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THE SHAGGY DOG (1959)
Walt Disney Studios were the industry giants of animation during the 1940's, 50's & 60"s, but it took a while before they made an impression with live action comedy and one of their first offerings was a minor classic from 1959 called The Shaggy Dog.
This was the story of Wilby Daniels (Tommy Kirk), a nerdy 50's teen who is competing with his greasy best pal Buzz (Tim Considine) for the attentions of pretty Allison (Annette Funicello) but find themselves distracted when a college professor (Alexander Scourby) moves in across the street with his pretty young daughter, Franceska (Roberta Shore) who owns a rare Egyptian sheepdog she calls Chiffon. The dog is inexplicably attracted to Wilby and not long after, Wilby has an encounter with a dotty Professor (Cecil Kellaway) which finds Wilby in possession of an ancient ring that, after Wilby repeats a certain Latin phrase, turns Wilby into Chiffon, though he still has the ability to speak.
The story is complicated by Wilby's father, Wilson Daniels (Fred MacMurray), a mailman who, for obvious reasons, can't stand dogs and actually thinks he's allergic to them, even though he's not. Every time Wilson thinks there's a dog within a hundred miles, he starts breaking into imaginary hives and has refused the numerous requests of Wilby's little brother, Moochie (Kevin Corcoran) to have a dog as a pet.
Of course, the spell under which Wilby has fallen has temporary effects which find him changing from boy to sheepdog and back again at the most inopportune moments, most notably, during a dance where he is trying to impress Allison and in the presence of Franceska's father when it is revealed that he is actually a spy.
Yes, long before Disney Pixar was even a concept, Disney was able to mount a multi-layered story that, if the truth be told, the intended demographic probably didn't even notice. I'm pretty sure kids didn't notice the convoluted love triangle between Wilby, Buzz, Allison, and Franceska and the only part of the spy story that had them paying attention was when Wilby the dog is actually driving a car chasing the bad guys. I actually think my favorite subplot of the story is that Moochie is thrilled when he learns his older brother is a dog and works very hard to try to keep his secret and keep him as a pet at the same time. Sometimes Moochie is a little too smart for his years, but it's Disney fantasy so you let things like that slide.
MacMurray is properly befuddled as the confused dad in what is basically a supporting role, even though he receives top billing. Jean Hagen as MacMurray's wife and Funicello are wasted in thankless roles, but Kirk and Corcoran are properly energetic as the stars of the show and there is a funny supporting turn from an actor named James Westerfield as a cop who thinks he's losing his mind when he encounters a talking dog. The movie may be over 60 years old, but it still made me laugh.
Walt Disney Studios were the industry giants of animation during the 1940's, 50's & 60"s, but it took a while before they made an impression with live action comedy and one of their first offerings was a minor classic from 1959 called The Shaggy Dog.
This was the story of Wilby Daniels (Tommy Kirk), a nerdy 50's teen who is competing with his greasy best pal Buzz (Tim Considine) for the attentions of pretty Allison (Annette Funicello) but find themselves distracted when a college professor (Alexander Scourby) moves in across the street with his pretty young daughter, Franceska (Roberta Shore) who owns a rare Egyptian sheepdog she calls Chiffon. The dog is inexplicably attracted to Wilby and not long after, Wilby has an encounter with a dotty Professor (Cecil Kellaway) which finds Wilby in possession of an ancient ring that, after Wilby repeats a certain Latin phrase, turns Wilby into Chiffon, though he still has the ability to speak.
The story is complicated by Wilby's father, Wilson Daniels (Fred MacMurray), a mailman who, for obvious reasons, can't stand dogs and actually thinks he's allergic to them, even though he's not. Every time Wilson thinks there's a dog within a hundred miles, he starts breaking into imaginary hives and has refused the numerous requests of Wilby's little brother, Moochie (Kevin Corcoran) to have a dog as a pet.
Of course, the spell under which Wilby has fallen has temporary effects which find him changing from boy to sheepdog and back again at the most inopportune moments, most notably, during a dance where he is trying to impress Allison and in the presence of Franceska's father when it is revealed that he is actually a spy.
Yes, long before Disney Pixar was even a concept, Disney was able to mount a multi-layered story that, if the truth be told, the intended demographic probably didn't even notice. I'm pretty sure kids didn't notice the convoluted love triangle between Wilby, Buzz, Allison, and Franceska and the only part of the spy story that had them paying attention was when Wilby the dog is actually driving a car chasing the bad guys. I actually think my favorite subplot of the story is that Moochie is thrilled when he learns his older brother is a dog and works very hard to try to keep his secret and keep him as a pet at the same time. Sometimes Moochie is a little too smart for his years, but it's Disney fantasy so you let things like that slide.
MacMurray is properly befuddled as the confused dad in what is basically a supporting role, even though he receives top billing. Jean Hagen as MacMurray's wife and Funicello are wasted in thankless roles, but Kirk and Corcoran are properly energetic as the stars of the show and there is a funny supporting turn from an actor named James Westerfield as a cop who thinks he's losing his mind when he encounters a talking dog. The movie may be over 60 years old, but it still made me laugh.