A Fox in a Fix

A Fox in a Fix is a 1951 Merrie Melodies short directed by Robert McKimson.
== Plot ==
The fox is sneaking from atop a hill down to a farm. As he is walking, he narrates his actions. His first line is "As the last light went out, I knew my chance had come, to get at those chickens". As he tries to grab two chickens, he is caught by the watchdog. However, the watchdog does not beat up the fox, and just tells him that he can steal chickens as long it is not on his farm as it makes him look bad, and he then tosses out the fox. Hoping to still get a meal, he tries a different approach.
To gain the friendship and trust of the bulldog, the fox shaves his tail and cheeks and pretends to be a hard-luck terrier looking for a place to live. Unbeknown to the fox, the bulldog instantly sees through the fox's ploy but acts as though he is fooled and accepts to let the fox stay at the farm. When the fox pretends to be a malnourished dog who stumbled upon the farm, he asks for a meal from the watchdog, but is given dog pellets. When a chicken flies atop of his head, the fox resists the temptation to snatch it in front of the watchdog, and it eventually lays an egg atop of the fox's head. As the fox later tries to sneak inside the chicken pen, the bulldog notices him and states that he should teach him how to become a watchdog. These lessons often involve the bulldog taking advantage of the fox's naiveness to sock him at the most convenient time, such as using a pipe during a fake burglary attempt and throwing a stick of dynamite when telling the fox to fetch after sticks.
Later that night, the fox sneaks into the chicken coop to steal one of the hens. The dog disguises himself as a huge chicken, which the greedy fox takes. When the bulldog reveals himself beneath the disguise, the fox bolts and runs to a highway. He hitches a ride on a passing truck, not noticing that the truck belongs to a fox furrier company. The bulldog points that out as the next lesson he was going to tell the fox.
== Availability ==
LTCE VOL 15 A BATTLE OF WITS.jpg|(2001) VHS Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition Volume 15: A Battle of Wits
=== Streaming ===
lt hbo max.jpg|HBO Max (2020 - 2022) (restored)
Lt max.jpg|Max (2024 - ) (restored)
== Notes ==
* The working title was "The Foxy Fox".
* This is the only cartoon featuring the Talking Bulldog to not pair him with a cat, such as Sylvester or the Supreme Cat.
* The noise that the fox makes when he first comes across the dog is the same angry noise that Daffy would later make in "Duck Amuck". It was previously used in "The Trial of Mr. Wolf", "Brother Brat" and "Kitty Kornered".
== Gallery ==
Screenshot 2020-12-04 202101.png
Screenshot 2020-12-04 202148.png
FoxFixRestoredSmall.jpeg|Cropped screenshot of 2020 restoration
Kiddin' the Kitten Sleepy Time Possum A Fox in a Fix Lead Sheets.jpg|Part of the animator draft, along with two other drafts for "Kiddin' the Kitten" and "Sleepy Time Possum".
AFoxInAFixLeadSheet1.jpg|Animator draft
AFoxInAFixLeadSheet2.jpg|Animator draft
AFoxInAFixLeadSheet3.jpg|Animator draft
== References ==
Category:1951
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:Shorts
Category:Cartoons directed by Robert McKimson
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons written by Warren Foster
Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer
Category:Cartoons animated by Charles McKimson
Category:Cartoons animated by Bill Melendez
Category:Cartoons with layouts by Cornett Wood
Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Richard H. Thomas
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:Blue Ribbon reissues
Category:One-Shot Cartoons
Category:Re-released cartoons whose original titles are known to exist