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94 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Of Disney's Finest "Little Known" Efforts., August 24, 2001
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"!!
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Disney Title for the Family, March 23, 2005
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.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
War of the Sexes, December 22, 2004
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.
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