Chips, the War Dog (1990) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ed Kaplan

Writers (WGA):

Sandra Weintraub (story)
Michael Pardridge (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

24 March 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Adventure

Plot:

Misfits Danny Stauffer and Chips (a chicken-chasing German shepherd) are teamed up in the Army's "Dogs for Defense" program during WWII. |

Plot Keywords:

Dog | German Shepherd | WWII | Dog Actor | Sergeant

Cast

Brandon Douglas	...	Danny Stauffer
Ned Vaughn	...	Mitch Wilson
Paxton Whitehead	...	Smythe
Robert Miranda	...	Sgt. Rust
Ellie Cornell	...	Kathy Lloyd
William Devane	...	Col. Charnley
Coby Scheldt	...	Jim Hastings
Juli Morser	...	Mrs. Hastings
Sheridan Gayr	...	Peggy
Luke Rossi	...	Jimbo
Dick Arnold	...	Farmer Steele
Lyn Tyrrell	...	Mrs. Steele
Robert Munns	...	Sheriff
Gary Taylor	...	Bob Stauffer
Corey Gunnestad	...	Teen in Uniform

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Buckley, Washington, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Television

Trivia:

Features the concluding scene from Donald Gets Drafted (1942) (Donald cutting potatoes).

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first dog-feeding scene, a soldier gives a dog named Hercules a bowl of food. Hercules' dog house has a sign that says "Hercules" on it. In a following scene, Smythe gives Hercules a dog treat, and he's in a different dog house, without the name sign. In the rest of the shots, he's in the original dog house with the name sign.

Quotes:

Sgt. Rust: [as Sgt. Rust goes to the barracks] The Bible had it all wrong, there is not just heaven and hell. They forgot to mention me, drill-sergeant Rust. It is time to rise and shine girls. My wish is your command.
[louder to Danny Stauffer]
Sgt. Rust: Are you dreaming, sweetheart? This is not your home, I am not your mother. Get up! Do you understand?

Movie Connections:

Features Donald Gets Drafted (1942)

A must see, have the kleenex handy

This movie is very under-rated. A fictional film based on historical events, it shines as a comedy, drama, and tear-jerker. It focuses on one dog during W.W. 2, but speaks volumes of how all the dogs were treated after their service in the war. The dogs were striped of the medals they so richly earned! It doesn't just use German Shepherds either, it uses a variety of breeds, each suited to a unique talent, just like they did in real life.

I would recommend this film to anyone, even those who think they wouldn't like it -- its great and should have been recognized by one of the award groups but it was not (kind of fitting in a way).