Boggis, Bunce & Bean | Villains Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Boggis, Bunce & Bean Walt Boggis, Nate Bunce and Frank Bean Alias Brute strength, scheming, skilled gunmen, cleverness, intelligence Hobby For Boggis, eating chickens, For Bunce, eating donuts with duck liver paste, and for Bean, drinking gallons of strong home-made alcoholic cider Goals Kill Mr Fox for stealing their chickens, ducks, turkeys, and cider Type of Villain Partners in Crime “ Boggis, Bunce, and Bean one fat, one short, one lean. Those horrible crooks so different in looks are nonetheless equally mean. „ ~ A popular children's song that reflects their nature Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are the three main antagonists of the book and film Fantastic Mr. Fox. After Mr. Fox steals from their farms, Bean calls a meeting between the three and plans to obliterate Mr. Fox and his family. Bean is shown to be the meanest and scariest of them. Contents Boggis “ Walt Boggis is a chicken farmer, probably the most successful in the world. He weighs the same as a young rhinoceros.

He eats three chickens every day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. That's twelve in total per diem. „ ~ Badger about Boggis Boggis tends to extremely hate Mr. Fox due to his constant theft of his chickens, which the foxes seem to like. In the film version, he is more di it and also realize how far went and the Consequences along with Bunce Bunce “ Nate Bunce is a duck and goose farmer. He's about the size of a pot-bellied dwarf, and his chin would be under the shallow end of any swimming pool on the planet. His food is homemade donuts with mashed-up goose livers injected into them. „ ~ Badger about Bunce His food, possibly because of the goose livers, gives him a horrible temper, meaning he is constantly angry. Bean “ Frank Bean is a turkey and apple farmer. He invented his own species of each. He lives on a diet of strong alcoholic cider which he makes from his apples. He's as skinny as a pencil, as smart as a whip, and possibly the scariest man currently living.

„ ~ Badger about Bean He never bathes or washes at all; with the result that he smells and his ears are all clogged up with wax and dirt and such things. Trivia Out of the three of them, Bean is considered to be the overall main antagonist of the film, since he's the most scariest. Farmer Boggis - Roald Dahl Roald Dahl Boggis Description Boggis was a chicken farmer. He kept thousands of chickens. He was enormously fat. This was because he ate three boiled chickens smothered with dumplings every day for breakfast, lunch and supper. Description Description "Boggis was a chicken farmer. He kept thousands of chickens. He was enormously fat. This was because he ate three boiled chickens smothered with dumplings every day for breakfast, lunch and supper." - Fantastic Mr Fox Boggis is one of three farmers that appear in Roald Dahl's 1970 children's story Fantastic Mr Fox. Along with Bunce and Bean, he makes it his business to do all he can to prevent Mr Fox from taking any more of his chickens. From shooting at him to starving the Fox family out of their home, he'll do anything to stop cunning Mr Fox.

In Wes Anderson's 2009 stop-motion animated film version of Fantastic Mr Fox, Boggis was given a first name - Walter - and was voiced by actor Robin Hurlstone. About the story Fantastic Mr. Fox (Western Animation) - TV Tropes Fantastic Mr. Fox You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share Western Animation / Fantastic Mr. Fox × One fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks, So different in looks, Were none the less equally mean!" Fantastic Mr. Fox is a 2009 animated family film centered upon the eponymous character's attempt to go straight, renouncing his chicken-stealing ways. It is filmed in Stop Motion as director Wes Anderson 's first foray into animation. Including an all star cast, it has reviewed well, containing Wes Anderson 's indie mannerism and introspective tone, along with real charm and his trademark dysfunctional family. Based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl , but greatly expands upon its premise , focusing upon Mr. Fox's family's dynamic, and the town's attempt to outwit the farmers.

The movie has examples of: Animal Talk : Still doesn't explain how the humans don't notice the animals walk and wear clothes. 108 : The combined workforce of the three farms. The Ace : Kristofferson, a fox kid who seemingly can do no wrong, much to Ash's frustration who sees everyone, including his own father, belittling him in comparison. Subverted in that Kris is a soft-spoken nice guy who, while he will not hide his talents, never wanted to embarrass his cousin. Ash finally realizes that when he is harassed by a bully and Kris kicks that bully's ass in his cousin's defense. Furthermore, when Kris gets captured, Ash helps rescue him and impresses everyone to his own talents, allowing the kids to fully make peace and become friends. Adapted Out : Mr. Fox only has one child for most of the movie. He has four in the book. Adaptation Expansion : The book ends after the animals have made their secret tunnels to the farms while the farmers keep watch outside the hole. The movie adds another two or three parts of the battle. Though it adds more scenes the ending is still a nearly identical scenario to the original only it occurs a few scenes later.

No doubt to avoid the movie being too short. note Dahl's first draft of the book also ended with the foxes finding a supermarket to steal from, but it was rejected for being "too easy" a solution and implying it's OK to steal from shops. The movie fixes the former by sticking the book's solution partway through the movie and the latter by making the supermarket owned by the farmers. Adaptational Villainy : In the original novel, Rat was simply a scavenger who hung out in Bean's cellar filching the cider (and was a coward who Fox was able to scare off pretty easily); in this version, he's more malicious, actually being an enforcer for the three farmers. Alas, Poor Villain : In-universe example. All the animals are saddened by the death of Rat, even Fox himself (who dealt the killing blow), despite his being the traitorous head of security for farmer Bean. In fairness, Rat did manage to come to his senses at last in his few final moments when he revealed that he had turned traitor because he had become too addicted to the apple cider of Bean. Ash: He redeemed himself. Fox: Redemption? Sure.

But in the end, he's just another dead rat in the garbage pail behind a Chinese restaurant. All Girls Want Bad Boys : Partly. Though it made her regret marrying him, Felicity can't help falling for his "fantastic" wild animal nature. All There in the Manual : Fans of the book may gripe at the liberties taken with the plot, but a lot of them were in fact taken from Dahl's own manuscripts of alternative plot possibilities, which were used because the plot as published didn't extend well to feature length. Ambiguously Gay : Ash, who is called "different" (with associated wavy hand motions) by everybody around him, dresses like a girl according to Beaver's son, and is extremely fussy... and he's seen with markings that resemble eyeliner. Not to mention the grape juice "lipstick" he sports near the end of the film. Although he does seem to like Agnes.note Of course, childhood crushes are often irrelevant as far as adult sexuality goes. And dating girls is fairly typical behavior for self-denying closet gays. Besides, he only seems to show interest in Agnes after noticing her attraction to Kris, so it could be an extension of his jealousy for him.

Let's just say that one could see Ash as gay. Stan Weasel, the estate agent. His mannerisms, poses and voice seem to fit the stereotype of the slightly effeminate homosexual pretty well, not to mention the pink shirt. Animal Nemesis : The farmers' obsession with destroying the eponymous fox and the effort they put in to achieve it is simply outstanding overkill. Author Appeal : Wes Anderson shoehorned the subplot of the son and his friend to include his favorite theme of family alienation. Babies Make Everything Better : One of the central themes of the film, drives the central emotional conflict of the film. Played straighter at the very end of the film. Badass Boast : "Your tractors uprooted my tree. Your posse hunted my family. Your gunmen kidnapped my nephew. Your rat insulted my wife — and you shot off my tail. Iï¿½m not leaving here without that necktie." Subverted almost immediately afterward when the farmers' workforce replies with a hail of bullets. "Okay, nevermind, let's get out of here." Best Beer Ever : Described like Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters by the liter. Mr.

Fox: This is some of the strongest, finest alcoholic cider money can buy. It burns in your throat, boils in your stomach, and tastes almost exactly like pure melted gold. Beware the Nice Ones : Kristofferson is a soft-spoken fox kit, but if you dare bully his cousin, Ash, you are in for a world of hurt with only the mercy being attacked shoeless to avoid breaking your muzzle. The equally quiet Mrs. Fox also permanently scars her husband in a fit of anger, threatens Rat with a length of padlocked chain, and proves to be pretty handy with improvised explosives. "Con-TACT!" Be Yourself : Deconstructed. Mrs. Fox forcing her husband to not Be Himself is what kicks off the plot, and his Snap Back has fairly dramatic consequences, including her regretting their marriage. The benefit of following this trope is ambiguous. Big Bad : Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Big, Thin, Short Trio : Boggis, Bunce and Bean (One fat, one short, one lean).

Bishōnen : Kristofferson is somewhat like the fox version of this, with a tall, thin build (perfect for Waif-Fu ), light-colored fur, and a soft-spoken Celibate Hero . Bittersweet Ending : Best emphasized by Mr. Fox's toast. While earlier he was toasting to their victory, at the end he simply toasts to their survival. Of course. It's away from predators and it's within walking distance of an endless food supply, which is so massive that the meager amounts of food needed to feed everyone would easily go unnoticed. It makes perfect sense. They're actually better off than they were before with other animals considering moving in. Bratty Half-Pint : Ash is actually older than his cousin, but fits this trope to a T, at least until character development kicks in. The Cameo : Wes Anderson as Weasel, Owen Wilson as Coach Skip, Mario Batali as Chef Rabbit and Adrien Brody as Rickity the Field Mouse. In an interview, Bill Murray jokes that he also stood in for the wolf during filming. Also, when the movie won an award, Wes Anderson did an acceptance speech — in stop-motion, as Weasel .

Calvinball : Averted with Whackbat. All the rules are explained. Nevertheless, they are extremely confusing. Catchphrase : Mr Fox's trademark whistle~* clickclick* Poor Kylie tries to develop his own, but it doesn't catch on as easily. Chekhov's Gun : Subverted with Mrs. Bean. Kris comments on her poor eyesight early on, and she seems to completely miss Kris and Ash when they've snuck into her kitchen. Then she grabs the knife, her glasses, and wheels around... Played straight with Mrs. Fox's beautiful painting skills and the fiery, uber-confusing sport Whackbat . Mr. Fox fires four blueberries at the three beagles. Each eats one and drops. A bit later, Boggis eats the fourth one and also drops. The portrait in Badger's law office seems to show him during a prior career with the military, which might explain his skill with explosions, flames and burning things . The information about beagles. A small gag regarding "spring loaded" traps (which drop away from where they're triggered). A helicopter flies by early on carrying a banner that reveals the farmers own their own supermarket.

Chekhov's Skill : "Plus he knows karate." - a random observation Mr.Fox makes about Kristofferson, which obviously has some part to play later in the film. Civilized Animal : Although the animals are quite anthropomorphic, they are still wildlife. Cloudcuckoolander : Kylie is a mild case. Command Roster : Played with and one of the film's aesops, with each individual special skills highlighted, and even takes on a vaguely military overtone for the final act. Contains the obligatory My Friends... and Zoidberg . Creator Cameo : Wes Anderson himself voices Stan Weasel, the estate agent. Creepy Children Singing : Although it's only creepy in-universe. The three farmers are so infamous even among humans that children have developed a schoolyard rhyme about them. Badger, a lawyer, uses a recording of it to try to dissuade clients from buying property in their area. Cunning Like a Fox : Mr. Fox - The rest of his family have personalities distinct from this. Cultural Translation : The Americanized voices/accents on the animal characters and British voices/accents on the human characters add contrast between their two parallel societies.

Cut-and-Paste Note : The farmers and the animals each send the other side a cut and paste note, despite the fact that they already know each other's identities. They hang a lampshade by having each side ask aloud why the other did this. Food Porn : Despite the feast obviously being fabricated, it still looked delicious. Also the cider cellar in all its golden glory. Four-Fingered Hands : At least on the animals (and it looks just a bit weird). Freeze-Frame Bonus : Mr. Fox's "Fox About Town"/"Fox on the Prowl" newspaper articles. The former mentions his phobia of wolves before it's brought up. When Mr. Fox is browsing the newspaper during Kristofferson's arrival, the articles are a continuous passage from the novel. Funny Background Event : During the ambush, you can see a graffiti saying CUSS! Furry Confusion : So you have a dazzling array of talking animals who live secret human lifestyles. And then you have the actual birds which they eat. Maybe just mammals are intelligent? But then you have the farmers' dogs and horses and the wolf who looks like an actual wolf. Actually deconstructed somewhat. The plot of the film is ultimately driven by the conflict between Mr.

Fox's human lifestyle, and his fox instincts. In one scene Mr. Fox speechifies about the value of all the animals' dual identities. It's very well thought-out actually. Domesticated animals are generally less sentient in the film's universe than medium-sized wild animals, who behave the most like humans, thus the Fox family as medium-sized omnivores qualify. Large predators like the wolf are likewise more wild than anthropomorphic. Also played for laughs, particularly in the scene where Mr. Fox and Badger are arguing in the office. Don't forget his eating manners at the dinner table. This is ultimately the main theme of the movie, and Mr. Fox's inner conflict between his desire to be more like a "wild animal" and his comfortable suburban life is what drives the entire storyline. The film's catharsis comes during the scene where Mr. Fox finally learns how to make peace with his double nature through his encounter with an *actual* wild animal. Furry Reminder : While the animals are fully clothed and live in furnished apartments, they occasionally do quite animalistic things, like ravenously eating their food and growling and hissing at each other as they argue. Their dual nature is a major theme in the film.

A Glass of Chianti : Rat is sipping from a jug of hard cider when he first appears. Farmer Bean also qualifies, naturally. "What the swearing cuss?!" Hero-Tracking Failure : Of Ash, in the final confrontation at Bean Annex. Hollywood Midlife Crisis : Mr. Fox feels inadequate after becoming seven-and-a-half in human years, due to having to give up his exciting capers after settling down with his wife and son. He feels that the domestic life is keeping from satisfying his "wild" side, being an animal and all. It starts with buying a new house, then to sneaking out at night to raid from farms, and escalates from there. Humans Are the Real Monsters : Subverted. The only humans portrayed in a negative light are the three greedy and incredibly wealthy farmers, and even then, Bean is the only farmer who is really evil. Bean also has the tunnel vision, intense focus, and general demeanor of a violent alcoholic with a hair trigger. Plausible for someone who is said to live on his own hard cider. Iconic Item : Mr. Fox often wears a transistor radio clipped to one of the lower pockets of his suit jacket. Ash eventually starts wearing one of his own.

Iconic Outfit : Ash's very...odd choice of dress, consisting of all-white clothes, a cape and the pants tucked into his socks. Its strangeness is lampshaded by Mr. Fox, with Mrs. Fox handwaving it as a phase Ash is going through. (The observant will notice him reading a comic book about a superhero called White Mask in one scene (and a poster adorns his bedroom wall), so it's apparently some sort of makeshift superhero costume.) Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy : The farmers and snipers shoot away the wooden crates the gang is hiding behind until they are outlined, then Ash runs a gauntlet while they fire enough ammo at him to supply the Normandy Invasion. Improbable Food Budget : Mrs. Fox knows the pantry shouldn't be that full. Suspicion Ensues . Infant Immortality : There's not really any good reason for the farmers to keep Kris alive once they get a recording of him... but hey, they aren't totally evil. On the other hand, Kris was a prime hostage, as Mr. Fox was the one they really wanted.

And the fact that they tried to pass off a tape recording as him suggests they never intended to let him go, and would probably kill him once they had no further use. Info Drop : A more recent example would be in the movie of Fantastic Mr Fox. There is much fun had with the conversion between fox years and human years (a 6:1 ratio), though a specific year for the movie's events is never given: it can, however, be extrapolated from Ash's age, Mr. Fox's age and the years we see on a trophy (1973, in case you were wondering). Oddly enough, however, Rat's cider bottle has "Cuvée 2006" stamped on it, and one of the soundtrack's songs is titled, "Stunt Expo 2004". Supposedly, the year is left vague, even though the aesthetic would suggest some time before the 00s. Ink-Suit Actor : Technically Clay Suit Actor. Petey is directly modeled after Jarvis Cocker. Jabba Table Manners , Subverted: All of the animals eat like wild animals, but all act like civilized individuals.

Boggis, however, is a Fat Bastard and a Villainous Glutton . Just Eat Him : A weird but far more realistic example then most, as Mr. Fox tries to teach Kylie the fine art of making a clean kill.note Somewhat Truth in Television ; possums are indeed omnivorous, have quite sharp teeth, and can kill small chickens by biting the neck, but they usually target eggs and chicks because of the smaller size of their teeth and jaws. Doesn't help that Kylie is The Woobie to start with. Mr. Fox: I told you: kill it with one bite! Kylie: I'm trying! My teeth don't work like yours. Knife Nut : Rat carries a switchblade. Lampshade Hanging : Both sides comment quizzically on the notes cut out of magazines, sent to each other. Also, "I'm picking up a high-frequency radio signal with a can!" Lean and Mean : Bean. Leitmotif : A whole lot. Boggis, Bunce and Bean have the Ironic Nursery Rhyme which recurs in a whistle or a children's choir every time they're up to no good. ... or about to get their comeuppance.

There is also "Kristofferson's Theme" and "Mr. Fox in the Field", which get bonus points for having similar harmony and instruments. Musically, they reenforce the conflict between Mr. Fox, Ash - his natural son who is "different" - and Kristofferson - the son he would prefer. The whack-bat sequence gets a theme that sound's like an American highschool football band that replays during the finale. Rat. Definitely Rat. With gratuitous finger-snapping. Heck, even the trains get one. A light and cheerful fairground tune plays whenever there's a train in shot, whether it's a model or a real one in the distance. What this is supposed to represent is open to interpretation . Loveable Rogue : Mr Fox plays this archetype oh so straight. Especially when Fridge Logic kicks in. Also acts as a deconstruction, he constantly needs to be the centre of attention, disappointed if he doesn't leave others awestruck. This leads to his compulsion which nearly tears his family apart and gets them killed. 1-Dimensional Thinking : Down, until the siege. One Last Job : Narrative basis of the story, exact words used. Goes about as well as expected.

Phrase Catcher : Ash. He's... *spastic arm gesturing* different. Pre Ass Kicking One Liner : Subverted. Though Mr. Fox makes a speech to the farmers that could definitely qualify as one, it ultimately ends in him cowering in fear as they open fire on him. Mr. Fox: Your tractors uprooted my tree. Your posse hunted my family. Your gunmen kidnapped my nephew. Your rat insulted my wife... and YOU shot off my tail. I'm not leaving here without that neck-tie! Kristofferson has one before beating the cuss out of beaver's son. Beaver's Son: Why'd you take your shoes off? Kristofferson: So I don't break your nose when I kick it. Mrs. Fox has one, sotto voce, before scratching the cuss out of her husband. Mrs. Fox: I'm going to lose my temper now. Prisoner Exchange : Neither side has any intention of keeping up their end of the bargain. Product Placement : Badger has an Apple computer in his office. Psycho for Hire : Rat is employed as Bean's security guard over the cider cellar.

As he's dying, he reveals he originally took the job for the cider rather than the thrill of fighting off and catching intruders. Mr. Fox and Kylie's "I hate wolves/I hate thunder" and Ash's "I'm an athlete, you know". The bandit hats as well. The cussing. Second Face Smoke : Present if a little modified in Mr Bean's critique of a freestyle song. Shaped Like Itself : Mr. Fox tells Kylie that one of the beagles is "rabid, with rabies!" Shout-Out : One of the songs is from another animated film with foxy leads, Disney's Robin Hood . There's also nods to that other caper movie where George Clooney's character gives up his thievery to be with his wife, only to fall back into it and put everyone in danger. There's also one to Rebel Without a Cause : During one of Mr. and Mrs. Fox's arguments, Kylie appears wearing a red blanket, quoting Dean's famous speech, "You say one thing, he says another, and everybody changes back again!", only missing the infamous "You're tearing me apart!".

The shop outside which Fox and Kylie steal the motorbike is called Padington Cycles. Mr. Bean's cider press uses the same sound effects as the textile machinery in The Man in the White Suit . Mr. Fox's whistle is the same as Hawkeye Pierce's . Rat menaces Ash in the sewer by dance-walking towards him and snapping his fingers rhythmically . "Beagles love blueberries" is a fairly obvious reference to the same drugging technique in Danny, the Champion of the World , another of Dahl's books. (Pheasants love raisins.) When wielding his Luger, Mr. Bean's Pistol Pose often mimics James Bond , specifically Sean Connery's. Showdown at High Noon : Referenced in the exchange. Significant Green-Eyed Redhead : Fox is technically this because his fur is red. Smoking Is Cool : Throughout the film characters smoke which lends that neat film noir lighting in the dark effect, as well as characters drinking and referring to alcohol in a positive fashion. Sneeze of Doom : You can hear Kylie sneeze as he and Fox are sneaking up on Bunce's farm. Fortunately, Bunce, in the security room, can't.

Stacy's Mom : Mrs. Fox is apparently this in-universe for the animal characters. And a prominent few of the viewers. Stealth Pun : Fox steps on a box of soap for a toast. As they dig down into the earth to flee the farmers, Mr. Fox attempts to apologize to Ash, only to ruin it when he starts praising Kristofferson's efforts. He is literally and figuratively digging himself deeper. The Stoic : Boggis and Bunce, especially Bunce, whose sour expression never changes once. Bean tries to be like this, but he has a violent temper that comes out more than once. Stylistic Suck : Yes and no. The visuals aren't meant to look "bad" so much as "amateurish." The characters are designed in a way that allows for visible chatternote Stop Motion speak for something (usually dust or fabric) appearing to jitter when it's been accidentally moved between frames and the sets and special effects are dressed to emphasize their artificiality. Supreme Chef : Rabbit, voiced by Mario Batali. Take Me Instead : Mr.

Fox at first decides to hand himself in to save the others — until he hears his son, who is being kidnapped by Rat, cry for help. Tall, Dark and Snarky : Rat seems to consider himself this, though how much the third requirement actually applies is questionable. ◊ . Terrible Trio : Boggis, Bunce and Bean (the ultimate Big, Thin, Short Trio ) are played like this, with Bean being the Big Bad , and Boggis and Bunce his sidekicks. Time Skip : The intro is two years (twelve fox years) before the rest of the film. Title Drop : "I think I have this thing where I need to have everyone think I'm the greatest... the quote unquote 'Fantastic Mr. Fox.'" Dropped again at the end by Felicity. Too Dumb to Live : Mr. Fox gets carried away sometimes. Examining the anti-fox trap the farmer's set up? Trying to make friends with the rabid dog, after your companions have already gotten away? Edging into this trope. Trademark Favorite Food : Boggis - chicken; Bunce - homemade doughnuts with smashed up goose livers injected into them; Bean - strong alcoholic apple cider.

Trailers Always Spoil : The trailer shows off pretty much the entire ending in the supermarket. Verbal Tic : Fox tries to force one. Villainous Breakdown : Bean's response to finding out the animals had managed to rob all three farmers blind when the farmers thought they had them on the ropes. Villainous Glutton : All three farmers, but especially Boggis, who eats three chickens for every square meal of the day (plus dessert). Villain's Dying Grace : Rat's last action is to reveal where Kristofferson is being held. "The Villain Sucks" Song : The movie has two. The one that is also the page quote is taken from the book as a nursery rhyme. The other is sung by Petey during a montage of Fox and the other animals committing a mass theft of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean's storerooms. Bean even berates Petey on the second occasion... for making it up as he goes along . Visual Pun : When Mr. Fox says his wife is positively glowing, he means it. He also steps on a metaphorical soap box at the end, which happens to actually contain soap.

Walking Shirtless Scene : Ash spends a fair part of the movie walking around in his underwear. Walk Through The Camera : Bean does this when he has a temper tantrum and trashes the inside of the trailer. "Well Done, Son!" Guy : Ash in relation to his father. Whole Costume Reference : Mr. Fox's suit was designed after and made from the actual material of one of Wes Anderson's own suit. Wholesome Crossdresser : Ash enjoys wearing a feminine wool sweater and a lacy cape. Wingding Eyes : Kylie's eyes will change to spirals when he zones out. When the dogs and Boggis pass out (or something like it), their eyes turn into asterisks. The dead poultry and Rat have X's for eyes. X-Ray Sparks : Played for Laughs with Kylie and Mr. Fox, whose skeletons show through when they climb the electric fence. Played lethally serious with Rat during his fight with Mr. Fox in the underground transformer room. You Monster! : Bean's described as the worst of the farmers. Badger: He's as skinny as a pencil, as smart as a whip, and possibly the scariest man currently living.

:: Indexes :: Fantastic Mr Fox - Roald Dahl Roald Dahl Published in 1970 Synopsis Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox features three horrid farmers - Boggis, Bunce and Bean - who really hate cunning Mr Fox... Background Background Three horrid farmers - Boggis, Bunce and Bean - hate cunning Mr Fox, who outwits them at every turn. But poor Mr Fox and his friends don't realise how determined the farmers are to get them... Roald Dahl lived with his family in Great Missenden, a village in Buckinghamshire, UK. Their house was surrounded by fields and woods. As a passionate lover of the countryside, there was one particular tree - known locally as "the witches tree" - that sat on the lane near the Dahl home and came to inspire one of Roald's own favourite stories: Fantastic Mr Fox. The "witches tree" was a large, 150-year-old beech. Sadly the tree is no longer standing but when his children were growing up Roald always used to tell them that it was where Mr Fox and his family lived, in a hole beneath the trunk, just as the Fox family do in the story.

Published in 1970, the story of Mr Fox and his feud with Boggis, Bunce and Bean has gone on to inspire many other artists, including a 1998 operatic version of the story composed by Tobias Picker to a libretto by Donald Sturrock, and a critically acclaimed stop-motion film directed by Wes Anderson featuring the voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep. During the making of the film version of Fantastic Mr Fox, Wes Anderson returned to the Great Missenden countryside that had inspired the original story, staying with Roald's widow Felicity "Liccy" Dahl while he wrote the screenplay. In the original book Mr and Mrs Fox don't have first names, but in his version Wes gave Mrs Fox the name Felicity. Much of the film's art direction was inspired by the house and gardens where Roald had lived, and many of the scenes you will see in the finished film are based on places in the area including local pub The Nags Head, previously frequented by Roald himself. Find out more about the period in Roald Dahl's life during which Fantastic Mr Fox was published Fantastic Mr.

Fox | Teaching Children Philosophy By Roald Dahl, Puffin Books Summary When Mr Fox needs to feed his family, he usually just raids the storehouses of one of his vile neighbors, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. All three were farmers, and all were particularly nasty and mean people. But when Boggis, Bunce and Bean finally get fed up with Mr Fox stealing their chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys, they decide that Mr Fox, and anyone who happens to be in the way, must be destroyed. But no matter what they do, how much they obsess, or how much damage they do, that clever Mr Fox seems to be able to stay one step ahead. Guidelines for Philosophical Discussion By Jayme Johnson Fantastic Mr Fox is a thrilling story of one brave father fox's attempts to keep his family safe and fed. Unfortunately for Mr. Fox, providing both food and safety seem to run headlong into each other when Mr. Fox's food sources--the three meanest nastiest farmers around--decide that they will literally move mountains to see Mr. Fox and his family killed. What makes this such a good story for philosophical discussion is that it creates a wonderful scenario for a thought experiment.

The nature of the thought experiment is to test our ethical intuitions, to see what motivates us in making moral judgements. To lay out this thought experiment we begin with the facts as presented in the story. The salient facts are as follows: Boggis, Bunce and Bean each earn their living by farming in the ways that they do. Whether it be poultry or cider, growing and producing these goods is their livelihood. Another fact about them is that they are all three vile and nasty people. A fact about Mr. Fox is that he must eat, and feed his family. Another fact is that his source of food comes from what he steals from Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. The three farmers are enraged with the fact Mr. Fox steals from them and decide to kill him at all cost. Mr. Fox manages to continue stealing from them, and even comes up with new and better ways to rob them while they are distracted by their obsession with destroying him. Explained in this way, the story sounds like one in which Mr. Fox is a career criminal thief, and even though Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are mean, they are being victimized nonetheless. Perhaps being constantly stolen from makes them mean!

But that is not the feeling that the reader comes away with from the story whatsoever. In fact, as the story is told, Mr. Fox is a brave and clever hero, who is somehow right and good for stealing from the three farmers. How can this be? The answer seems to have something to do with our moral intuitions. Our intuitions tell us that Mr. Fox should steal to feed his family. And when the three farmers are intent on killing Mr. Fox and his family, we as the reader want them to escape, and want for them to be well. But our intuitions seem to betray us. For they also tell us that it is wrong to steal things from others. So how can Mr. Fox be both morally right and morally wrong every time he steals from the farmers? This seems like a practical, if not logical contradiction. So how do we resolve this? We ask ourselves two questions: Why, in general, do we seem collectively to believe that it is wrong to steal? What about what Mr. Fox does makes it seem to us as if he is doing something right here? This problem is alluded to in the book, in the chapter entitled Badger has Doubts. When Badger asks Mr.

Fox is all this stealing doesn't bother him, he is worried that what they are doing is wrong. Mr. Fox's reply was to point out that anyone would steal food whose kids were starving to death, and that presently, the three farmers were destroying both of their homes and threatening the lives of their own children, and many other families lives as well. So if they were stealing, it was from murderous creeps, and for a good cause. Who wouldn't do the same? Hence, a starting point for the discussion our moral intuitions might begin with Mr. Fox's own declared attempt to justify his behavior. Questions for Philosophical Discussion By Jayme Johnson Mr. Fox steals food from Boggis, Bunce, and Bean to feed himself and his family Were you taught that it is always wrong to steal? What are the reasons for thinking that it is always wrong to steal? Is it wrong for Mr. Fox to steal? Why or why not? Does the fact that he steals food so that his children will not starve somehow make it better, or "less wrong?" Why or why not? Do you think that there was a better way for Mr. Fox to feed his family, one that didn't involve stealing?

If so, should Mr. Fox have done that instead? Boggis, Bunce, and Bean vow to destroy Mr. Fox at all costs. In the process of trying to kill Mr. Fox, the farmers destroy the entire hill he lives in. How does this harm others? Did the farmers mean to hurt others? Is it wrong for the farmers to want to kill Mr. Fox? How about his family? How about all the others harmed, was it wrong to harm them? Why or why not? Did the three farmers think about the consequences of their actions? What were the consequences? Make a list. Do you think the farmers will ever catch Mr. Fox? Why or why not? Do you think that it would be good if Mr. Fox never got caught? Why? As a result of having to dig deeper into the ground, Mr. Fox, and his friends dig tunnels to the food cellars of each of the farmers, and steal lots and lots of things. Badger begins to have doubts about the heist. Why is Badger worried? Why does he think they might be doing something wrong by stealing all of that food? What is Mr. Fox's response to Badger? Do you agree with Mr. Fox's response?

Why or why not? Is there any other reason to think that the heist was morally ok? What are the farmers doing while the animals are stealing all of their food? The animals have a feast. Is it right for all the animals to eat the food that was stolen from the three farmers? Was the feast a good thing? Why do you think so? Why might it not be a good thing? Did the farmers owe the animals the food for destroying their homes? Why or why not? Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wood) Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wood) Adapted for the stage by David Wood From the book by Roald Dahl Roald Dahl’s much-loved story follows the vain attempts of three farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, one fat, one short, one lean, to get rid of the fox who regularly steals food from their farms.

More Information Below: Minimum Fee: $75 per performance Mandatory Music/Media Fee: $25 per performance Adaptations (Literature), Theatre for Young Audiences 60 minutes (1 hour) Adult, Children (Age 6 - 10), Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18) PERFORMANCE GROUP Jr High/Primary, High School/Secondary, College Theatre / Student, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Youth/Camp Programs Roald Dahl’s much-loved story follows the vain attempts of three farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, one fat, one short, one lean, to get rid of the fox who regularly steals food from their farms. They try to kill him by any means possible. Outwitted at every turn, the farmer’s ploys backfire. Fantastic Mr. Fox devises a plan which will ensure full stomachs for not only his family, but all his friends, who celebrate with a sumptuous feast. REVIEWS "Another excellent adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic by David Wood...

designed to capture fertile imaginations with its appealing storyline and simple language, no wonder it is a hit." - The Stage "This is a fantastic show to be enjoyed by kids of all ages." - The Coventry Telegraph Commissioned by the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fantastic Mr. Fox was first performed there in 2001. Characters Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox from Dave On Film by Dave Taylor In a world of children’s films increasingly characterized by technological accomplishment and sophisticated rendering in lieu of good old-fashioned storytelling, it was a breath of fresh air to enjoy the stop-motion Fantastic Mr. Fox. Tapping the considerable voice talents of George Clooney (Mr. Fox), Meryl Streep (Mrs. Fox), Bill Murray (Badger), Michael Gambon (Franklin Bean), Owen Wilson (Coach Skip), Willem Dafoe (Rat) and Jason Schwartzman (Ash), director Wes Anderson has managed to take the quirky children’s story of the same name (by the talented Roald Dahl) and craft an engaging movie that is simultaneously edgy and delightful. Like Where the Wild Things Are, the story of Fantastic Mr. Fox is deceptively lightweight: Mr.

Fox, upon learning his wife is pregnant, swears off mischief and thievery, but in a sort of vulpes version of a mid-life crisis, later can’t resist the urge to pull off one more great caper. His nemesis? The three farmers across the valley, Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Boggis (voiced by Robin Hurlstone) runs a chicken farm, Bunce (Hug Guinness) has a pig farm and Bean (Gambon) has a turkey farm and apple orchard, the latter of which he uses to produce hundreds of gallons of alcoholic cider. They are perfect targets for the sly and savvy Mr. Fox with his incessant plans. What he doesn’t plan on is their aggressive response to the thefts… Adding to the mix, Mr. Fox’s brother is suffering from double pnemonia and nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson) comes to stay with them, pushing out their son Ash (Schwartzman), who acutely feels his inability to measure up to the talents and mystique of his cousin. I wasn’t entirely sure I liked Fantastic Mr.

Fox when I first walked out of the theater, but it grew on me as I thought more about the story and how Anderson has turned a children’s book into a film about finding yourself and your true purpose in life. A bit edgy and not without its moments of adult language and dialog, it’s an interesting addition to the Christmas movie mix and worth seeing, though perhaps not for the youngest in your family. The book itself starts thusly: “Down in the valley there were three farms. The owners of these farms had done well. They were rich men. They were also nasty men. All three of themwere about as nasty and mean as any men you could meet. Their names were Farmer Boggis, Farmer Bunce and Farmer Bean.” In fact, the children in Mr. Fox’s neighborhood had created a rhyme: “Boggis and Bunce and Bean, one fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks, so different in looks, were nonetheless equally mean.” They are the perfect foil for the sly Mr. Fox. Kristofferson (left, a silver fox) and Ash pull off their own caper in Fantastic Mr.

Fox Characteristic of Dahl’s work (he also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, among others), there’s a dark shadow that flits throughout the story, offering up surprisingly adult moments, characters that cuss when they get frustrated, a strained relationship between the self-absorbed Mr. Fox and his son Ash, and even foxes killing chickens (just barely off-camera). I enjoyed it, but was surprised more than once at the language and tone, though it might well pass most children without them realizing what had transpired. One of my favorite characters, hands down, was Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe). The Bean cider storeroom guard, I was delighted at the cheesy spaghetti western theme music that accompanied his introduction in the story. Very much the feel of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, and Dafoe has just the right edge to his voice here to pull it off, even when he’s snapping his fingers and acting for all purposes like a member of the Jets gang from West Side Story. In a dialog that’s held in so many families as the parents begin to face their mortality, at one point Mr. and Mrs.

Fox talk about his urge to pull off a caper as a way to reinvigorate his life, even if it brings great danger to the entire family in the form of retaliation by the mean farmers: Mrs. Fox: “This story is too predictable.” Mr. Fox: “What happens in the end?” Mrs. Fox: “We all die unless you change your ways.” Ultimately the film ends with Mr. Fox lifting his glass at a banquet with all of his animal friends: “let’s drink a toast to… our survival.” And indeed, perhaps that’s all we can ask in the face of a hostile world. For a children’s film to have this existential subtext is remarkable, and if you’re looking for something with a terrific visual style, witty visuals and dialog, and a story that operates at a number of levels, I’ll recommend you check out Fantastic Mr. Fox. If you’re going to bring children along, an investment in reading the book to them first might greatly help younger ones understand what’s going on too. Related Fantastic furry fun in 'Mr.

Fox' - Boulder Weekly 0 Dave Taylor In a world of children’s films increasingly characterized by technological accomplishment and sophisticated rendering in lieu of good old-fashioned storytelling, it was a breath of fresh air to enjoy the stop-motion Fantastic Mr. Fox. Tapping the considerable voice talents of George Clooney (Mr. Fox), Meryl Streep (Mrs. Fox), Bill Murray (Badger), Michael Gambon (Franklin Bean), Owen Wilson (Coach Skip), Willem Dafoe (Rat) and Jason Schwartzman (Ash), director Wes Anderson has taken a quirky children’s story written by Roald Dahl and craft an engaging movie that is simultaneously edgy and delightful. Like Where the Wild Things Are, the story of Fantastic Mr. Fox is deceptively lightweight: Mr. Fox, upon learning his wife is pregnant, swears off mischief and thievery, but in a sort of vulpes version of a mid-life crisis, later can’t resist the urge to pull off one more great caper. His nemesis? The three farmers across the valley, Boggis, Bunce and Bean.

Boggis (voiced by Robin Hurlstone) runs a chicken farm, Bunce (Hug Guinness) has a pig farm and Bean (Gambon) has a turkey farm and apple orchard, the latter of which he uses to produce hundreds of gallons of alcoholic cider. They are perfect targets for the sly and savvy Mr. Fox with his incessant plans. What he doesn’t plan on is their aggressive response to the thefts. Adding to the mix, Mr. Fox’s brother is suffering from double pneumonia and nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson) comes to stay with them, pushing out their son Ash (Schwartzman), who acutely feels his inability to measure up to the talents and mystique of his cousin. Characteristic of Dahl’s work (he also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach), there’s a dark shadow that flits throughout the story, offering up surprisingly adult moments, characters that cuss when they get frustrated, a strained relationship between the self-absorbed Mr. Fox and his son Ash, and even foxes killing chickens (just barely off-camera).

I enjoyed it, but was surprised more than once at the language and tone, though it might well pass most children without them realizing what had transpired. One of my favorite characters was Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe). The Bean cider storeroom guard, his introduction in the story was accompanied by cheesy spaghetti western theme music. It’s very much The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, and Dafoe has just the right edge to his voice here to pull it off, even when he’s snapping his fingers and acting for all purposes like a member of the Jets from West Side Story. In a dialog that’s oft-repeated, Mr. and Mrs. Fox talk about his urge to pull off a caper as a way to reinvigorate his life, even if it brings great danger to the entire family in the form of retaliation by the mean farmers: Mrs. Fox: “This story is too predictable.” Mr. Fox: “What happens in the end?” Mrs. Fox: “We all die unless you change your ways.” Ultimately the film ends with Mr.

Fox lifting his glass at a banquet with all of his animal friends: “Let’s drink a toast to … our survival.” And indeed, perhaps that’s all we can ask in the face of a hostile world. For a children’s film to have this existential subtext is remarkable, and if you’re looking for something with a terrific visual style, witty visuals and dialog, and a story that operates at a number of levels, I’ll recommend you check out Fantastic Mr. Fox. If you’re going to bring children along, an investment in reading the book to them first might greatly help younger ones understand what’s going on too. Our rating: Four stars (out of four) SHARE

Question: Who was the nemesis of farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean?
Answer: Fantastic Mr Fox