The Ugly Dachshund
Tags: humor

Plot synopsis:
Fran Garrison (Suzanne Pleshette) and her husband Mark (Dean Jones) are a young happy married couple and the proud owners of an award-winning Dachshund named Danke. The movie begins with them frantically getting into the car and heading to the hospital as "the pain has started and it's about time". In a hurry to the hospital, Officer Carmody tries to pull them over for going 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. After notifying that they are on the way to the hospital and indicating that Fran is the one in labor, Officer Carmody pulls in front of them and turns on the sirens to escort them to the county hospital.
After he arrives and turns to find that Mr. and Mrs. Garrison have gone past him, he gets back on his motorcycle and follows them to the vet. It is then revealed that Danke is the one in labor. While Mark is outside waiting on Fran, Officer Carmody catches up to him and after Mark thanks him for helping them get to the vet on time, Officer Carmody reveals that he was under the impression that Mrs. Garrison was the one in labor and proceeds to write multiple traffic violation tickets totaling to $110. On the day that Mr. Garrison arrives at the vet to pick up Danke and her three female puppies: Wilhelmina, Heidi, and Chloe, veterinarian Dr. Pruitt (Charlie Ruggles) mentions that his female Great Dane, Duchess, has also given birth, but pushed away one of her male puppies because she didn't have enough milk for him.
Doc Pruitt convinces Mark to bring the Great Dane puppy home, because Danke had too much milk, and she could save his life. When he arrives home and Fran notices that there is another puppy, she is surprised but does not suspect that the puppy is from another litter and reminds Mark that he should thank Danke for giving him a boy like he always wanted. He eventually tells Fran the truth about the male puppy and named him Brutus. As he grows up with Fran's Dachshund puppies, he believes he is one of them and picks up mannerisms like hunching close to the ground to walk. The Dachshunds are mischievous creatures and lead poor unsuspecting Brutus through a series of comic misadventures with Officer Carmody (now Sergeant Carmody) being chased up a tree, Mark's studio being splattered with paint, and a garden party being turned topsy-turvy.
Fran wants Mark to remove Brutus from the house once-and-for-all but when Brutus saves her favorite puppy, Chloe, from the garbage truck, she changes her mind. Mark and Fran enter their dogs in a dog show with Brutus meeting others of his breed. He notices a female Harlequin Great Dane and stands at attention. He goes on to win two blue ribbons. Brutus finally finds out what it's like to be a Great Dane.

Review: 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.
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).
Best live action film by Disney!.
If your child likes dogs, this is a MUST see film.
A Disney Dog Delight.
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..
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..
Dated but still a good choice for a Disney live-action film.
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.
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..
Despite being an old movie, this is very cute and likable.
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.
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.
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.
Forget the dogs--give us Pleshette!.
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.
I watched the whole movie and griped about the dozen minutes or so lopped off by Hallmark for a two hour time slot.
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 .
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..
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.
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.
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..
Dean Jones picks up another paycheck in this weak, silly Disney outing about showdogs.
Along for the ride are Suzanne Pleshette (who was still a pretty fresh face when this, er, "dog" of a movie was made) and Charlie Ruggles, evidently suckered out of retirement to play a dottering trainer.
Ordinarily, cute dogs or cats or something will usually save an inane picture, since neither the plot nor the human actors can.
Dachshunds, for example, should never be encouraged to jump on or off furniture since this can result in severe spinal injury, and, even though this was known when the film was made, the dogs are made to do it anyway.
The aforementioned Dean Jones, a longtime Disney staple, apparently has no problem subordinating himself to animal acts, while Ms. Pleshette must have rationalized her part as "paying her dues".
If you have little children who just love seeing movies about cute dogs and watching grownups humiliate themselves, then this is the movie to see.
Advertising designer and his wife are at odds over their canine brood: her four Dachshunds to his friendly, clumsy Great Dane.
Noisy comedy from Walt Disney buttresses the endless husband-and-wife arguments with four-legged slapstick chaos and sight gags, some of which will no doubt please the impressionable.
Slick, empty nonsense with unconvincing marrieds at the center; Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette, sleeping in separate twin beds, lovingly refer to each other as "Dear" and "Darling" without any genuine affection between the them.
Disney's take on The Ugly Duckling with canines; animals wonderful, humans are second fiddle.
She is married to successful artist Mark (Dean Jones) and has a lovely home in California.
Therefore, Mark starts the car and drives the expectant dog to the vets.
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.
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?
This enjoyable, classic Disney has wonderful animal performers in four clever, adorable Dachshunds and one darling Great Dane.
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.
As family entertainment for animal lovers, its pleasures are many..
This Disney comedy stars Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette as a happily married couple who have dog issues.
Pleshette is the proud owner of a pregnant dachshund who has to make a mad dash to the veterinarian to give birth which costs Jones a bunch of moving violations.But while at the veterinarian's, Charlie Ruggles after delivering Suzanne's three dachshund pups persuades Jones to take in a Great Dane pup because the mother rejected it from her litter.
Jones not too reluctantly agreed as he's always wanted a big man size dog.Of course when Suzanne finds out she reluctantly agrees, but not for long as the puppy grows up big and bumptious.
The bulk of the film is taken up with the big bumptious Great Dane making a wreck of their lives.
Poor dog whose named Brutus gets blamed for everything even when it isn't his fault.
But he proves himself a winner at the end, literally.Jones and Pleshette are a nice couple and the chemistry is good.
One thing I took exception to is the sequence where the big dog actually trees a police officer.
I mean really, we all know that cop Kelly Thordsen in real life would have just shot the dog.
But not in the Magic Kingdom.It's an innocuous Disney comedy that other than that scene holds up well as family entertainment..
Have loved this movie, since first seeing it 40 years ago.
The dogs are of course adorable, and the plot simple and captivating.
Mark Garrison, who is referred to in the summary as Jim, I believe someone has their movies mixed up, Jim Douglas was in the Love Bug. Anyway, Mark and Fran are likable folks, the movie is also a favorite of my Grandsons, 3 and 5.
Love Bug, Swiss Family Robinson, Old Yeller and Ugly Dachshund, are repeated often.
The movie opens with a race to the hospital for the birth of the Dachsie puppies.
Danke has three little girls puppies, and a Great Dane is pawned off on Mark, to be nursed by Danke.
Seems the Dane has too many puppies, and so this begins the story.
The Dane is the dog Mark has been yearning for, so he conspires to keep him in the family, even after he is weaned.
Don't miss this one, if you enjoy the Disney movie greats..
The Ugly Dachshund is a fun family film for dog lovers, especially Dachshund or Great Dane fanciers.
It is both a charming dog movie, as well as a romantic comedy.Mark (Dean Jones) and Fran Garrison (Suzanne Pleshette) are dog lovers, with Fran's choice breed being Dachshunds.
After Fran's blue ribbon dog Danca has a litter of three female puppies, Mark begins to feel overwhelmed by the "girly" dogs.
But when Mark goes to pick up Danca and her pups, he finds the vet Doc Pruitt (Charles Ruggles) trying to feed a rejected runt from his Great Dane's litter.
After some persuasive suggestions, Mark takes the puppy home with his wife's dog so she can wet nurse him.
Even when grown, the Great Dane Brutus doesn't seem to understand he is any different from his adoptive family.
But eventually the entire family, human and canine, find a way to live together.It's a fun and silly to watch, just a lighthearted family movie.
A must for anyone who has a Great Dane or Dachshund!.
This movie is why I have 2 Dachshunds.
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.
Where It's Lacking As Great Cinema, It Compensates With Cute Doggies.
hardly the outstanding family classic that 'Old Yeller' is, but it's still one of the cutest 'doggie' flicks produced.when the movie begins with footage of the newborn puppies in a box at the vet's with their eyes still unopened, any true dog fancier is going to get to get hooked in a little.
Disney always did make some of the most satisfying "animal lover" films of all Hollywood products.
this film is most certainly commercial product then actual cinema, but it knows what it's selling and it does it with economy and efficiency.
probably not as easy as it appears on screen given the extremely lightweight subject matter.i saw this film a couple of times while growing up and was curious to see it again after many years.
there are no children's roles in this movie, which is a good thing since it mostly aims for a "kiddie flick" audience and it's taste in comedy is purposely low brow and slapstick in order to appeal to the younger set.not that the slapstick chaos isn't funny.
the evolution of Great Dane Brutus from overgrown oafish slob to champion dog show society, was very amusing and all too real.
especially in the hilarious moment when he leaps onto the bed with Suzanne Pleshette in order to gain attention from the little Daschunds she is coddling.even though the adult relationship between Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette is one dimensional and superficial, it is adult enough to distract older audience from all the canine cuteness.
not to mention Jones and Pleshette are likable and charming and very "human".
their "humaness" seems especially essential to a film where the doggies are the true stars.competently handled by Disney director Norman Tokar, the movie holds true even today and is a primed example of efficiency if not ground breaking cinema.Disney always did warmth and sentimentality better than most of the other studios which tended to shy away from such congeniality.
something essential when making a film not just about animals, but about our ever lovable, and sometimes annoying, household pets which are so near and dear to so many of us..
Such a sweet family movie.
It starts off with Mark Garrison (Dean Jones) and his wife Fran (Suzanne Pleshette) taking their Dachsund Dante to the vet.
The vet, Dr. Pruitt (Charlie Ruggles) gets Mark's attention by telling him about a sickly Great Dane puppy that has been abandoned by his mother.To make a long story short, Mark takes the pup home, it grows and makes a huge mess.
Towards the end of the movie Mark shows everyone (including his wife Fran) that Brutus, the Great Dane, isn't just a confused dog that thinks it's a Dachsund, but a friend that needs to be understood.I was really shocked, because I loved dogs, and this movie really got me into the Dachsund and Great Dane breed.
It was really good, but it wasn't great.
Believe it or not, this extremely juvenile outing from the Disney studio ended up being the eleventh highest grossing American movie in 1966!
Actors Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette do try their best, giving appealing and likable performances that almost make the movie watchable.
"Predictable" and "dim-witted" is the best way to describe the rest of the script as well as the direction - most likely viewers will find the gags and the (very minimal) story very familiar stuff.
And the part of the movie that involves Japanese characters will displease many viewers since it smacks of racism.
While the slapstick and dogs will be appealing to very young viewers, anyone older will most likely find the movie to be quite tough to sit through.