User reviews

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.

I first saw The Ugly Dachshund before I owned or shall I say a longhaired dachshund owned me. After seeing the movie the second time, I realized the dachshunds did not need extra training to totally upset a household. A delight to all dog lovers and dachshund enthusiasts in particular. Although the title pooch is a great dane, it is a "doxie" movie delight.

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.

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.

A little too repetitive at times, but 'The Ugly Dachshund' still entertains to a suitable level.

The plot is somewhat nonexistent, all of this film's perks come with its silliness, humour and acting - all of which are more than decent. Dean Jones & Suzanne Pleshette are fun in their respective roles of Mark & Fran. Charlie Ruggles (Pruitt) & Kelly Thordsen (Carmody) are alright too.

The animals are as cute as you would expect, everything involving them is very silly and even nonsensical in moments. If you just switch your brain off and enjoy the madness that ensues then you'll have a fine time.

If this was on for longer than 93 minutes then I would've certainly rated it lower. However, as it isn't, I feel it's right to class it as good.

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.

This movie is excellent. Funny gags throughout the film and just a great comedic story. If you are a dog lover than you will be an "Ugly Dachshund" fan. The dogs are adorable and the actors do their part to make this wonderful family comedy. Totally under-rated.

I suggest sitting down a group of young kids and asking them what they think of it, I'll bet that the movie keeps their attention from beginning to end. This is a classic Disney movie on the same level as the "Love Bug" series and all of the other great film s released by the company during those years.

I recommend "The Ugly Dachshund" to anyone who loves family movies. *****

The dogs in this movie are super cute. The dog only make this movie a 7 stars. The plot line, storyline, characters, characters development are all average and nothing special. It a good watch if you want something cute and silly. But it not a much watch.

A fairy tale update of the classic story, this beautifully art-directed Disney movie in glorious Technicolor, stars Dean Jones at the height of his comedic powers and a very young Suzanne Pleshette. Mark (Jones) adopts Brutus, a lovable oaf of a Great Dane, who, try as he might, can't fit in with Fran's (Pleshette) spoiled prize Dachshunds (think Lady and the Tramp's evil Siamese cats). The film is full of sight gags and slapstick from director Norman Tokar (The Cat from Outer Space, M*A*S*H). In true Disney fashion, the underdog wins out and saves the day.

Okay, I just saw this film again. Last time a saw it I was 10. It's sexist. It's using puns where people who is not good at english, is the joke. I didn't remember this film, but I remember I had a crush on Mako. It's low brow funny. Over the top. And In my head, I had a scene, where they drove to the hospital again, but this time it was Fran who had a baby. That was just my mind. Had I seen it now, I would have gone WTF, but yet it's nostalgic. I saw it with my grandmother and her sister, who loved it, when I was a kid. The dogs were trained well.

(NOTE: Curmudgeon mode ON.) I should have expected what I was getting into, but it was not something that filled the bill of what I needed right now. It had everything I hate about doting doggie mommies who dress up their pets and clueless doggie daddies who don't care about training their dogs. A full soundtrack of little yappy dogs and giant woofing ones. I don't think I laughed once during the whole movie.

Wrong movie for a grouchy mood, but wrong for specific recent reasons. I've recently had encounters with neighbors, the little yappy dogs on one side and a new VERY LOUD Rottweiler on the other. Now that I can get outside again, my hoped-for quiet backyard is assaulted by these noises all day.

fyi, I love dogs. I've fostered and adopted out at least 20 in the last three years, of varying breeds. I feel bad that I wasn't in the right mindset to enjoy the madcap mayhem presented here. But I don't think the writing was all that great either, and the jokes are sometimes looooonngly drawn out.

Perhaps the most unintentionally amusing scene was seeing the married couple settle down for the night in their matching twin beds.

Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette star as married couple Mark and Fran Garrison, whose prize-winning Dachshund has just had pups. Then into their lives comes Brutus, a lovably exuberant Great Dane who comes to think of himself as a Dachshund. Much friction occurs between the husband and wife since she dotes on her dogs and he very much wants a dog of his own. The four Dachshunds get up to various mischievous escapades, and Brutus tends to get the blame.

The two lead characters aren't the most likeable you'll ever see in a Disney comedy, although he is often more sympathetic. She's very stubborn, and it takes a while before she realizes Brutus' worth. He's a good guard dog, and is quick to warn humans when one of the Dachsies gets into potential peril. There's also the standard amount of Disney slapstick and farcical situations, with the canines and humans alike being put through their paces. The highlight is a garden party that goes from bad to worse.

The cast gives it 100%, especially Disney veteran Jones. Co-starring are Charles Ruggles as the kindly old veterinarian J.L. Pruitt, Kelly Thordsen as the jovial Officer Carmody, Parley Baer as Dachshund expert Mel Chadwick, Robert Kino and a hilarious Mako as the Japanese-American men who organize the party, and Charles Lane as a dog show judge. Dick Wessel plays Eddie the garbage man, although he's curiously dubbed by the great voice-over artist Paul Frees. But any dog lover will want to watch this for the talented and endearing canines, who are obviously very well trained. It's particularly amusing when Brutus is in full "I'm a dachshund" mode.

Overall, "The Ugly Dachshund" is mild as far as comedy content goes, although it certainly does generate some decent chuckles along the way.

Six out of 10.

The first lesson of this film, reaffirmed intermittently throughout, is that All Cops Are Bozos (to sanitize the vernacular). The second is that if someone is looking for atypical names to assign to a pet, this is a hot bed in the first several minutes. Also in the first minutes, the third lesson is that male lead Mark is all but fully saturated with strains of sexism, paternalism, and toxic masculinity - sometimes casual and underhanded, sometimes very straightforward, and sometimes passive-aggressive; sometimes directed specifically toward his wife Fran, and sometimes expressed through his disdain for "unmanly" dachshunds as compared to "champion"-worthy Great Danes. As the minutes tick by, every time I think Fran is coming across as inconsiderate toward Mark, Mark turns around and says or does something so mean and ignorant that he makes Fran seem like a flawless angel of a woman. I don't think Fran deserves to be saddled with a creature like Mark, but to the extent we might say she does: yikes, what an awful marriage.

Oh yes, 'The ugly dachshund' is a family-friendly comedy. The dynamics in Fran and Mark's relationship are straight out of any number of sitcoms that have aired on television over the years, the dogs are lovely, and the antics they get up to are splendidly silly. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette give vibrant performances befitting the sharp, frankly severe personalities of their characters, and I commend the trainers who prepared the canines for their scenes. These ninety minutes are filled with situational humor, plentiful gags, and the tomfoolery of outrageous characters. Fran and Mark also, however, demonstrate carelessness and thoughtlessness as pet owners; as someone with multiple cats I totally understand that living with animals of other species will mean shenanigans, yet Fran and Mark never seem to give any consideration to managing their home with a mind for either the safety of their dogs, or the tidiness and keeping of their household. It's outright negligence, really.

Sure, Norman Tokar's direction is solid, and the crew operating behind the scenes turned in excellent work. The production design and art direction are fetching; the costume design, hair, and makeup are impeccable. George Bruns' original music is a tasteful complement, and there are nice touches even in Edward Colman's cinematography. The stunts and practical effects that we see amidst the canines' tomfoolery (with subsequent madcap goofiness for the humans) are finely executed. On the other hand, we also have to stop to think about the racism that defines a sequence around the two-thirds mark: in dialogue both given to and describing Japanese-American characters, in the way that these characters act, and to a smaller extent, in how the picture handles touches of Japanese culture that are included. No, this wasn't trying to be racist, and it's only a product of its time when sensibilities surrounding race - and animal care, and gender relations - were not nearly as forward-thinking compared to today. That doesn't specifically make things any better, though, and director Tokar, writer Albert Aley, and producers Walt Disney and Winston Hibler should have all known better in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that this feature is altogether bad. It is lightly amusing, and it even occasionally earns a laugh. But also, the first time I ever heard of it was in discussion with friends who spoke of how poorly it has aged, and boy were they right. 'The ugly dachshund' IS a comedy about dogs, but it's also about gender relations, and as a production of the 1960s, at best we can say in the spirit of generosity that what may have been commonplace and acceptable sixty years ago is and should be frowned upon today, or at least greeted with a far more discerning, critical eye. Enjoyable in some measure, these days this is a movie that mostly stands as a curiosity, a relic or time capsule, or maybe even a novelty. That doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile, but it does mean that one should take the viewing experience with a grain of salt and be ready to analyze it for better and for worse.

As an adult, I watch it over and over again! This is indeed one of the cutest movies I've ever seen and not to mention the best. If your child likes dogs, this is a MUST see film. Some films involving animals have some terribly sad tragedy included but this film keeps it light and fun. It still contains a happy ending and you'll giggle all the way through!

Mark and Fran Garrison (Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette) are a young married couple who spend the entire movie at each other's throats. You really wonder why they remain married in the story and I really think this is a major problem with the film....the couple simply hated each other.

The story begins with the couple racing like the devil to get their pet Dachshund to the vet because it's in labor. Never mind that dogs have been giving birth for thousands of years without vets....the dog is apparently quite pampered. After having three puppies, Mark learns that the vet has a bit of a predicament...his Great Dane had too many puppies and one of them wasn't going to survive. Since the Dachshund only had three puppies, Mark agrees to take the Dane and have it nursed by the mama Dachshund.

So far all this makes sense. However, Mark doesn't tell Fran that their fourth puppy is a Great Dane...and it takes her several weeks to notice! This makes no sense...nor did it make any sense that Mark would not talk to his wife about this. In fact, this is THE model for the rest of the movie--with the couple not communicating and each using the dogs against the other. Mark loves the Great Dane and Fran always sides with her Dachshunds and scapegoating the Great Dane....blaming it for the damage generally begin done by her Dachshunds. What's to become of this bickering family? And, will Fran ever come to like and accept the Dane?

My oldest daughter and I loved watching the scenes with the doggies. However, when the story centered on the couple, the film bogged down because down deep they don't seem to love each other--and what fun is it seeing an arguing couple?! More dogs...less bickering couple and you would have had a better movie. Overall, very watchable but a film that manages to just miss the mark...and all of this has to do with the total lack of chemistry between the two leads.

Disney films always have an animal, a child or someone suffering. This film was no exception, as it's another dog movie. This is a very wholesome film too, starring Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette. It's also a very comical film too.

One of the more memorable scenes I remember that makes this a very 60s film and more wholesome is a scene in the couples bedroom, depicting two single beds. You don't see that anymore, but it was prevalent in that era of morality.

The ugly dachshund that the title refers to is Brutus, a great dane who gets into all sorts of mischief while growing up with a litter of dachshunds. Great fun for the entire family, without provocative situations, language or violence.

I must agree with the reviewer who said "Dean Jones was just collecting another paycheck," that pretty much sums it up.

I realize this is Disney and did not go into it expecting Oscar worthy drama, but in our home we really enjoyed the earlier films "The Absent-Minded Professor" and "The Shaggy Dog". Family friendly, and entertaining for the adults as well as the kids, as were a number of Disney films throughout the late 1950's to the 1970's.

"The Ugly Dachshund" does not measure up. I recently found the DVD for only a few dollars and remembered going to see this at the drive-in back when it was new. And we had dachshunds back in the 1960's, so I was expecting some happy memory associations. What a disappointment. There are a few cute sequences of the dogs making a mess out of the house, nothing that hasn't been captured equally well on television sitcoms of the day. Outside of this, the story is boring, the couple don't like each other and are trapped in an unhappy marriage, the film manages to drudge up remarkably little sympathy for even the dogs.

I don't think we'll watch this one again anytime soon. If you're looking for wholesome Disney family films of this era, I'd recommend The Shaggy Dog, Freaky Friday, The World's Greatest Athelete, or even The Barefoot Executive. All of them far better than this trouser cloud. This one is a dull and unhappy expenditure of 90 minutes with little entertainment to offer.

Here it is, forty years later, and I could talk about Disney's minor effort in The Ugly Dachshund, a bland little quickie of a family movie that features not a single fresh idea or character. It does have cute dachshunds (which I appreciate) and a great dane (two votes from my wife and daughter; no taste there!), Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, and Charlie Ruggles.

The story is unimportant and, unfortunately, is not very well pieced together; usually live-action features from Disney in the 60's and 70's were pretty tightly plotted. The movie just has one opportunity after another for the dogs to destroy the best efforts of humans. It's all so dumb and gentle and uninvolved that you'll want to slap a blue ribbon for mediocrity on the side of your TV--Blandest in Show!

But who cares, anyway? It has Suzanne Pleshette. I watched the whole movie and griped about the dozen minutes or so lopped off by Hallmark for a two hour time slot. That meant there was footage of Pleshette missing! Throughout the movie, she appears in one lovely outfit after another, looking like a gift from Heaven (and she falls on a Japanese fellow at one point--he's laying on his back after collapsing from his fear of the great dane--and she's got these tight pants on and . . . ).

Wooeee . . . was I gone long?

Just leave it to me to smut up a review of a Disney movie!

By the way, when Pleshette falls on the Japanese guy, he has this little grin on his face that made me think he went to the director and told him to forget paying him for the day--it was all worth it.

Despite being an old movie, this is very cute and likable. For its time, it has good production value. It is a tad predictable at times, but still adorable and fun to watch. I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to watch a funny and cute story, while seeing some adorable puppies along the way. The acting is very good as well and doesn't seem as staged as it is in some other films.