Friend Indeed (1937)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
A good-hearted country doctor goes blind after trying to save some children in a fire. Soon afterwards he's given a German shepherd dog named Sparky who helps him around town and eventually helps get a law passed about guide dogs. This Pete Smith short from MGM doesn't really give us a history lesson on this doctor or the law that he helped get passed but instead it focuses on the dog and it's certainly a charming film. As usual, Smith's narration is right on the mark as he talks about the great work this doctor was doing before his accident and then we get to the importance of guide dogs. The dog actor here did a very good job and I'm going to guess that he was a real guide dog. I thought it was rather cute and really delivered the goods as far as four legged actors. Fans of shorts will really want to check this one out as director Fred Zinnemann perfectly mixes the humor and sentimental value.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
A good-hearted country doctor goes blind after trying to save some children in a fire. Soon afterwards he's given a German shepherd dog named Sparky who helps him around town and eventually helps get a law passed about guide dogs. This Pete Smith short from MGM doesn't really give us a history lesson on this doctor or the law that he helped get passed but instead it focuses on the dog and it's certainly a charming film. As usual, Smith's narration is right on the mark as he talks about the great work this doctor was doing before his accident and then we get to the importance of guide dogs. The dog actor here did a very good job and I'm going to guess that he was a real guide dog. I thought it was rather cute and really delivered the goods as far as four legged actors. Fans of shorts will really want to check this one out as director Fred Zinnemann perfectly mixes the humor and sentimental value.