It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog

Allyn Joslyn (Henry) has returned from WW2 to the newspaper he worked for. This time, however, he is the Science Editor instead of a Crime Reporter and he really doesn't care for this role. He wants to be a Crime Reporter again. Whilst having a drink at Ralph Sandford's bar – "Nick's Bar" – with a drunken local policeman John Alexander (Joe), Carole Landis (Julia) enters the scene with her dog. What follows is a sequence of misunderstandings and a bit of slapstick, comedy policemen and an unbelievable storyline which is meant to be funny.

No brain required for this but the cast are OK apart from the comedy policemen – we get two! The dog is pretty unspectacular and not at all cute or convincing – we even get a male voice dubbing over sneeze noises and yawns and woofs on its behalf. More of that comedy stuff. I watched it as I like Carole Landis but the film is not up to much.

The big bonus here is that we also get a film with Whit Bissell. After watching the whole series of "The Time Tunnel" from the mid 1960s, my wife and I were staggered at the poor quality acting of the General as played by Whit Bissell. We found it rather amusing and even suggested getting hold of every film he's ever done. Well, we didn't go down that route but what a pleasant surprise to find him in this offering. They make you wait for him, though, and I'm afraid to say it's a let-down as he does alright in his small role.

With all the fine canine actors in Hollywood of the time (1946), why bother with humans at all. Besides, humans cost a lot more and complain a lot. Here Rodney the Doberman gives a fine performance, even if he does rob a saloon, sneeze at the wrong time, and sleep on the job. Still, he does help catch the crooks, get officer Pirelli promoted out of Flatbush, and bring lovebirds Julia and Barton together. Pretty good for an actor with no dialog, except an occasional woof-woof.

On the whole, the movie's an entertaining little crime comedy, with Joslyn in good addled form as a reporter, and Landis in good curvaceous form as a lady cop. I never could figure out exactly the plot, but who cares since that's not what drives an amusing trifle like this. It's also a good chance to catch up with future TV stars like Henry Morgan (MASH) and Reed Hadley (Racket Squad). Actually, what caught my eye among the usual hijinks were our heroes running amidst what looks like a real downtown traffic scene. Watch for it. Usually such setups are filmed on the lot, as are other street scenes in the movie. But not this particular one, and it's kind of scary.

All in all, the screenplay meanders too much to concentrate its humor, but still manages a share of chuckles.

Carole Landis was one of the 1940s most beautiful and talented stars. Sadly she committed suicide just two years after she made this film. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog is not the greatest movie she ever made but it's a fun comedy and Carole gives a wonderful performance. She plays a female police detective (unusual for 1946) whose partner is a very smart and well trained Doberman. William Gargan plays a reporter trying to solve a crime - he becomes her love interest. The plot is a little silly - there is a mix-up over a robbery and Rodney runs away only to be found by a mobster. Rodney of course steals every scene he is in! The supporting cast includes the lovely Jean Wallace and Harry Morgan. This was Carole's last film at Fox and if you are a fan you should watch it.

I'm so happy that the Fox Archives has released this movie on DVD. It' available to order at Amazon now.

Watching It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog I had to wonder whether 20th Century Fox had purchased this story from Paramount. It seems so much like a Bob Hope vehicle.

If it had been a Hope vehicle Hope as the main character would have received top billing instead of Carole Landis. Clearly the action centers around the main male character played by character actor Allyn Joslyn. Fresh back from the army Joslyn can't get his old job back as the crime reporter. He's now the science reporter and is busy trying to figure out atomic energy while Jean Wallace is learning the nuances of crime reporting.

But when there's a story about a missing witness Whit Bissell who was ready to testify against racketeer Reed Hadley, Joslyn goes right to work. The problem is that he's running up against undercover policewoman Carole Landis and her partner, a large former military Doberman pincher answering to the name Rodney.

Rodney for a trained dog is quite an independent sort. Still he's the real hero as he's the one really responsible for seeing justice done.

Joslyn was funny, but I could never see him getting the girl. This is an amusing film, but it should have had Bob Hope in the lead.

"It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog" is a silly film...not exactly genius but enjoyable as well as one of Carole Landis' last pictures.

When the film begins, Henry Barton (Allyn Joslyn) is upset because he's been demoted at the newspaper where he works. He no longer is covering the police beat and desperately wants to. So, when he mistakenly think that a pretty lady (Landis) with a Doberman robbed a bar, he calls in the story to the paper...only to soon learn it was a hoax. However, the dog COULD help him earn his way back...if only he can catch up with this missing Dobie and his pretty owner.

This film is inconsequential fun. Plus, I liked seeing some familiar character actors as the hoods (Reed Hadley, John Ireland and, oddly, Harry Morgan). It's definitely in the 'turn off your brain and just enjoy' category!

By the way, Joslyn is RARELY a leading man and almost always plays supporting roles. It's nice to see him in the lead for once.