It's a Dog's Life (1955)

A bull terrier tells his life story, from the streets of the Bowery to a life of luxury.

Director:

Herman Hoffman

Writers:

Richard Harding Davis (story), John Michael Hayes

Stars:

Jeff Richards, Jarma Lewis, Edmund Gwenn

Cast

Cast overview:
Jeff Richards	...	Patch McGill
Jarma Lewis	...	Mabel Maycroft
Edmund Gwenn	...	Jeremiah Edward Emmett Augustus Nolan
Dean Jagger	...	Mr. Wyndham
Willard Sage	...	Tom Tattle
Sally Fraser	...	Dorothy Wyndham
Richard Anderson	...	George Oakley
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Paddy Corbin
Wildfire	...	Wildfire - a Dog

Storyline

In the early 1900s, a bull terrier living on the streets of the Bowery rises from a street-tough engaging in dogfights to pedigreed show dog among the upper crust. All the while, he has two ambitions--to be reunited with his mother and to get even with his father who deserted her.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | dog actor

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bar Sinister

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 83 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were actually two dogs used to play the lead. Wildfire was used for close-ups and non-action shots, and a double was used to perform the tricks.

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Connections

Referenced in My Three Sons: It's a Dog's Life (1965)

User Reviews

A nice way to spend an hour and a half.

This is a period piece, set in what appears to be the late 1800s. Much of the film is narrated by the main character, Wildfire, a bull terrier, who moves upward from the Bowery in this "rags-to-riches" fantasy. At times Wildfire's narration may be `too cute', but remarkably it doesn't stray too far. This device of personifying the dog truly works, particularly due to the script. Wildfire gets high praise for his performance. Dean Jagger is excellent as is Edmund Gwynne.

The film is well-paced and I found it much more entertaining that I anticipated. This is good escapist fare-the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad, but not too terribly so.