Rusty Hammond

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April 8, 2010

Rusty Hammond - Movies about dogs

---- ---- The Randolph Guide Thu Apr 08, 2010, 04:28 PM EDT

We Americans just love dogs and small boys. Put them together and you usually have a winning combination.

There are some excellent Boy And His Dog films, starting with My Dog Skip (2000). Frankie Muniz of TV’s Malcolm in The Middle is the small boy and Skip is a series of engaging Jack Russell terriers.

Skip was penned by Mississippian Willie Morris and the story perfectly captures the early 40s in the Deep South. A highlight is Skip’s frenzied reaction to any mention of Adolph Hitler. This film is a real charmer.

Old Yeller (1957) is the Disney version of A Boy And His Dog and though it had been around for many years, it s popularity remains high with kids and adults. Tommy Kirk (who has probably grown up by now) is the kid and Dorothy McGuire and Fess Parker are his parents.

The boy becomes attached to a yellow hunting dog and the feeling is decidedly mutual. Excellent depiction of Texas just after the Civil War and fine story of loyalty and friendship.

Brandon DeWilde is the kid in Goodbye, My Lady (1956) also set in the South. Walter Brennan is good as the grumpy but loveable older guy. Sidney Poitier and comedian Phil Harris complete an unusual but fine cast. The basenji dog of the title brings joy to all in this tear jerker.

Benji (1974) is now over 25 years old but still high on the list of reviewers who like doggie movies. This little ragmop dog is so cute he elicits immediate “aws” and the story is a good one. The dog saves two small children from kidnappers and manages a joke or two on the way. There are two sequels to Benji and neither is within miles of the quality of the original. But they are definitely OK for kids who like this sort of thing.

There are loads of good Lassie movies but the best one in this genre is Lassie (1994). The boy in this film (Thomas Guiry) is a troubled teenager whose family moves to the farm to try to straighten out their lives. The reluctant boy is brought around slowly and believably by the love of a collie dog. Richard Farnsworth and Helen Slater are among the other fine cast members.

Shiloh (1997) is really not up the the standard of the other films above, but small children love it.

All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are suitable for all ages. Littlies love them but so will grownups (mostly)!

Rusty Hammond has been writing the Mr. Movie column since 1996. It appears in several newspapers in North Carolina.

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