bambi was originally supposed to go back to his mother after she was shot and find her in a pool of blood.