Frigid Hare (1949)
Article 5834 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 8-22-2020
Directed by Chuck Jones
Featuring the voice of Mel Blanc
Country: USA
What it is: Bugs Bunny cartoon

Bugs comes to the rescue of a penguin being chased by an Inuit hunter, but finds it hard to leave when the penguin becomes attached to him.

I’m covering this one because it’s listed in the Walt Lee guide; by my own judgment, I would omit it because the only fantastic content is anthropomorphic animals. This was banned for several years (probably due to the presence of a stereotyped Inuit), but became available again. It features the first appearance of an unnamed penguin that would eventually pop up in other Chuck Jones cartoons. It’s not my favorite of these; the one where he has to take the penguin to the place he was born is my favorite. Still, it has its moments, including another sequence where Bugs dresses up as a woman to fluster the Inuit. The penguin is incredibly cute (especially when he cries), which is probably why he was revived; Chuck Jones had a weak spot for cuteness. It’s a solid cartoon.