Faline



Faline is a female deer in Felix Salten's novel Bambi, A Life in the Woods and its sequel, Bambi's Children as well as in the Walt Disney movies Bambi and Bambi II based on the book. Her mother is Ena. First shown as a fawn and later as an adult doe, Faline's role is as Bambi's friend and later mate.

Faline was featured as a guest in House of Mouse.

Bambi, A Life in the Woods
Faline, sister to twin fawn Gobo, showed considerably less personality than in the animated movies despite an extended role. There was little to indicate romantic ideas in her behavior as a fawn, and when she and Bambi were grown up it was Bambi, not Faline, who was the pursuer and dominant figure in their romance. Also, in the book, they separated shortly after mating much as real deer do. She was last seen toward the end of the book, old and grey.

Faline and Gobo were also Bambi's cousins in the book, as it states that Aunt Ena is Bambi's mother's sister. Walt Disney did not include this in the original movie because it would have been incest when Faline gave birth to Bambi's twins.

Bambi's Children
Faline plays a much larger role in this sequel to Bambi, A Life in the Woods, being the mother to Bambi's twin fawns, Geno and Gurri. At this point in the storyline, Bambi has assumed his role as leader of the herd, and his family is known as the "First Family". Bambi's Children is more stiffly written, and the characters come across that way as well, dialogue and actions being more formal than in the earlier book. Faline worries about her fawns, but is willing to give them the independence needed to learn how to survive as adults. She is still frightened of elk, can be harsh in her emotions and stubborn, but is big-hearted as well as she adopts two orphaned buck fawns.

Bambi
Faline is about Bambi's age, give or take a week or two, but in both movies her personality is considerably more mature than his (granted, her first appearance is the exception that makes the rule). It is she who always makes the first move, whether in mere play (as a fawn) or in pursuits romantic (as an adult). The way this is so, however, shifts as she grows older. When they first meet, she comes across as a wild, giggly little girl, an image which puts Bambi on the run until he finally manages to get a lock on her location after she steals one kiss too many from him.That angers and disgusts Bambi and after that, she's the one running.

When we see her next, again in the first movie, she is a fully grown and very attractive doe and has progressed to the point where she makes her moves with what comes across as a thoroughly deliberated strategy, with the possible implaction that she had been watching Bambi for some time, waiting for the perfect moment to make her approach.

The lighter coloring she showed as a fawn is back and (predictably) she still has Bambi on the run. Luck and love are with her though, and this time she finally manages to catch him. Although she appears dependent on him, with Bambi rescuing her from both an unwanted suitor and hunting dogs, she does have a degree of resourcefulness, as shown by her rock climbing to escape the dogs and the fact that she made her way to a safe place after the fire. Here we see her awaiting Bambi anxiously.

The only time we see her looking truly calm is when she is seen at the end of Bambi with her and Bambi's twin fawns. It has been postulated that this was because, as she was now a mother, Walt and the animators decided it was only suitable that she be shown in the traditional image (for that time period) of one.

Bambi II
Faline's overall image is somewhat different in Bambi II. For one thing, she has slightly darker coloring (she went back to lighter coloring when she grew up).She still has a huge crush on Bambi and even surprises him ,making him touch his nose on her's. The darker coloration would seem to go with the idea of her edge in maturity over Bambi, although this is contrasted by the fact that she is the only fawn who doesn't lose her spots in the course of the movie. She seems to have settled down a bit. She still giggles, but not so wildly as before. Furthermore, she is at a rather independent stage. In an attempt to placate Ronno and possibly spend more time with Bambi, she suggests to Ronno 'yeah, maybe you should get going'. She makes a face at Bambi's attempt at a growl (Bambi was trying to ward off Ronno). The attempt at a growl, according to most viewers, sounds like a bleating lamb, which is probably why it was not very successful for intimidation. That is not enough, however, to alter her preferences; she still clearly prefers Bambi's company to Ronno's. Unfortunately, Ronno pays little mind to what Faline thinks, and when he tries to force her to go with him Faline tries to stand up for herself, unlike a similar event in the first movie, when she immediately called to Bambi for help. It is hard to say who is most surprised in this movie when Bambi tells Ronno to leave Faline alone: Faline, Ronno, or Bambi himself.

Unlike in the first movie Faline makes no attempt to steal a kiss from Bambi. However, as her luck would have it, she doesn't need to this time. A grumpy porcupine with a grudge against Bambi takes his revenge by pricking Bambi in the hind legs, making Bambi leap forward and accidentally engaging Faline in a kiss (standing face to face). After a few moments of stunned silence,Faline gives a quike smile. Bambi stumbles backwards, stuttering uncontrollably and not knowing what to say.(leaving viewers to decide his exact opinion of the incident), whereas Faline unsuccessfully tries with limited success to suppress facial expressions of silent joy, moving her head close to her body and smiling with her eyes closed, treasuring the incident. They then look lovingly (smiling) at each other Faline moves her head little closer at Bambi getting the chance of touching his nose. But Ronno interrupts the scene (Bambi and Faline still standing close to each other).

When Thumper complains that Bambi never has time for his friends anymore, now that he is busy spending time with his father, Faline's .Her heartfelt opinion of the matter is, "Yeah. Isn't it wonderful?".While talking, Faline smiles her eyes opening closing and stop almost closed, showing that her crush on Bambi increased after the kiss