Oh Heavenly Dog (1980)

A murdered detective must avenge his murder after he is reincarnated as a dog.

Director:

Joe Camp

Writer:

Rod Browning

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Jane Seymour, Benji

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Browning
Benji	...	Benji a.k.a Browning (as Benjean)
Jane Seymour	...	Jackie
Omar Sharif	...	Bart
Robert Morley	...	Bernie
Stuart Germain	...	Higgins / Deaf Postie
Alan Sues	...	Freddie
John Stride	...	Alistair Becket
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Montanero
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Margaret
Margaret Courtenay	...	Lady Chalmers
Richard Vernon	...	Quimby Charles
Frank Williams	...	Mr. Easton
Albin Pahernik	...	Pelican Man
Susan Kellermann	...	German Clerk

Storyline

Browning is a PI with a bad cold, who's sent to investigate a case by a mysterious client.He stumbles across the body of a young woman and is stabbed to death, and when he wakes up in heaven, they tell him he's "marginal material," and they can only decide on his final destination through one last assignment: to go back and solve his own murder. As a dog. A cute fluffy little dog (Benji). Undaunted, Browning begins to investigate the case as best he can around his canine disabilities (dialing the phone presents a special challenge) to solve the murders, save the girl, and see justice done.

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Plot Keywords:

detective | murder | london england | talking dog | private detective | 

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Taglines:

An adult tail of murder, mystery, and forbidden love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Fantasy | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and some mild scenes of violence and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 July 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beniamino agente segreto

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$6,216,067

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mulberry Square Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The registration number on Benji's dog-tag was "BJB 779".

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Goofs

Benji couldn't have been listening to the woman at the gallery who mentioned the Senator "swooshing down the slopes" since it was established he was tied up in the car at the time. It is possible that he heard it if Jackie taped it, but it was never revealed that she was recording at the time.

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Quotes

Browning: Are you in organized crime?
Bart: I'm in Parliament.
Browning: Six of one.

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Crazy Credits

After nearly all of the end titles have passed, "WOOF!" appears on the screen as the final title.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Chevy Chase/Siskel & Ebert/Al Jarreau (1986)

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Soundtracks

Song for Guy
written by Elton John
published by Joddrel Music

User Reviews

Like mixing mustard with milk.

I'm a big fan of Chevy Chase and back in 1974, I actually liked the first Benji movie.

But then again, I was only 11 at the time. When I saw it again as an adult, I realized it was a super sappy sentimental anomaly for dog lovers, with bad acting, apparently filmed through whatever filter they used for Doris Day movies. Not sure if it was to hide the dog's dingle berries, or the fact that the housekeeper looked like Hell ran a demonic wrinkle tractor over her face. But regardless, I liked it as a kid.

I've also always like Chevy Chase since the 70's, his work on SNL and almost all of his movies... except this one.

So how can they combine 2 things I like and come up with something as repulsive as this movie? It's like mixing milk and mustard. Separately, they are good, but when combined they are used to induce vomiting. This movie has the same effect, 2 worlds that just shouldn't have been combined.