Courtesy of Warner Bros

October 23, 2024

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’: Fall, Masculinity and Family

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A landscape dominated by rich oranges, yellows and browns has made its annual return, and my fixation on Wes Anderon’s Fantastic Mr. Fox has come with it once again. In the past four years, I have likely watched the stop-motion masterpiece over a dozen times, having never grown tired of the gorgeous frames or the dry humor delivered flawlessly by the star-studded cast of voice actors (the ensemble includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson and Willem Dafoe). In honor of the 15th anniversary of the film’s release, I rewatched Fantastic Mr. Fox again, focusing on its brilliant portrayal of existentialism, masculinity and family.

The film opens with a wide shot of the title character, Mr. Fox, waiting on a small hill. Warm oranges dominate his character as well as the surrounding countryside.  He listens to “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” on the portable radio strapped to his hip. Though the song only plays briefly, Davy Crockett represents an image that Mr. Fox aspires to emulate. The folk hero has long been an archetype of traditional masculinity. Crockett achieved fame as a member of Congress, soldier, storyteller and “King of the Wild Frontier.” Mr. Fox hopes to establish his own legacy of greatness through his skills in stealing food from the humans in the area. However, in his pursuit, Mr. Fox engages in toxic behavior that threatens the safety and comfort of those around him.

After his wife meets him atop the hill, the two set off toward a nearby farm, eager to loot the squab coop inside. Along the way, Mr. Fox asks his wife for input on how they should proceed with their scheme. When she gives her opinion, he supports the opposing view. He has already decided upon his course of action, asking merely for the appearance of valuing her input. Later, against the advice of Mrs. Fox, Mr. Fox recklessly tests a trap set by the farmers. In the moment of vulnerability, Mrs. Fox confesses that she is pregnant. Mr. Fox responds to her with gritted teeth and wide eyes. In the wake of the revelation, Mrs. Fox begs that Mr. Fox find a safer way of earning a living to ensure the stability of the new family, to which he reluctantly agrees. In only three and a half minutes, Mr. Fox has been characterized as a risk-taking and subtly controlling husband unsure of how he will adjust to a life of fatherhood. Throughout the rest of the film, Anderson masterfully depicts the damage caused by these flaws and Mr. Fox’s toxic masculinity.

The film flashes forward twelve “fox-years” into the future. Though the film still embraces autumn browns and oranges, the sky has adopted a dull gray color. Mr. Fox has entered into the “autumn” of his life, with his physical growth coming to a halt and his decay likely to come shortly. He has become a newspaper columnist, living with Mrs. Fox and their son Ash in a humble hole. Having grown older and unsatisfied with his life, Mr. Fox enters into a midlife existential crisis. He asks Mrs. Fox if anybody reads his column, reflecting his desperate wish to be recognized for his work. He also harbors insecurities about his class status, wanting to move into a more lavish home. Mr. Fox attempts to assuage his insecurities by purchasing an expensive tree for his family to live in. He does so against the advice of his attorney, who warns him that he can not comfortably afford the purchase and that the tree is located close to three humans (Boggis, Bunce and Bean) who have been known to target animals. Despite the warnings, Mr. Fox proceeds with the purchase of the home. In this instance, Mr. Fox displays his wish to fulfill aesthetic commitments to masculinity. He wishes to own a home that makes him feel richer and like more of a provider for his wife and son, even though the home places them in economic and physical danger.

Mr. Fox’s toxic reflection of masculinity also impacts the mental health of his wife and son. Mrs. Fox paints landscapes throughout the film, many of which contain bolts of lightning in otherwise calm scenes. These bolts represent her view of Mr. Fox as an unpredictable and dangerous part of her life, ready to create chaos at any moment. The arrival of Kristofferson, Mrs. Fox’s nephew, emphasizes the insecurities Ash has developed as a result of a lack of his father’s approval. Ash lacks many of the traits associated with traditional masculinity; he is short, unathletic and outwardly emotional. His cousin Kristofferson, on the other hand, is naturally athletic, tall and adept at physical combat. Mr. Fox frequently praises Kristofferson’s skills while ignoring Ash’s numerous cries for approval. Through his irresponsible parenting, Mr. Fox has risked passing on his problems of insecurity and toxicity to his son. This accurately parallels the real life phenomenon of harmful expectations of masculinity being passed down through male members of a family. It should be noted that Kristofferson represents a positive embodiment of masculinity. Unlike Mr. Fox, Kristofferson acts in a thoughtful, kind and restrained manner, and he constantly considers the needs of those around him. 

When Mr. Fox returns to stealing from nearby humans to distract himself from his existential crisis, the humans symbolically emasculate Mr. Fox by shooting off and taking his tail. The emasculation reflects that when men embrace harmful behaviors or toxic masculinity, they endanger their self-conception, safety, and desires. When isolated men find themselves in this fragile state, it can often result in a positive feedback loop of toxic behavior. As the humans force the countryside animals into the subterranean sewer system, Mr. Fox comes face to face with the consequences of his decision-making. The other animals have been left starving and homeless for days while hiding out beneath the surface. 

Despite the damage Mr. Fox creates, Wes Anderson convincingly ends the story on a hopeful note. After recognizing his own insecurities and the damage he has caused, Mr. Fox begins a journey of true growth. Along the way, Mr. Fox makes amends with his wife and son, promising to be a better husband and father in the future. In many ways, Mr. Fox returns to the position he found himself in at the beginning of the film: he and his family find a new hole underground to live in. Through his development, however, Mr. Fox no longer feels “poor” in this position — he instead realizes he only needs his loved ones to live a meaningful, “fantastic” life. 

15 years down the line, Fantastic Mr. Fox offers a cautionary tale especially relevant to the young men of the present. Societal changes have left many men in crisis, unsure of their place in a changing role. As a result, some have chosen to embrace toxic rhetoric spewed by commentators like Andrew Tate. But, as seen with Mr. Fox, such mentalities simply lead to increased harm to the individual and those around them. 

Matthew Rentezelas is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at [email protected].