Based on the novel of the same name by Gladys Bronwyn Stern, The Ugly Dachshund illustrates the predicaments The Garrisons, a married couple, face after the arrival of Brutus, a Great Dane who thinks himself a Dachshund, to their household.
This Walt Disney movie captures in a beautiful way the love for animals as companions, as part of the family, and how they can enrich our lives in different ways. From providing the opportunity to care for them, being the muse for our art, to participating in different activities, animals make our lives better and can offer an important source of happiness. They can also be a reason for headaches, especially when they are babies, and their indomitable personalities render any attempt at peace an exercise in futility. The name Brutus, Latin for 'heavy', suits him well. There are many scenes where the Great Dane, who, no matter his size, is still young, destroys to pieces The Garrisons' house, producing waves after waves of laughter. The shenanigans would often develop as this: Brutus, following what his four "little angels," as Fran uses to call them, Dachshund sisters started, would go from one place to another, crashing everything in his wake and turning the room into the masterpiece of an artist who uses a wrecking ball as their preferred brush. Those moments are an excellent platform for humor that delivers every time. The close-ups of Mark and Fran Garrison after encountering a scene like this contrasted with the cute animals are absolutely hilarious.
Thematically, the film also explores the concept of married life. It examines the positive aspects of being committed to someone you love, but also the difficulties that may arise. The coexistence of these opposite aspects is utilized to depict dynamics that change in the young couple. Norman Tokar's feature raises the question of 'How much one is willing to sacrifice for the other?'. This is not just about a dog but rather a vehicle to expose power structures and how love, ultimately, is not so much about gaining but about losing. In this sense, the chaos the dogs cause to their home could be seen as nothing but the reification of sentiments whose direct enunciation is difficult to enact. A symbol of the crumbling castle of a bygone era.
Like The Incredible Journey (1963) and other movies of those years, The Ugly Dachshund offers the possibility to see real animals act, and they are fantastic at it. There is a charming quality in seeing real dogs interact with each other and with their two-legged friends that CGI doesn't capture, even if it offers the possibility of a greater specter of facial expressions, it is not the same. Besides Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette, who play Mark and Fran Garrison, there are other actors that, even in supporting roles, give performances that score high at comedy. Kelly Thordsen as Officer Carmody, and Charles Ruggles as Dr. J. L. Pruitt are two of the funniest characters in the movie.
The Ugly Dachshund, ultimately, is an entertaining and hilarious movie for the whole family. A movie about a dog with an identity crisis that delivers every minute creating a slapstick altar that is a must watch for all animal lovers.
