White Dog (1982)

A trainer attempts to retrain a vicious dog that's been raised to attack black people.

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writers:

Romain Gary (story), Samuel Fuller (screenplay)

Stars:

Kristy McNichol, Christa Lang, Vernon Weddle

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristy McNichol	...	Julie Sawyer
Christa Lang	...	Nurse
Vernon Weddle	...	Vet
Jameson Parker	...	Roland Grale
Karl Lewis Miller	...	Attacker
Karrie Emerson	...	Sun Bather
Helen Siff	...	Pound Operator (as Helen J. Siff)
Glen Garner	...	Pound Worker (as Glen D. Garner)
Terrence Beasor	...	Pound Driver
Tony Brubaker	...	Sweeper Driver
Samuel Fuller	...	Charlie Felton
Marshall Thompson	...	Director
Paul Bartel	...	Cameraman
Richard Monahan	...	Assistant Director
Neyle Morrow	...	Soundman

Storyline

Deprogramming a dog who kills Blacks is the ultimate challenge for an unorthodox African-American trainer. When a young Hollywood actress finds the injured stray, she nurses it back to health, not knowing it's a "White Dog" trained by a racist to attack only Blacks. Julie's appalled when the otherwise gentle, white German Shepherd breaks out, then returns from his nighttime foray dotted with human blood. Julie desperately races from trainer to trainer, advised to kill her pet, until the top Hollywood canine expert refers her to his former protégé, Keys.

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Plot Keywords:

racist | dog | attack dog | bigotry | dog attack | 

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Taglines:

When man's best friend becomes his fiercest enemy...

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The picture has sometimes mistakenly been said to have been director Samuel Fuller's first Hollywood movie in eighteen years as publicized in the original 'Variety' review and on home video sleeves. However, this is not the case, as Fuller a couple of years earlier had directed 1980's The Big Red One (1980) for Lorimar which was picked up by United Artists for theatrical release in the USA.

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Goofs

When Keys pulls his van up in front of the church after spotting the dog, several crew members can be seen reflected in the side of the van.

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Quotes

Roland Gray: You got a four-legged time bomb!

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Connections

Featured in Four-Legged Time Bomb (2008)

User Reviews

How Cruel and Intolerant a Human Being Can Be

In Los Angeles, the unemployed young actress Julie Sawyer (Kristy McNichol) hits a white German Sheppard while driving though the hills during the night. She brings the dog to the veterinary and keeps the animal in her house on the hills. Julie takes a picture of the dog and distributes fliers with her boyfriend seeking out the owner.

When a burglar and rapist breaks in her house, the dog protects Julie and she decides to keep the animal with her. But sooner she learns the white dog is an animal trained by a racist to attack black people. However Julie has become attached to the dog and tries to find a trainer for "deprogramming" the dog. She goes to the Noah Ark, a place where the Afro-American trainer of wild animals Keys (Paul Winfield) accepts the challenge despite the difficulties of his task.

"White Dog" is among the most impressive films about racism ever made by the cinema history. The plot is very simple but touching and shows how cruel and intolerant a human being can be. The sick idea of using alcoholic or addicted black man to frequently beat up a puppy until it grows-up with hatred of black people is so despicable that it is hard to believe that it may happen.

I saw this film for the first time in the 80's and it has not aged. My vote is sight.

Title (Brazil): "Cão Branco" ("White Dog")

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 July 1982 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

White Dog

Filming Locations:

Wildlife Way Station - 14831 Little Tujunga Canyon Road, Sylmar, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$46,509

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,509

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1