The Shaggy Dog (1959)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay) and
Lillie Hayward (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 March 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

It's dog-gone FUNNY!

Plot:

Through an ancient spell, a boy changes into a sheepdog and back again. It seems to happen at inopportune...

Plot Keywords:

Parenthood | Escape | Conspiracy | Animal | Hero

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Nov. 19

3:45 PM

TCM

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Wilson Daniels
Jean Hagen	...	Freeda Daniels
Tommy Kirk	...	Wilby Daniels
Annette Funicello	...	Allison D'Allessio
Tim Considine	...	Buzz Miller
Kevin Corcoran	...	Moochie (Montgomery) Daniels
Cecil Kellaway	...	Professor Plumcutt
Alexander Scourby	...	Dr. Mikhail Andrassy
Roberta Shore	...	Franceska Andrassy
James Westerfield	...	Officer Hanson
Strother Martin	...	Thurm
Forrest Lewis	...	Officer Kelly
Ned Wever	...	FBI Chief E.P. Hackett
Gordon Jones	...	Captain Scanlon, Police Chief
Jacques Aubuchon	...	Stefano

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:K-8 | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

The first live-action feature comedy produced by Walt Disney.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Thum comes to visit Dr. Andrassy at his home, Dr. Andrassy seems a little surprised and tells him, "I told you never to come here at night." At the end of the scene, Dr. Andrassy says to Thum that he'll seem him at the doctor's home again the following night at 8:00pm, even though at the beginning of the scene he told him never to go to his house at night.

Quotes:

Buzz Miller: Hey, Wilby, what is it this time?
Wilby Daniels: What about the seven bucks I loaned you?
Buzz Miller: What about it?
Wilby Daniels: Cough it up. Pop pulled the plug on my allowance.
Buzz Miller: Gee, pal, I'd like to help you out, but you know how it is. I've got a date with Allison.
Wilby Daniels: I'm sick and tired of financing your romances.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet: The Barking Dog (#10.8)" (1961)

Soundtrack:

The Shaggy Dog

Shaggy Dog- It's A Dog's Life **1/2

Fred MacMurray and Jean Hagen starred in this 1959 film. Miss Hagen was given very little to do here. Ironically, about 15 years after this film, both MacMurray and Hagen were diagnosed with throat cancer. He survived,dying from pneumonia years later. She succumbed 2 years later, in 1977, at age 54.

This lighthearted film deals with MacMurray being afraid of dogs only to have his son fall victim to a Borgia curse and turn into a dog at times. Naturally, there is the new girl next door whose father leads a spy ring. Our son turned dog hears all about their plots and the rest of the film is devoted to MacMurray not being believed by police that his son has turned into a dog. There is the usual wily car chase but this time a dog is at the wheel.

A typical Disney film without the usual fanfare. That's probably because the film is in black and white.