A Case of Spring Fever

A Case of Spring Fever is a 1940 American short industrial film produced by the Jam Handy Organization for Chevrolet. The black-and-white film is partially animated, partially live-action. It follows the story of Gilbert, a man whose wish that he never sees a spring again is granted by Coily the Spring Sprite, who makes springs vanish.[2]

A Case of Spring Fever
Full film
Production
companies
Release date
1940
Running time
8:15[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Mrs. Willoughby confirms that her husband, Gilbert, cannot join his friends as he is repairing their sofa. He wishes to never see another spring again, and his wish is granted by Coily the Spring Sprite. Gilbert cannot effectively use his pocketwatch; his blind; his telephone; his door; or his car. Whenever he tries to use something that requires a spring, Coily shouts "No springs!" and laughs. Coily agrees to take back Gilbert's wish, and the latter is able to repair his sofa and then head out with his friends. While they play golf, he explains the science and uses of springs, spring action, and elasticity to his friends. He continues to talk about springs as they drive home, boring them. In exasperation, a friend starts to wish that he never sees another spring again, but Gilbert stops him. Coily reappears, and laughs.[3]

Analysis

Though a documentary, A Case of Spring Fever eschews some features typical of the genre, instead dramatizing its events and introducing a supernatural character. It also has a parodic or mockumentary character; Gilbert is a comic figure who is infantilized by his wife and subsequently bores his friends. Nonetheless, Gilbert's claims about springs are presented as factual. For Donald Levin, "the film's use of the codes and conventions of the documentary work to increase our understanding about our shared social world, and at the same time critique and parody Gilbert's (and, by extension, its own) attempt to communicate that understanding".[3]

Legacy

A Case of Spring Fever was parodied in "Bart the Lover", a season three episode of The Simpsons, in which an educational film about zinc includes a supernatural being who makes all zinc disappear.[2] The film was also the subject of mockery in the 12th episode of the tenth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 alongside the 1976 horror film Squirm. Chris Morgan called the short film "a worthy choice for the final short [featured on Mystery Science Theatre 3000], a strange film with an even stranger premise".[4]

References
  1. "A Case Of Spring Fever (1940) Theatrical Cartoon". The Big Cartoon DataBase. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. Oakes, Brian (2010). "Building films for business: Jamison Handy and the industrial animation of the Jam Handy Organization". Film History. 22 (1): 95–107. doi:10.2979/fil.2010.22.1.95.
  3. Levin, Donald (2006). "Reconstructing reality: The industrial film as faux documentary". In Rhodes, Gary D.; Parris Springer, John (eds.). Docufictions: Essays on the INtersection of Documentary and Fictional Filmmaking. McFarland. pp. 88–101.
  4. Morgan, Chris (2015). The Comic Galaxy of Mystery Science Theater 3000: Twelve Classic Episodes and the Movies They Lampoon. McFarland. pp. 157–8.

Further reading
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