Customer Reviews

The Ugly Dachshund

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Released in the mid '60s, "The Ugly Dachshund" tells the story of Mark Garrison (portrayed by the very talented and likeable Dean Jones) and his wife, Fran (portrayed by the equally talented and likeable Suzanne Pleshette), and their pet dachshund, Danka.
One day, Mark arrives at the family vet's clinic to pick up Danka and her 3 newborn pups. Before leaving with the pups, the doctor is able to talk Mark into taking home a great dane pup as well. This really makes Mark's day since he has never really cared much for dachshunds, but has instead always longed for a great big "man's" dog. From there on out, it's war in the Garrison household as the great dane, Brutus, grows up and becomes the "scape goat" for a lot of bad behavior brought about by the 3 new dachshunds.
Poor Brutus, it seems as though he will never be completely accepted in a home that only has room for dachshunds.
However, in the end, after numerous misadventures and a few arguments with Mark, Fran is finally won over by the loyal Brutus' endearing warmth and charm.
It's a shame that virtually no one has ever heard of or seen this completely wonderful little "lost" Disney classic. "The Ugly Dachshund" is, in my opinion, and certainly most everyones' who has seen it, not only one of Disney's greatest films, but one of the best movies ever released...period.
If you loved "Lady and the Tramp", "101 Dalmatians" and "Old Yeller", you simply must see ... "The Ugly Dachshund"!!

The Ugly Dachshund is the story of a Great Dane who grows up thinking he's a little Dachshund. Fran Garrison (played by Suzanne Pleshette) absolutely dotes on her little Dachshund, driving her husband Mark (Dean Jones) crazy. The cute little dog--and subsequent litter of puppies--doesn't really fit his idea of what a man's dog should be, and after getting a speeding ticket while rushing the mom-to-be to the vet, Mark opts to bring home (unbeknownst to his wife) one of the doc's Great Dane puppies as his own.

It's soon apparent that one of the pups isn't quite what it seems, and worse, even as he grows in size, the Dane believes he's just a little Dachshund. Though angels in Fran's eyes, the doxies are quick to cause enormous amounts of trouble, always pinning their antics on their larger "brother." The story devolves into a battle of the sexes between Mark and his "manly" Great Dane and Fran and her little Dachshunds, coming to a climax at a party Fran throws to impress the judge of an upcoming dog show.

Of course, being a Disney film, everything works out in the end. The film certainly isn't one of the best to have come out of the Disney studios of the era, but it's funny (if predictable) and should make for a good afternoon's entertainment with one's children.

Based very loosely a book said to be the only uncharming dog story ever written (by G. B. Stern), Disney manages to ad the charm and fun that are lacking from the book. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette star as a young couple who lives get turned upside-down by the arrival of some puppies.

Suzanne has a dachshund that is pregnant. She is also set on raising a champion. Jones is a lone man standing against the force that is woman. When the pups are born, they are, of course, all female. But then the vet shows him a great dane pup that his been rejected by its mother and appeals to Jones to let his dachshund play wet nurse. Well Suzanne is a whirlwind that prevents Jones from letting her know what is going on at the start but she is no dummy.

The dane, Brutus by name, becomes the symbol of Jones's's masculinity in an otherwise female world. Add to the mix the fact that Brutus thinks he is a dachshund and that the real dachshunds just love to get in trouble and frame their gigantic sibling and you have a hilarious slapstick comedy that I have loved for decades (now my kids love it). Eventually the battle lines are drawn and the war of the sexes continues right to a local dog show.

This is a classic Disney film and all works out in the end (although the trouble-making nature of the dachshunds is never really revealed) and the happy couple are a happy couple again. Charlie Ruggles plays the vet and ands very nicely to the cast. The disk's extras include a trailer, a montage of other Disney dog stars, and a documentary of The Faces of Mako (seen in this movie as a Japanese waiter). All in all a wonderful disk that is suitable for the whole family.

Any dog-lover should love this movie about a man(Dean Jones) who longs for a manly dog while suffering with his wife's dachsund. When his wife's dog gives birth to a litter of dachsund pups, he slips in a Great Dane puppy to remedy the problem. The pup grows up thinking he too is a Dachsund, uncontrollable and unaware of his tremendous size and strength! This all proves difficult for Dean Jones to deal with when it comes to convincing his wife that Brutus, the Great Dane, is not out of control, and can even win the local dogshow! This is another wonderful Disney offering from the 60's, one of those lesser known Disney films that is worthy of a much larger audience! It's full of great comedy with a truly charming cast and set in a suburban community that one can really relate too!

In a wonderfully charming way the life of the Garrison's is turned upside down by the arrival of three dachshund pups and a fourth 'blind passenger' who quickly outgrows the dachsies and turns out to be a Great Dane. Mrs. Garrison is convinced that there is no place for a Great Dane in a dachsie household and she urges Mr. Garrison to return the dog to the local vet, he reluctantly agrees but changes his mind when 'Brutus' proves to be an excellent watch dog as he chases a nightpatrol police officer up a tree mistaking him for a burglar. The three dachsie pups an their mother Danka create much havoc around the house and yet always manage to flee the scene at the last minute appearing like little angels and blaming the disasters on Brutus. As the yearly dogshow approaches Mrs. Garrison is on pins and needles training her showdog Chloe when Mr. Garrison decides to secretly enter the show with Brutus......

This movie is full of good whole-hearted fun and laughter. An absolute must for every dog lover.

This is the most addorable movie ever made by Disney. Its great fun and entertaining for the entire family. Even if your not an animal lover yourself, you'll have such a great time watching this film. I fell in love with all the little dachshunds in the movie even though they were always getting Brutus the Great Dane into trouble. Its making me think about getting a dachi of my own. I first saw it when I was younger and I have been looking for this movie for years and I'm so happy they finally made it into DVD. For those of you who was searching it on Ebay the VHS version was going for at $80+ on average if it was still sealed and new in its original case so I was so pleased when I found out they were releasing it this July. This movie a true classic. Even if they ever made another version no one can out top this one. I hope you all enjoy it as well.

This is one of my favorite movies! Dean Jones plays an artist married to Suzanne Pleshette who has a purebred dachshund about to have puppies. As a favor to their vet, Dean sneaks in a Great Dane pup with the dachshund pups and that's when all the fun begins! I had this movie on video and I've shared it with children and adults...everyone laughs at it. It's a sweet comedy that everyone can enjoy.

When I first saw this movie late at night a few summers ago on the Disney Channel, I loved it. Since then, it seems to get better everytime I watch it. I have recently gotten a dachshund, and we watch the movie together. My family loves it, and I would recommend it to anyone with a taste for good, quality, family entertainment. 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can read the plot synopsis elsewhere...

I am a grad student in Texas who is tickled pink that this finally came out on DVD. When I was younger this and "The Happiest Millionaire" were two of my favorite movies. It is clean wholesome humor that can entertain the whole family. There are other reviewers that have sung the praises of the doxies, it made me a great dane fan forever, Brutus rocks.

This film is a great investment for anyone, especially for those with kids and/or dogs!!!

This was one of my favorite movies when I was young. It's one of the old silly Disney movies like Herbie and Freaky Friday. You will enjoy this movie especially if you have dogs. It is a must have if you own a dachshund!