The Ugly Dachshund (1966)

Fran Garrison (Suzanne Plechette) is one very lucky lady. She is married to successful artist Mark (Dean Jones) and has a lovely home in California. In addition, her prized Dachshund Danke is about to give birth. Therefore, Mark starts the car and drives the expectant dog to the vets. As he breaks several traffic laws, Mr. Garrison is given a huge ticket while Danke is rushed inside. It's triplet little wiener dogs. When Mark finally makes it to the delivery area, he notices a Great Dane mother nursing ten puppies! The good vet is trying to nurse another little pup who has been rejected by her mother. Now Mark, who has tolerated his wife's tastes and wishes to the limit, has always wanted a bigger dog. Therefore, when the vet suggests that Mark take home this runt Dane and get Danke to nurse him, too, he does it. Initially believing Danke has had a fourth pup, it soon becomes clear that this pup, who Mark names Brutus, is another breed. Fran DOES NOT want him in the house but Mark finally insists. Comically, Brutus tries to do what the little wieners do, but he's too big. In addition, the trio, named Chloe, Heidi, and Ludmilla, get Brutus in trouble when they wreck the living room in a stampede but hide before Fran finds the mess. Twice more, when the growing pups destroy Mark's studio and a posh party the couple gives in the backyard, will the Garrisons be able to keep Brutus? A heroic deed Brutus performs helps matters immensely! This enjoyable, classic Disney has wonderful animal performers in four clever, adorable Dachshunds and one darling Great Dane. They make the film something special. But, alas, Plechette's character is just short of a harpy and certainly not a good example of a loving wife while Jones' husband, conversely, is much put upon. A police officer, while funny, seems to gleefully want to give folks ticket after ticket, not a worthy example of a cop, either. Yes, its all done for a laugh but, ultimately, backfires. Maybe kids won't notice but will keep their eyes on the canines. As family entertainment for animal lovers, its pleasures are many.

I was 13 when I saw this movie in the theater in 1966.I fell in love with this breed and the movie.They are clever and mischievous and make you laugh every day.The movie is very accurate about Dachshund behavior.But it does have one major flaw that only Dachshund owners would know.Dachshunds do not yap.They have the wrong bark in the sound track.They have a very deep voice. And they can be very laud.But other than that this movie is a joy to watch.Especially with my Dachshunds.Poor Brutus. I can not help but feel sorry for him.And he isn't ugly either.Disney made very good family movies in the 1950' 1960's. But none of their newest movies measure up.

Dean Jones' second film for Walt Disney came via this minor but lively family comedy co-starring another Disney regular, the late Suzanne Pleshette (as his wife) – plus veteran comic Charlie Ruggles (appropriately cast as their vet {sic}) and soon-to-be popular Asian actor Mako (as a cowardly caterer). Although the plot sticks strictly to formula, dog lovers should be able to get a satisfactory amount of enjoyment out of this lightweight farce about a Great Dane, who being raised with a litter of dachshunds, creates all manner of chaos when he grows too large for their company and, besides, suffers from identity crisis at the most inopportune moments (namely a competitive dog show). In fact, apart from the likable pair of leads, the film's trump card is the various slapstick sequences that involve the naïve but fiercely protective Great Dane chasing the amiably anarchic dachshunds around the house (especially during an all-important garden party). Apart from the Asian caterers, a regular victim of the Great Dane's harmless ferocity is an overzealous cop who, in the film's most amusing non-canine incident, gives Jones the mother of all tickets.

Although I'm more a fan of the animated Disney classics, I must admit that Disney also used to do very good live-action movies back then. This is not one of them."The Ugly Dachshund" is a nice comedy, full of funny moments with 4 Dachshunds and a Great Danes very well named Brutus. It's so funny how those little "sausages" cause all that mess and the clumsy Brutus destroys everything while trying to stop the "little angels" (like Fran calls them).The destruction of Mark's studio and the party's destruction are some of the funniest destructions ever.Officer Carmody has got to be the funniest cinema policeman ever. Not even in the "Police Academy" movies the policemen are this funny. This character is wonderfully played by Kelly Thordsen.Mr. Toyama and Kenji are the most amusing Japanese characters ever, especially when they panic because of the "lion" (that's what they call Brutus and it's hilarious that they say "rion" instead). Both characters are greatly played by the actors Robert Kino and Mako.I also like very much the performances by Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette and Charles Ruggles.This is an enjoyable classic to watch, but it is already showing its age. It looks very dated now, especially nearly at the end, during that sequence with the dogs's show.