Frigid Hare

Frigid Hare is another Bugs Bunny cartoon in which he should have taken a "left turn at Albuquerque" and ends up at the South Pole. It's here that he meets a little penguin who he saves from a hunter who wants to capture him. When he tries to get back to Miami Beach, however, the penguin wants to follow him. Bugs pushes him on his way but the little snow-bird ends up in the man's bag. So the rabbit now has to outsmart him...This is both a cute and funny cartoon made by a man who knows how to make that combination work: Chuck Jones. Supposedly, this cartoon was banned recently because of the way the man in this short was drawn and depicted in characterization. While there might some traces of a stereotype here, I don't think any harm was intended. Anyway, I highly recommend Frigid Hare. It's on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 1.

"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.

I have the "Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection" and this is one of many cartoons in the set. However, before seeing this one in the set, I can't recall having seen it for decades. IMDb explains that the way that the Inuit native is shown in this one was seen as offensive--and it was removed from circulation. Well, apparently it's not longer that politically incorrect and was included in the set.

The film begins with a familiar scene--with Bugs tunneling to one place but ending up in another by mistake. While he's headed to Miami, somehow he's ended up near Antarctica (where there are NO Inuits!). Soon he sees a cute little penguin being chased by the hungry native and Bugs decides to intervene. However, he does NOT want to adopt a penguin and soon leaves the creature--but returns when the native is about to eat the bird. So, Bugs pulls out his usual set of tricks (including dressing up as a woman) and gets the better of the dumb Inuit hunter...who should be living near the Arctic!

As with any Bugs Bunny cartoon from this era, the animation is exceptional and the film is full of laughs.

Chuck Jones's 'Frigid Hare' is a great little cartoon which introduced the seldom used character of the tiny penguin in formal wear. Perhaps a little too cutesy to ever have become a star alongside the more anarchic characters, the penguin nevertheless proves a great foil for Bugs Bunny. When Bugs takes yet another wrong turning on the way to Miami beach and ends up at the South Pole, he quickly becomes implicated in the chase between a sweet little penguin and a big, dumb Eskimo. While its possible that the Eskimo stereotype may offend some, everything else about this cartoon is so warm (despite its setting) that only the most hard-hearted of critics would deny its appeal. The interplay between Bugs and the penguin is beautifully executed and there's a fantastic chase sequence between Bugs and the Eskimo brought about by what is perhaps Bugs' most convincing drag routine of all time! It all leads to a clever and unpredictable punch line that'll make you laugh and go "awww" in equal measures.

Not the Danny DeVito penguin I assure you.

Bugs is on his way to Miami beach but, like usual, he cannot read a map to save his life (it must be kinda tough to do underground I guess) and ends up in the South Pole.

After inadvertently saving the life of a cute little penguin from an Eskimo hunter (in the south pole?) the penguin becomes too attached to Bugs to let him leave. Though Bugs cannot bear to look into the Penguin's sad little eyes he shoves him away to get back to his vacation to Miami.

Only the little Penguin falls right into the hands of the hunter again and Bugs must use his old tricks of outsmarting and extreme cunning to save his life again.

Funny? Yes. Cute? Yes. But still not as many laughs as you're used to getting from Bugs.