Digby: The Biggest Dog in the World

Military scientist Jeff Eldon works with animals in their labs. He also has a crush on fellow doctor Janine, who is working on growth hormone Project X. To help his roses Jeff `borrows' a little of project X but it is inadvertently fed to a lost dog, Digby. Whilst trying to hide the rapidly growing pooch, Jeff attracts the attentions of a couple of criminals who try to kidnap Digby for a circus attraction.

Very much a cult family classic of the 70's this is better when remembered instead of watched. We all remember it as a great film when we talk about it in a pub 20 years on, but it isn't really that good. The story itself is not inspiring and is a rather easy story. What makes it better is that the director has made some nice set pieces and adult jokes in the mix. He also fashions it as a sort of King Kong spoof making it cine-literate – sort of! But when the chips come down it a lame story held up by distracting laughs.

The direction is OK but the effects are bad – even by 1970's standards. The back project is awful and the use of people dressing in big dog (horse) costumes doesn't work at all. It's a minor complaint because the film avoids putting Digby and humans in the same shot – preferring to use the real dog and small furniture instead.

The cast are good value. Jim Dale (with Carry On partner Angela Douglas) is always good and clowns well here. The support cast comprise many many well known faces from 1970's TV but I have one major let down. One of the UK's best and most influential comedians - Spike Milligan – is in this film. He's sadly dead now, but he was a genius that sometimes was years ahead of his audience. Here he has some nice touches but he is not allowed to adlib very much and he has very little screen time. I felt that if you had Spike in a film and he was funny that you would edit it to give him as much time as possible – it's a bit of a waste.

Overall this has some funny moments but is nothing more than a kids movie with bad effects. If you have fond memories of this as a child then don't watch it – you'll only sully your memory.

I remember seeing Digby- The Biggest Dog In the World as a child at a Saturday afternoon matinee. I loved this movie! Digby eats some experimental dog food and grows to a giant.

I remember crying towards the end when they were going to bomb Digby for causing havoc across the British countryside. I cheered when he came running out of the smoke back to his normal size.

For some reason this movie sticks with me after 30 years. Sure, the acting wasn't that great and the special effects were horrendous in retrospect but it sure was a great childhood movie for me

Digby is a dog that accidentally is fed with some plant growth boosting chemicals developed by the British military to be used on interplanetary cruises, and about the young boy, Bill, who owns Digby.

Digby is given to Bill by a friendly vet, but as Bill's grand-dad doesn't like to have an Old English sheepdog in his house, Bill is forced to give him away. He gives anonymously Digby to a guy who works in a defence lab, that makes experiments with animals and plants for coming space travel. A growth-boosting chemical is made in the lab, and the animal trainer steals some to boost his own tomato crop. Accidentally the dog is fed some, and as a result is growing all the time, eventually he's the size of an ocean liner.

As weird animals are attractions Digby is stolen by two well-dressed (mafia-style) hoods and sold to a circus, from which Digby escapes, hunted by the military, both army and air force!

The tone of the film is friendly, where all the evil guys are bumbling fools - the British Army lads, as well the Mafioso, and everyone is polite and no swearing! Typical for a family film, I guess!

That it keeps its pace, without much of a plot, and that the trick filming usually is pretty good (outstanding for its time, I'd say - most of it), and that it makes you laugh is worth much in my book - that it is 100% 70's (music, dressing, hairstyle, et cetera) makes it very, very camp!

A good family film with a lot of slapstick scenes! A perfect feel-good film!

Compared to Stuart Little 1 it wins hands down!

Available on DVD, by the way!

I remember first seeing Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World when I was about 8 or so, and I loved it. Rewatching it 10 years later, it isn't as good as I remembered it being, but it is fun besides.

I do agree with everyone about the special effects, they aren't that great at all. In fact, even by 1970s standard, they are actually pretty bad. I also agree about Spike Milligan, with someone of his calibre he deserved more screen time and perhaps better material too, he wasn't bad as such, he just deserved more. Coming onto the script and storyline, the script does have a lot of funny moments but there are some grey areas as well, while the story has its predictable spots.

However, there is also some funny dialogue and some inspired sight gags. Also, I loved the concept, and the film worked fairly well with it. While the special effects aren't great, the cinematography and scenery are still pretty good, and the direction is at least okay. The acting is decent, Jim Dale especially is a lot of fun, however it is the big dog Digby who steals the show, he is very endearing. And I liked the characters, yes one or two of them are stereotypes, but they are at least likable and funny.

In conclusion, a decent film without being outstanding. 6/10 Bethany Cox

There are FEW films that are just FUN for kids in the 1970's.... the most that we British had were the Carry on Movies... so seeing a nice little film with Jim Dale in is always a treat!

The basic story is simple, the effects are childlike and ...well.. simple and the acting is also as you can guess SIMPLE. This does not make for a plain SIMPLE movie for kids though. It shows them the basic kindness of the human spirit and some of the darker sides of captured animals because they are different too!

The jokes are inlayed in the movie together with basic 1970's British steriotypical images of the army, circus workers and the average Joe about the street, but it still holds together quite well.

If nothing more this film is fun and carefree, it doesn't really leave you with anything after you have seen it apart from a lil warm glow!