Beethoven (1992)

Director:

Brian Levant

Writers:

John Hughes (written by) and
Amy Holden Jones (written by)

Release Date:

3 April 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Tagline:

He'll grow on you.

Plot:

A slobbering St Bernard dog becomes the center of attention for a loving family but its vet secretly wants to kill him.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Animal | Veterinarian | Fairy Tale | Pajamas

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Charles Grodin	...	George Newton
Bonnie Hunt	...	Alice Newton
Dean Jones	...	Herman Varnick, D.V.M.
Oliver Platt	...	Harvey
Stanley Tucci	...	Vernon
Nicholle Tom	...	Ryce Newton
Christopher Castile	...	Ted Newton
Sarah Rose Karr	...	Emily Newton
David Duchovny	...	Brad
Patricia Heaton	...	Brie
Robi Davidson	...	Mark
Laurel Cronin	...	Devonia Pest
O-Lan Jones	...	Biker Woman
Nancy Fish	...	Miss Grundel
Craig Pinkard	...	Homeless Man

Also Known As:

Beethoven: Story of a Dog (Australia) (cable TV title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8/5 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

So incensed were the American Veterinary Association about the depiction of a vet as leader of a dog-napping ring, they fired off a letter of protest to Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene after Beethoven "attacks" the vet, Dad goes into the backyard and gets Beethoven to take him to the vet's office, the dog's neck and snout are mysteriously clean even though only moments earlier they were smeared with fake blood.

Quotes:

Brad: We want to get in bed with Newton Auto Air Freshners!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Beethoven's Big Break (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Roll Over Beethoven

Fun, with a GREAT dog!

We are dog lovers and had been meaning to watch some of the Beethoven series for quite a while. We found a DVD collection of all five at a good price so we snapped it up and sat down for the first installment.

We honestly didn't know what to expect so, to minimize our risk of disappointment, decided that we were only watching to enjoy the St. Bernard. The movie turned out to be a very pleasant surprise, easily exceeding those expectations.

Beethoven is the star, as he should be. The human cast, however, perform wonderfully in providing the light framework required to string Beethoven's scenes together. Charles Grodin especially shines as the dad who is, at first, not exactly enthused about getting a dog. Much less a monster dog who only drools and sheds and eats.

So, if you enjoy dogs and light-hearted fun, Beethoven won't disappoint. There are no Machiavellian plots or cruel content. The family is wonderfully good, the villains are comically bad and the suspense of their threat is enjoyable because you know, Beethoven's gonna win in the end.

Overall, very charming with a good, wholesome sense of humor. 6.5 out of 10.