Love Leads the Way: A True Story (1984)

A recently blinded man becomes one of the first American users of a seeing eye dog and must fight to remove the legal barriers impeding its use.

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Henry Denker (teleplay by), Jimmy Hawkins (story by)

Stars:

Timothy Bottoms, Eva Marie Saint, Arthur Hill

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Bottoms	...	Morris Frank
Eva Marie Saint	...	Mrs. Eustes
Arthur Hill	...	Mr. Frank
Glynnis O'Connor	...	Lois
Susan Dey	...	Beth
Gerald Hiken	...	Jack
George Wallace	...	Blind Institute Director (as George D. Wallace)
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Hank
Stephen Young	...	Mike McShane
Ralph Bellamy	...	Sen. Christi
Ernest Borgnine	...	Sen. Brighton
Patricia Neal	...	Mrs. Frank
Pilot	...	Buddy
Richard Roat	...	Proprietor
Richard Speight Jr.	...	Jimmy

Storyline

When an insurance salesman is blinded in a boxing accident, his world is turned upside down as he has trouble functioning in his sightless world. All seem hopeless until he learns of an innovative European project that trains dogs as guides for the blind. He explores the idea and decides to train for a dog. He eventually gets a guide dog, but soon learns that he is barred from taking his needed companion into transit vehicles and public buildings and businesses. With a newfound friend, he must fight to make the country recognize that those rules are unfair to him and his guide.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | seeing eye dog | german shepherd | political activism | handicap | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

A szeretet mindenek előtt

Filming Locations:

Leavenworth, Washington, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

A Jimmy Hawkins/David Permut Production, Walt Disney Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the story is told soberly, there are several moments of patented Disney whimsy. For example, after Morrie has been denied use of the business elevator because of his dog, Buddy, the German Shepherd, waits for the security guards to abandon their post and then mischievously leads Morrie to the elevator so that he can reach his destination.

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Quotes

Restaurant Owner: [Both men are discussing why dogs are not permitted in the restaurant] ... Among other reasons, dogs have a - well, a disagreeable *odor*, for lack of a better term.
Morris Frank: Well, do you smell anything disagreeable right now?
[the other man shakes his head negatively]
Morris Frank: Neither do I. Buddy?
[Buddy emerges from under the table, where she has been hidden the whole time]
Restaurant Owner: NO DOGS ALLOWED, and that's FINAL! Now take this - this MUTT and leave, before I call the city pound.
Morris Frank: [with a shrug] Let's go, Buddy. I know a...

User Reviews

The story of overcoming obstacles for the blind to use seeing eye dogs, and of the first seeing eye dog and the relationship with her handler

What a beautiful, loving movie! It's the story of a blind man's attempt to get legislation passed to allow seeing eye dogs into public places, like restaurants and offices--things that we, today, just take for granted. It has many sub-plots as well, though, like the relationship between Morris and his parents and between him and his fiancé. My favorite is the relationship that develops between Morris and Buddy. It shows the work that goes into training a dog to work with the blind, and makes us appreciate what these dogs are capable of. It's a "feel-good" movie--one that everyone who has ever loved a dog would appreciate.