Frigid Hare (1949)

You won't be disappointed!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The acting in this movie is really good.

. . . probably pushed FRIGID HARE to within a snowflake's width of making Looney Tune's infamous Censored Eleven an even dozen. FRIGID HARE opens with Bugs Bunny taking a wrong turn and burrowing to a vacation in the Arctic instead of his intended destination, Miami Beach. Bugs is greeted near the NORTH Pole by a penguin. Problem is, penguins are only found in Anarctica, near the SOUTH Pole, making for a flunking mark in Geography. Soon an Eskimo of the Arctic becomes the first of his tribe ever to capture a penguin. Only the Warner Loons have drawn this indigenous gentleman with the features of a Kenyan. Score an "F" for Anthropology, as well. Next, Bugs easily bamboozles this gentleman of uncertain race that he--Bugs--is of the female persuasion. There goes the possibility of the MPAA grading service awarding a passing letter for Heterosexuality, one of their most crucial subjects. Finally, this short was copyright in 1948, and Bugs says that though he has just four days left of his Warner Bros. Vacation Time, a quartet of six-month-long Arctic Days will stretch his idyll until July, 1953(?!). You know what this means: chalk up a zero for FRIGID HARE in Math, as well.

Having once again taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque, Bugs Bunny tunnels to Antarctica in this entertaining Chuck Jones short. The story has Bugs trying to help a little penguin being hunted by a very unpleasant Eskimo. The big selling point to this one is the adorable penguin, whose little waddle will make even the most cold-hearted among us smile. The scene where the penguin rescues Bugs from a fall is something only Chuck Jones could think of. There are laughs to be had, for sure, but this is one of those shorts that's heavy on the cute factor. The animation is great with well-drawn characters and backgrounds and nice colors. Carl Staling's music is lively and fun. Mel Blanc's voice work is flawless. It's a good cartoon but not something everybody will enjoy. If you don't like cartoons with cute characters like Tweety and Pussyfoot, you probably won't like this.

"Frigid Hare" probably seemed a little funnier before most people could have understood that it was making rather negative stereotypes about Eskimos ("Eskimo" isn't even the accurate name; they're called "Inuit"). Other than that, it's pretty funny as Bugs Bunny ends up in Antarctica ("I knew I shoulda taken a left toin at Albakoikee!") and has to protect a baby penguin from a hunter. Aside from the probably racist undertones, overemphasis on cuteness, and geographic inaccuracies - the Inuit live in the North Pole, not South Pole - it's a pretty funny short cartoon. Bugs does his usual stuff, and the last line would make anyone thank God for loopholes.

Ahh, the first appearance of what has to be Warner Bros.'s cutest cartoon creation: the tuxedo-wearing penguin. Who can't help but gush when that adorable little bird stars crying ice cubes? Bugs takes yet another wrong turn at Albuquerque and ends up in the South Pole, just in time to save said-penguin from an eskimo. However, when he leaves the little penguin to continue his vacation, it gets caught by the same eskimo, and Bugs feels obligated to help out the poor little bird, even though it will no doubt cut into his vacation. I find it interesting that we never find out what the eskimo wanted the penguin for (we assume it's for food, but you never know). Though Bugs is up to his old tricks and gives us an impressive show, the star is still the little penguin. Warning: don't watch this if you have an thing against cuteness, or if the person next to you has a tendency to gush all over cute things ("Awww! I just wanna pinch his wittle cheekies!"); you'll get sick before the cartoon is over.