It's So Nice to Have a Wolf Around the House (1979)

Paul Fierlinger has been a professional independent animator since 1958, when he made his first TV commercial in Prague. Since then he has produced roughly 1000 films of varying lengths, including the Teeny Little Super Guy series for Sesame Street. He received an Oscar nomination in 1979 for his short, It's So Nice to Have a Wolf Around the House.



This animated film is based on a novella by Harry Allard.



The wolf in this tale is a fully humanized character. He has made some grave mistakes in his life that have put him on the wrong side of the law. An old man advertises for a companion to take care of his animals and is answered by a fuzzy stranger named Cuthbert Devine. The wolf behaves well and becomes a trusted friend. Then comes the revelation of the wolf's criminal past through an article in the newspaper. The wolf is devastated.
It's a nice tale about racial and unfair prejudice. The story is humorous but I find the message about the redemption through good works a bit too do goody.

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