Frigid Hare (1949)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Written by Michael Maltese
Animation by Phil Monroe
Music by Carl Stalling
I think “Frigid Hare” is the point in Bugs Bunny’s career when he stopped being a mere foil or protagonist and started being something of a hero. When he finally steps up to defend a small penguin named “Playboy,” who–a very small cute penguin… from the wrath of an inuit. That’s the exact time Bugs started becoming something of a hero for the little guy. All of the other scenarios of Bugs giving in to his baser urges to be egomaniacal, or just plain antagonistic are a bar he’s just toppled. With “Frigid Hare” the animators and writers set a high bar with a short where we’d see him defending and fighting for other smaller animals in the near future.
Bugs is still very funny, but he’s a lot more consistent from this point on. Even Bugs with his occasional “I look out for me and only me” attitude, he comes across a helpless baby penguin that desperately needs his help. And he simply can not say no. This is the first appearance of “Playboy Penguin” a character very similar to Chilly Willy, a silent often unassuming penguin who always seems to need Bugs Bunny’s help. I’m surprised that not much was made of this character as he was considerably charming and cute, but always relied on someone to really carry him through his own shorts.
For this one Bugs arrives at what he thinks are the sandy shores of Coney Island but realizes too late that he’s actually in the below zero temperatures of North Pole. Just his luck he runs across Playboy who is fleeing an inuit hunter and turns to Bugs for help in fighting him off. Despite Bugs’ empathy for his situation he shoos him away, but lo and behold his conscience takes hold of him and he decides to help out the small creature. “Frigid Hare” is hilarious but it’s also adorable in how Bugs warms up to Playboy so quickly. “Playboy Penguin” doesn’t have a ton of comedic value to him, but he is charming, and likable at the very least.
It’s not too often that Bugs Bunny shorts gets sentimental, even if Merrie Melodies made a craft out of it for decades. “Frigid Hare” isn’t a top ten charter for Bugs Bunny, especially as the Inuit isn’t particularly a funny or interesting character. He probably only really gets one good gaff and that’s thanks to Bugs’ signature cross dressing act used as a trap and lure for the dastardly predator. That thankfully doesn’t hinder the short as the attraction seems to be “Playboy Penguin.” Its mileage varies but he does appear one more time with Bugs Bunny.
“Frigid Hare” is nevertheless a funny little adventure with Bugs who does more than just try to survive this time.
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